IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,170,333
Granted Patent B2
US 12,170,333 · App. 17/494,071 · Granted Dec 17, 2024

Integrated circuit devices having uniformly formed structure

Inventors: Sungmin Kim (Incheon, KR); Daewon Ha (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H01L29/7851H01L29/41791
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,170,333
App. No.
17/494,071
Granted
Dec 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit device according to the inventive concept includes: a fin-type active area protruding from a substrate and extending in a first horizontal direction; a stopper layer that is above and spaced apart from the fin-type active area; a gate electrode extending in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, on the fin-type active area, and in a space between the fin-type active area and the stopper layer; and a gate capping layer on upper surfaces of the gate electrode and the stopper layer.

Claims (43)

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a fin-type active area protruding from a substrate and extending in a first horizontal direction;

a stopper layer that is above and spaced apart from the fin-type active area;

a gate electrode extending in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, on the fin-type active area, and in a space between the fin-type active area and the stopper layer; and

a gate capping layer on an upper surface of the gate electrode and an upper surface of the stopper layer,

wherein a vertical level of the upper surface of the gate electrode is higher than a lower surface of the stopper layer.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the vertical level of the upper surface of the gate electrode is lower than the upper surface of the stopper layer.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 2 , wherein the gate capping layer is on at least an upper portion of a side surface of the stopper layer.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode has a recess having a concave shape on a central portion of the upper surface of the gate electrode.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 4 , further comprising a gate spacer on a side surface of the gate electrode,

wherein the upper surface of the gate electrode has an uppermost point at a portion adjacent to the stopper layer or a portion adjacent to the gate spacer, and

wherein the uppermost point of the upper surface of the gate electrode is located between the upper surface of the stopper layer and a lower surface of the stopper layer.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 4 , wherein a lowermost point of the upper surface of the gate electrode is located between the upper surface of the stopper layer and a lower surface of the stopper layer.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 4 , wherein a lowermost point of the upper surface of the gate electrode is located at a vertical level lower than an upper surface of the fin-type active area.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 ,

wherein the fin-type active area has a rounded shape at upper corner portions thereof, and

wherein a portion of the gate electrode that is in the space between the fin-type active area and the stopper layer comprises a gap electrode part having a flat upper surface and a concave lower surface.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of nanosheets located between the fin-type active area and the stopper layer,

wherein the gate electrode surrounds the plurality of nanosheets.

10. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a plurality of fin-type active areas protruding from a substrate;

a plurality of stoppers that are above and spaced apart from the plurality of fin-type active areas;

a plurality of gate electrodes on the plurality of fin-type active areas and between the plurality of fin-type active areas and the plurality of stoppers;

a gate insulating layer between the plurality of gate electrodes and the plurality of fin-type active areas;

a plurality of gate spacers having the gate insulating layer therebetween, wherein the plurality of gate spacers are on side surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes; and

a gate capping layer on upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes, at least upper portions of side surfaces of the plurality of stoppers, and upper surfaces of the plurality of stoppers,

wherein the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes are located at a vertical level lower than the upper surfaces of the plurality of stoppers and have a plurality of recesses having a concave shape at central portions thereof, and the gate capping layer is in the plurality of recesses.

11. The integrated circuit device of claim 10 , wherein the vertical level of the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes is higher than a vertical level of lower surfaces of the plurality of stoppers.

12. The integrated circuit device of claim 10 , wherein a vertical level of first portions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes in contact with first portions of the gate insulating layer surrounding the plurality of stoppers is different from a vertical level of second portions of the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes in contact with second portions of the gate insulating layer on the plurality of gate spacers.

13. The integrated circuit device of claim 12 , wherein uppermost ends of the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes are in contact with the first portions of the gate insulating layer surrounding the plurality of stoppers.

14. The integrated circuit device of claim 12 , wherein uppermost ends of the upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes are in contact with the second portions of the gate insulating layer on the plurality of gate spacers.

15. The integrated circuit device of claim 10 , further comprising a contact plug that is on and electrically connected to a first recess of the plurality of recesses.

16. The integrated circuit device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of recesses extend from between the upper surfaces of the plurality of stoppers and lower surfaces of the plurality of stoppers to locations at a vertical level lower than upper surfaces of the plurality of fin-type active areas.

17. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a plurality of fin-type active areas protruding from a substrate;

a plurality of stoppers that are above and spaced apart from the plurality of fin-type active areas;

a plurality of gate electrodes on the plurality of fin-type active areas, between the plurality of fin-type active areas and the plurality of stoppers, and having a plurality of recesses of a concave shape in upper surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes located at a vertical level lower than upper surfaces of the plurality of stoppers and higher than lower surfaces of the plurality of stoppers;

a plurality of gate spacers on side surfaces of the plurality of gate electrodes;

a first dielectric layer between the plurality of gate electrodes and the plurality of fin-type active areas;

a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer between the plurality of gate electrodes and the plurality of fin-type active areas, surrounding the plurality of stoppers, between the plurality of gate electrodes and the plurality of gate spacers, and comprising a material having a dielectric constant greater than that of a material of the first dielectric layer; and

a gate capping layer in the plurality of recesses, on upper portions of side surfaces of the plurality of stoppers, and on the upper surfaces of the plurality of stoppers.

18. The integrated circuit device of claim 17 , wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of stoppers is greater than each of a plurality of gaps between the lower surfaces of the plurality of stoppers and the plurality of fin-type active areas.

19. The integrated circuit device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of stoppers includes silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxynitride (SiON), or silicon carbonitride (SiCN).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2021
From: KIM, SUNGMIN; HA, DAEWON
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057701/0336 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0030938 · Mar 9, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220293595A1 · Sep 15, 2022