Transistor having wrap-around source/drain contacts
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of forming a semiconductor device. A non-limiting example of the method includes performing fabrication operations to form a field effect transistor (FET) device on a substrate. The fabrication operations include forming a channel region over the substrate, forming a bottom conductive layer of a wrap-around source or drain (S/D) contact over the substrate, and forming a S/D region over the bottom conductive layer and adjacent to the channel region. The S/D region is communicatively coupled to the channel region and the bottom conductive layer.
1. A method of forming a set of semiconductor devices, the method comprising:
performing fabrication operations to form a set of field effect transistor (FET) devices on a substrate, wherein the fabrication operations include:
forming a first channel region over a first region of the substrate;
forming a second channel region over a second region of the substrate and adjacent to the first channel region; and
forming over a third region of the substrate a bottom conductive layer operable to form a bottommost component of a multi-component wrap-around source or drain (S/D) contact;
wherein the first region of the substrate, the second region of the substrate, and the third region of the substrate do not overlap;
wherein the bottom conductive layer includes a non-uniform height having a first section and a second section; and
wherein the first section tapers downward toward the first channel region and the second section tapers downward toward the second channel region.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
using the first channel region and the second channel region to form a shared S/D region over the bottom conductive layer and between the first channel region and the second channel region;
wherein the shared S/D region is not a component of the multi-component S/D contact;
wherein the shared S/D region is communicatively coupled to the first channel region, the second channel region, and the bottom conductive layer;
wherein the shared S/D region is formed subsequently to forming the bottom conductive layer; and
wherein the first section tapers downward toward the first channel region and the second section tapers downward toward the second channel region such that:
portions of the bottom conductive layer that are closest to the first channel region do not contact a first sidewall of the first channel region; and
portions of the bottom conductive layer that are closest to the second channel region do not contact a first sidewall of the second channel region.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
forming over the shared S/D region a top S/D contact region operable to form an upper component of the multi-component wrap-around S/D contact; and
communicatively coupling the top S/D contact region to the bottom conductive layer such that the top S/D contact region coupled to the bottom conductive layer defines a central opening;
wherein the central opening is occupied by the shared S/D region.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:
forming the bottom conductive layer from a first conductive material using a first set of fabrication operations; and
forming the top S/D contact region from a second conductive material using a second set of fabrication operations;
wherein the first conductive material is different than the second conductive material; and
wherein the first set of fabrication operations is different than the second set of fabrication operations.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a surface area of an interface between the wrap-around S/D contact and the shared S/D region comprises:
a first surface area of an interface between the shared S/D region and a first portion of a top surface of the bottom conductive layer; and
a second surface area of an interface between the top S/D contact region and the shared S/D region.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the shared S/D region is communicatively coupled to the bottom conductive layer through a first region of the top surface of the bottom conductive layer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the top S/D contact region is communicatively coupled to the bottom conductive layer through a second region of the top surface of the bottom conductive layer.
8. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the top S/D contact region comprises:
a contact liner;
a barrier liner; and
a conductive metal.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first section that tapers downward toward the first channel region reduces a first capacitance between a first gate of the first channel and a shared S/D region over the bottom conductance layer; and
the second section that tapers downward toward the second channel region reduces a second capacitance between a second gate of the second channel and the shared S/D region over the bottom conductance layer.
10. A method of forming a set of semiconductor devices, the method comprising:
forming a channel region over a first region and a second region of a substrate;
forming over a third region of the substrate a bottom conductive layer operable to form a bottommost component of a multi-component wrap-around source or drain (S/D) contact;
wherein the first region of the substrate, the second region of the substrate, and the third region of the substrate do not overlap; and
forming a shared S/D region over the bottom conductive layer and adjacent to the channel region;
wherein the channel region comprises a first channel stack over the first region of the substrate and a second channel stack over the second region of the substrate;
wherein the first channel stack comprises a first set of stacked and spaced-apart channel nanosheets;
wherein the second channel stack comprises a second set of stacked and spaced-apart channel nanosheets;
wherein the shared S/D region is shared by the first channel stack and the second channel stack;
wherein a non-uniform height of the bottom conductive layer tapers downward for portions of the bottom conductive layer that are closest to the first channel stack;
wherein the non-uniform height of the bottom conductive layer tapers downward for portions of the bottom conductive layer that are closest to the second channel stack; and
wherein the shared S/D region is not a component of the multi-component S/D contact.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
forming over the shared S/D region a top S/D contact region operable to form an upper component of the multi-component wrap-around S/D contact; and
communicatively coupling the top S/D contact region to the bottom conductive layer such that the top S/D contact region coupled to the bottom conductive layer defines a central opening;
wherein the central opening is occupied by the shared S/D region.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the shared S/D region comprises:
epitaxially growing the shared S/D region from the first set of stacked and spaced-apart channel nanosheets; and
epitaxially growing the shared S/D region from the second set of stacked and spaced-apart channel nanosheets such that the shared S/D region extends over and is communicatively coupled to the bottom conductive layer of the wrap-around S/D contact.