IP Library Granted Patent US 11,527,640
Granted Patent B2
US 11,527,640 · App. 16/238,978 · Granted Dec 13, 2022

Wrap-around contact structures for semiconductor nanowires and nanoribbons

Inventors: Rishabh Mehandru (Portland, OR); Tahir Ghani (Portland, OR); Stephen Cea (Hillsboro, OR); Biswajeet Guha (Hillsboro, OR)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H01L29/775H01L29/41733H01L29/42392H01L29/66439H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,527,640
App. No.
16/238,978
Granted
Dec 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wrap-around contact structures for semiconductor nanowires and nanoribbons, and methods of fabricating wrap-around contact structures for semiconductor nanowires and nanoribbons, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor nanowire above a first portion of a semiconductor sub-fin. A gate structure surrounds a channel portion of the semiconductor nanowire. A source or drain region is at a first side of the gate structure, the source or drain region including an epitaxial structure on a second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the epitaxial structure having substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin. A conductive contact structure is along sidewalls of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the epitaxial structure.

Claims (50)

1. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a semiconductor nanowire above a first portion of a semiconductor sub-fin, the semiconductor sub-fin having a first lateral width;

a gate structure surrounding a channel portion of the semiconductor nanowire;

a source or drain region at a first side of the gate structure, the source or drain region comprising an epitaxial structure on a second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the epitaxial structure having substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, and the epitaxial structure having a second lateral width, the second lateral width substantially the same as the first lateral width; and

a conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the epitaxial structure.

2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial structure comprises a flat surface distal from the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, and wherein the conductive contact structure is further on the flat surface.

3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial structure comprises a pair of facets that meet at a center point, and wherein the conductive contact structure is further on the pair of facets.

4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pair of dielectric spacers along sidewalls of the conductive contact structure.

5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate structure, the second source or drain region comprising a second epitaxial structure on a third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the second epitaxial structure having substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin; and

a second conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the second epitaxial structure.

6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate structure, the second source or drain region comprising a second epitaxial structure on a third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the second epitaxial structure having non-vertical sidewalls extending laterally beyond the third portion of the semiconductor fin.

7. The integrated circuit structure of claim 6 , further comprising:

a pair of dielectric spacers along the second epitaxial structure and the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, wherein points of the non-vertical sidewalls of the second epitaxial structure are in contact with the pair of dielectric spacers.

8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial structure comprises a semiconductor material different than the semiconductor sub-fin and different than the semiconductor nanowire.

9. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the gate structure comprises a high-k dielectric layer, and a gate electrode comprising a metal.

10. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a dielectric plug on a surface of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin opposite the epitaxial structure.

11. The integrated circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein the conductive contact structure is further along sidewalls of the dielectric plug.

12. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a semiconductor nanowire above a first portion of a semiconductor sub-fin, the semiconductor sub-fin having a first lateral width;

a gate structure surrounding a channel portion of the semiconductor nanowire;

a source or drain region at a first side of the gate structure, the source or drain region comprising a second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin on a dielectric plug, and the source or drain region comprising an epitaxial structure on the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the epitaxial structure having a second lateral width, the second lateral width substantially the same as the first lateral width;

a conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along sidewalls of the dielectric plug; and

a pair of dielectric spacers along sidewalls of the conductive contact structure.

13. The integrated circuit structure of claim 12 , further comprising:

a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate structure, the second source or drain region comprising a third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin on a second dielectric plug; and

a second conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along sidewalls of the second dielectric plug.

14. The integrated circuit structure of claim 12 , wherein the gate structure comprises a high-k dielectric layer, and a gate electrode comprising a metal.

15. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit structure, comprising:

forming a semiconductor nanowire above a first portion of a semiconductor sub-fin, the semiconductor sub-fin having a first lateral width;

forming a gate structure surrounding a channel portion of the semiconductor nanowire;

forming a source or drain region at a first side of the gate structure, the source or drain region comprising an epitaxial structure on a second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the epitaxial structure having substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin; and

forming a conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the epitaxial structure.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a pair of dielectric spacers along sidewalls of the conductive contact structure.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate structure, the second source or drain region comprising a second epitaxial structure on a third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the second epitaxial structure having substantially vertical sidewalls in alignment with the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin; and

forming a second conductive contact structure along sidewalls of the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin and along the substantially vertical sidewalls of the second epitaxial structure.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate structure, the second source or drain region comprising a second epitaxial structure on a third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, the second epitaxial structure having non-vertical sidewalls extending laterally beyond the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

forming a pair of dielectric spacers along the second epitaxial structure and the third portion of the semiconductor sub-fin, wherein points of the non-vertical sidewalls of the second epitaxial structure are in contact with the pair of dielectric spacers.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the epitaxial structure comprises a semiconductor material different than the semiconductor sub-fin and different than the semiconductor nanowire.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gate structure comprises a high-k dielectric layer, and a gate electrode comprising a metal.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a dielectric plug on a surface of the second portion of the semiconductor sub-fin opposite the epitaxial structure.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the conductive contact structure is further formed along sidewalls of the dielectric plug.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2019
From: MEHANDRU, RISHABH; GHANI, TAHIR; CEA, STEPHEN; GUHA, BISWAJEET
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050087/0915 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200219997A1 · Jul 9, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,506,077