Semiconductor structure with source/drain multi-layer structure and method for forming the same

1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a gate structure formed over a fin structure;

a gate spacer formed on a sidewall surface of the gate structure; and

a first source/drain (S/D) epitaxial layer formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate spacer; and

a second S/D epitaxial layer formed over the first S/D epitaxial layer, wherein a topmost surface of the second S/D epitaxial layer is higher than a topmost surface of the first S/D epitaxial layer; and

a dielectric spacer over the second S/D epitaxial layer and on a portion of a sidewall surface of the gate spacer.

2. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a lattice constant of the first S/D epitaxial layer is greater than a lattice constant of the second S/D epitaxial layer.

3. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a contact plug over the second S/D epitaxial layer, wherein the contact plug is separated from the gate spacer through the dielectric spacer.

4. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a topmost surface of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the gate spacer.

5. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:

a S/D silicide layer formed on the second S/D epitaxial layer, wherein the S/D silicide layer is not in direct contact with the dielectric spacer.

6. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the dielectric spacer is directly over the second S/D epitaxial layer.

7. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first S/D epitaxial layer comprises a silicon epitaxial layer with a first N-type dopant, and the second S/D epitaxial layer comprises a silicon epitaxial layer with a second N-type dopant that is different from the first N-type dopant.

8. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein an atomic radius of the first N-type dopant is greater than an atomic radius of the second N-type dopant.

9. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first N-type dopant is arsenic (As), and the second N-type dopant is phosphorous (P).

10. A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a gate structure formed over a fin structure;

a gate spacer formed over the fin structure and on a sidewall surface of the gate structure; and

a dielectric spacer formed on a portion of a sidewall surface of the gate spacer, wherein a topmost surface of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the gate spacer;

a source/drain (S/D) structure formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate spacer; and

a S/D silicide layer formed on the S/D structure, wherein the dielectric spacer is not in direct contact with the S/D silicide layer.

11. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the S/D silicide layer is separated from the gate spacer by the dielectric spacer.

12. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the source/drain structure comprises:

a first S/D epitaxial layer in contact with the fin structure; and

a second S/D epitaxial layer over the first S/D epitaxial layer, wherein the first S/D epitaxial layer is connected to a portion of the second S/D epitaxial layer below a top surface of the fin structure.

13. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a lattice constant of the first S/D epitaxial layer is greater than a lattice constant of the second S/D epitaxial layer.

14. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the dielectric spacer is formed of a material comprising silicon nitride (SiN) and different from the gate spacer.

15. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein an interface between the dielectric spacer and the gate spacer is aligned with an interface between the first S/D epitaxial layer and the second S/D epitaxial layer.

16. The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

a contact plug formed adjacent to the gate structure, wherein the dielectric spacer is not in direct contact with the contact plug.

17. A method for forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:

forming a gate structure over a fin structure;

forming a source/drain (S/D) structure adjacent to the gate structure, wherein the S/D structure comprises a first S/D epitaxial layer and a second S/D epitaxial layer;

forming a blocking layer on a top surface of the S/D structure; and

selectively forming a dielectric spacer adjacent to the gate structure, wherein the a topmost surface of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the gate structure, and an interface of the first S/D epitaxial layer and the second S/D epitaxial layer is aligned with a sidewall surface of the dielectric spacer.

18. The method for forming a semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising:

forming a gate spacer over the fin structure and on a sidewall surface of the gate structure before forming the S/D structure, wherein the gate spacer and the dielectric spacer are formed of different materials.

19. The method for forming a semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 17 , wherein forming the S/D structure comprises:

epitaxially growing the first S/D epitaxial layer lining a surface of the fin structure; and

epitaxially growing the second S/D epitaxial layer over the first source/drain epitaxial layer.

20. The method for forming a semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising:

forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure over the fin structure, the gate structure, and the dielectric spacer;

forming a metal gate structure to replace the gate structure; and

forming a contact plug over the S/D structure, wherein a topmost of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the contact plug.