IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,369,325
Granted Patent B2
US 12,369,325 · App. 17/894,597 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Gate-last tri-gate FeFET

Inventors: Meng-Han Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Chia-En Huang (Hsinchu County, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10B51/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,369,325
App. No.
17/894,597
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor structure includes an isolation layer; first and second source/drain (S/D) metal electrodes over the isolation layer; a metal gate disposed laterally between the first and the second S/D metal electrodes; a ferroelectric layer on a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces of the metal gate; and an oxide semiconductor layer. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a first portion under the first and the second S/D metal electrodes; a second portion under the ferroelectric layer and being thicker than the first portion; third portions above the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, respectively; and fourth portions on sidewalls of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, respectively, and connecting the third portions to the second portion.

Claims (53)

1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:

an isolation layer;

first and second source/drain (S/D) metal electrodes over the isolation layer;

a metal gate disposed laterally between the first and the second S/D metal electrodes;

a ferroelectric layer on a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces of the metal gate; and

an oxide semiconductor layer, comprising:

a first portion under the first and the second S/D metal electrodes;

a second portion under the ferroelectric layer and being thicker than the first portion;

third portions above the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, respectively; and

fourth portions on sidewalls of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, respectively, and connecting the third portions to the second portion.

2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes includes Mo, Ti, Pd, W, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Ta, Pt, Au, Al, TiW, TiN, TaN, WN, or WCN.

3. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal gate includes Mo, Ti, Pd, W, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Ta, Pt, Au, Al, TiW, TiN, TaN, WN, or WCN.

4. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the ferroelectric layer includes Hf 1-x Zr x O 2 , BaMgF 4 , BaTiO 3 —PbZrO, (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 , Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 , LiNbO 3 , LiTaO 3 , (Pb,La)TiO 3 , (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 , Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 , Bi 4-x La x Ti 3 O 12 , BiFeO 3 , YMnO 3 , YbMnO 3 , BiMnO 3 , Pb(Fe 0.5 W 0.5 ) 3 , or HfO 2 .

5. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor layer includes amorphous indium tungsten oxide (a-IWO), amorphous indium zinc oxide (a-IZO), amorphous indium-tungsten-zinc oxide (a-IWZO), amorphous indium-tin-zinc oxide (a-ITZO), amorphous indium tin oxide (a-ITO), amorphous indium oxide (a-InO), SnO x , Cu x O, or NiO x .

6. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the ferroelectric layer and the metal gate are disposed on top and sidewall surfaces of the second portion of the oxide semiconductor layer.

7. The semiconductor structure of claim 6 , wherein the second portion of the oxide semiconductor layer is in a shape of a square or a rectangle in a cross-sectional view cut perpendicular to a direction from the first S/D metal electrode to the second S/D metal electrode.

8. The semiconductor structure of claim 6 , wherein the second portion of the oxide semiconductor layer is in a shape of a semi-oval in a cross-sectional view cut perpendicular to a direction from the first S/D metal electrode to the second S/D metal electrode.

9. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first via disposed on the first S/D metal electrode;

a second via disposed on the second S/D metal electrode;

a first metal line disposed on the first via and extending lengthwise along a first direction from the first S/D metal electrode to the second S/D metal electrode; and

a second metal line disposed on the second via and extending lengthwise along the first direction.

10. The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, the first and the second vias, and the first and the second metal lines include a same metal.

11. The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein the first and the second S/D metal electrodes include a different metal than the first and the second vias and the first and the second metal lines.

12. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , further comprising transistors below the isolation layer wherein the transistors are interconnected with the first and the second S/D metal electrodes and the metal gate.

13. A semiconductor structure, comprising:

an isolation layer;

first and second source/drain (S/D) metal electrodes over the isolation layer;

an oxide semiconductor layer, wherein a first portion of the oxide semiconductor layer is disposed between the first and the second S/D metal electrodes and connects the first and the second S/D metal electrodes;

a ferroelectric layer disposed on top and sidewall surfaces of the first portion of the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a metal gate disposed laterally between the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, on the ferroelectric layer, and on the top and sidewall surfaces of the first portion of the oxide semiconductor layer.

14. The semiconductor structure of claim 13 , wherein the oxide semiconductor layer further includes:

second portions on bottom surfaces of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes;

third portions on top surfaces of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes; and

fourth portions on sidewall surfaces of the first and the second S/D metal electrodes.

15. The semiconductor structure of claim 14 , wherein the first portion is thicker than each of the second portions, the third portions, and the fourth portions.

16. The semiconductor structure of claim 13 , further comprising:

first and second vias disposed on the first and the second S/D metal electrodes, respectively; and

first and second metal lines disposed on the first and the second vias, respectively.

17. The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , further comprising transistors below the isolation layer.

18. A method, comprising:

providing a stack of layers including an isolation layer, a first oxide semiconductor layer over the isolation layer, and a first metal layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer;

patterning the first metal layer to form source/drain metal electrodes;

depositing a second oxide semiconductor layer directly on the first oxide semiconductor layer and the source/drain metal electrodes;

patterning the first and the second oxide semiconductor layers to form oxide semiconductor channel layers;

depositing a ferroelectric layer on at least top and sidewall surfaces of the oxide semiconductor channel layers;

depositing a metal gate layer over the ferroelectric layer; and

performing a planarization process to the metal gate layer and the ferroelectric layer to expose the second oxide semiconductor layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

replacing portions of the metal gate layer with an isolation material.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

forming metal vias connecting to the source/drain metal electrodes; and

forming metal lines over and connecting to the metal vias.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2022
From: LIN, MENG-HAN; HUANG, CHIA-EN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062223/0504 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63352294 · Jun 15, 2022
Related Publication 20230413572A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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