IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,437,492
Granted Patent B2
US 11,437,492 · App. 17/072,719 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Semiconductor device and method of manufacture

Inventors: Wan-Yi Kao (Baoshan Township, TW); Hung Cheng Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Che-Hao Chang (Hsinchu, TW); Yung-Cheng Lu (Hsinchu, TW); Chi On Chui (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
H01L29/66553H01L21/0228H01L21/02167H01L21/02211H01L21/02603H01L29/0673H01L29/42392H01L29/4983H01L29/66742H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,437,492
App. No.
17/072,719
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing are presented in which inner spacers for nanostructures are manufactured. In embodiments a dielectric material is deposited for the inner spacer and then treated. The treatment may add material and cause an expansion in volume in order to close any seams that can interfere with subsequent processes.

Claims (32)

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a semiconductor structure comprising alternately stacked first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers;

recessing the first semiconductor layers horizontally;

forming a first inner spacer on the recessed surfaces of the first semiconductor layers and sidewalls of the second semiconductor layers; and

performing an annealing process to the first inner spacer to form a second inner spacer, the second inner spacer having a larger oxygen content than the first inner spacer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein an oxygen content of the second inner spacer ranges from 10% to 50%, and a nitride content of the second inner spacer ranges from 5% to 50%.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein an oxygen content of the second inner spacer ranges from 30% to 50%.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a nitride content of the second inner spacer ranges from 20% to 50%.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the annealing process closes a seam within the first inner spacer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the first inner spacer is performed at least in part with an atomic layer deposition process.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the atomic layer deposition process utilizes ammonia as a first precursor and uses trichloro[(trichlorosilyl)methyl]silane as a second precursor.

8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

depositing a stack of layers, wherein the stack of layers comprises alternating layers of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material;

patterning a fin from the stack of layers;

etching the first semiconductor material within the fin to form a first recess;

filling at least a portion of the first recess with a first dielectric material, the first dielectric material comprising a seam after the filling at least the portion of the first recess; and

closing the seam within the first recess by changing at least a portion of the first dielectric material to a second dielectric material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the closing the seam further comprising annealing the first dielectric material.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric material comprises silicon carbon nitride.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the closing the seam adds oxygen to the first dielectric material.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein after the closing the seam the second dielectric material comprises an oxygen concentration between about 10% and about 50%.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein after the closing the seam the second dielectric material comprises a nitrogen concentration between about 5% and about 50%.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising etching the second dielectric material to form inner spacers.

15. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first nanostructure surrounded by a gate dielectric;

a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure, wherein the second nanostructure has a substantially constant thickness and is surrounded by the gate dielectric; and

an inner spacer located between the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure, the inner spacer having a dished surface, the dished surface having a depth of less than about 4.3 nm.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the depth is about 3.2 nm.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the inner spacer is free from seams between the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the inner spacer comprises SiOCN, wherein the inner spacer has an oxide rich region and an oxide less region, a concentration gradient of oxygen extending from the oxide rich region to the oxide less region.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein an oxygen content of the inner spacer ranges from 10% to 50%.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein an oxygen content of the inner spacer ranges from 30% to 50%.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 16, 2020
From: KAO, WAN-YI; LIN, HUNG CHENG; CHANG, CHE-HAO; LU, YUNG-CHENG; CHUI, CHI ON
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054082/0545 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63027618 · May 20, 2020
Related Publication 20210367063A1 · Nov 25, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,288,814 US 12,713,677