IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,349,383
Granted Patent B2
US 12,349,383 · App. 17/738,955 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Isolation structures in semiconductor devices

Inventors: Jian-Shian Chen (Hsinchu, TW); Ru-Shang Hsiao (Jhubei, TW)
H10D30/0243H10D64/017H10D84/0151H10D84/0158H10D84/038H10D84/834
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,349,383
App. No.
17/738,955
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device with different isolation structures and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The a method includes forming first and second fin structures on a substrate, forming a dummy fin structure on the substrate and between the first and second fin structures, forming a polysilicon structure on the dummy fin structure, forming source/drain regions on the first and second fin structures, and replacing the polysilicon structure with a dummy gate structure. A top portion of the dummy gate structure is formed wider than a bottom portion of the dummy gate structure.

Claims (38)

1. A method, comprising:

forming first and second fin structures on a substrate;

forming a dummy fin structure on the substrate and between the first and second fin structures;

forming a polysilicon structure on the dummy fin structure;

forming source/drain regions on the first and second fin structures; and

replacing the polysilicon structure with a dummy gate structure, wherein a top portion of the dummy gate structure is formed wider than a bottom portion of the dummy gate structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dummy fin structure comprises forming a fin opening between the first and second fin structures.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dummy fin structure comprises forming a dielectric layer between the first and second fin structures.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dummy fin structure comprises forming a top surface of the dummy fin structure substantially coplanar with top surfaces of the first and second fin structures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the polysilicon structure comprises forming the polysilicon structure with a gate length greater than a width of the dummy fin structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises forming the bottom portion of the dummy gate structure between the first and second fin structures and on the dummy fin structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises etching a portion of the dummy fin structure.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises oxidizing sidewalls and top surfaces of the first and second fin structures.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises forming an opening that extends below top surfaces of the first and second fin structures.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises forming the bottom portion of the dummy gate structure with a width substantially equal to a width of the dummy fin structure.

11. A method, comprising:

forming first and second fin structures on a substrate;

forming first and second dielectric fin structures on the substrate;

forming first and second gate structures on the first and second fin structures, respectively;

forming a dummy gate structure in physical contact with a top surface and along sidewalls of the first dielectric fin structure; and

forming contact structures on the first and second gate structures.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the first and second dielectric fin structures comprises forming top surfaces of the first and second dielectric fin structures substantially coplanar with top surfaces of the first and second fin structures.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the first and second dielectric fin structures comprises forming the first dielectric fin structure with a width smaller than a width of the second dielectric fin structure.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the dummy gate structure comprises forming a top portion of the dummy gate structure about 1.1 times to about 1.5 times wider than a bottom portion of the dummy gate structure.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the dummy gate structure comprises:

etching a top portion of the first dielectric fin structure; and

exposing sidewalls of the first and second fin structures.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on the second dielectric fin structure.

17. A method, comprising:

forming a semiconductor fin structure on a substrate;

forming a dielectric fin structure adjacent to the semiconductor fin structure;

forming first and second polysilicon structures on the semiconductor fin structure and the dielectric fin structure, respectively;

epitaxially growing a source/drain region in the semiconductor fin structure and between the first and second polysilicon structures;

replacing the first polysilicon structure with a gate structure; and

replacing the second polysilicon structure with a dummy gate structure comprising a gate length greater than a width of the dielectric fin structure and substantially equal to a gate length of the gate structure.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the dielectric fin structure comprises forming the dielectric fin structure with a top surface non-coplanar with a top surface of the semiconductor fin structure.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein replacing the first polysilicon structure and replacing the second polysilicon structure are performed at different time periods.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein replacing the second polysilicon structure with the dummy gate structure comprises etching a portion of the dielectric fin structure.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 62213 FRAME 201. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEE. Recorded Apr 21, 2025
From: CHEN, JIAN-SHIAN; HSIAO, RU-SHANG
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 070904/0312 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2022
From: CHEN, JIAN-SHIAN; HSIAO, RU-SHANG
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062213/0201 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63211894 · Jun 17, 2021
Related Publication 20220406917A1 · Dec 22, 2022
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