IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,520,531
Granted Patent B2
US 12,520,531 · App. 18/153,491 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Chia-Ling Chung (Hsinchu, TW); Chun-Chih Cheng (Changhua, TW); Ying-Liang Chuang (Hsinchu, TW); Ming-Hsi Yeh (Hsinchu, TW); Kuo-Bin Huang (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10D30/6735H01L21/28079H01L21/2855H01L21/76814H01L21/76834H01L21/76877H01L23/5226H10D64/017H10D64/666H10D84/0137H10D84/038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,520,531
App. No.
18/153,491
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor device and semiconductor fabrication method. A semiconductor device includes: a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, having a low-k dielectric layer, a high-k dielectric layer, a p-type work function metal layer, an n-type work function metal layer, a silicon oxide scap layer, and a glue layer; and a continuous tungsten (W) cap over the gate structure that was formed by the gate structure being pretreated, W material being deposited and etched back, the scap layer being etched, additional W material being deposited, and unwanted W material being removed. A semiconductor fabrication method includes: receiving a gate structure; pretreating the gate structure; depositing W material on the gate structure; etching back the W material; etching the scap layer; depositing additional W material; and removing unwanted W material.

Claims (57)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving a gate structure comprising:

a high-k dielectric layer;

one or more work function metal layers;

a silicon cap (scap) layer comprising a silicon oxide material; and

a glue layer;

depositing tungsten (W) material over the gate structure during first deposition operations, wherein a discontinuous W cap is formed over the gate structure;

etching back the W material over the scap layer during first etching operations;

etching a top surface of the scap layer during second etching operations, wherein a recess is formed in the scap layer;

depositing additional W material over the gate structure including the recess in the scap layer which forms a continuous W cap over the gate structure during second deposition operations; and

containing lateral growth of the W cap by removing unwanted W material during third etching operations.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising pretreating the top surface of the gate structure using an oxygen (O 2 ) gas plasma treatment prior to the first deposition operations.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein pretreating the top surface of the gate structure comprises pretreating the top surface of the gate structure at a pressure of about 1000 Torr to about 2500 Torr and at a power of about 1000 W to about 3000 W.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein etching back the W material over the scap layer during first etching operations comprises etching back the W material over the scap layer during first etching operations using an ozone-deionized water (DIO 3 ) solution at a concentration of about 10 ppm to about 100 ppm.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein etching the top surface of the scap layer during second etching operations comprises using a dilute solution of hydrofluoric acid (HF) in deionized water in a volumetric ratio of about 1:100 to about 1:500.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein removing unwanted W material during third etching operations comprises removing unwanted W material during the third etching operations using ozone-deionized water (DIO 3 ).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the W material comprises fluorine free tungsten (FFW).

8 . A method comprising:

receiving a gate structure comprising:

a high-k dielectric layer;

one or more work function metal layers;

a silicon cap (scap) layer comprising a silicon oxide material; and

a glue layer comprising titanium nitride (TiN);

pretreating a top surface of the gate structure using oxygen (O 2 ) gas;

depositing fluorine free tungsten (FFW) material over the gate structure during first deposition operations, wherein a discontinuous W cap is formed over the gate structure;

etching back the FFW material over the scap layer during first etching operations using an ozone solution (DIO 3 ), wherein a top surface of the scap layer is exposed for further processing;

etching the top surface of the scap layer during second etching operations using dilute hydrofluoric acid (dHF), wherein a recess is formed in the scap layer;

depositing additional FFW material over the gate structure including the recess in the scap layer during second deposition operations, wherein a continuous FFW cap is formed; and

containing lateral growth of the continuous FFW cap by removing unwanted FFW material from a surface of gate spacers using an ozone solution (DIO 3 ) during third etching operations.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein depositing additional FFW material over the gate structure including the recess in the scap layer during second deposition operations comprises:

forming a first silicide layer between the scap layer and the FFW cap in a first side of the gate structure;

forming a second silicide layer between the scap layer and the FFW cap in a second side of the gate structure;

forming a region around the first silicide layer defined by a first angle, a second angle, and a third angle, wherein the first angle is an angle between a horizontal plane of the gate structure and a first edge of the first silicide layer, the second angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a second edge of the first silicide layer, and the third angle is an angle between the first edge of the first silicide layer and the second edge of the first silicide layer; and

forming a region around the second silicide layer defined by a fourth angle, a fifth angle, and a sixth angle, wherein the fourth angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a first edge of the second silicide layer, the fifth angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a second edge of the second silicide layer, and the sixth angle is an angle between the first edge of the second silicide layer and the second edge of the second silicide layer.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a magnitude of the first angle is substantially equal to a magnitude of the fourth angle, a magnitude of the second angle is substantially equal to a magnitude of the fifth angle, and a magnitude of the third angle is substantially equal to a magnitude of the sixth angle.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a magnitude of the first angle ranges from about 10° to about 70°, a magnitude of the second angle ranges from about 10° to about 70°, and a magnitude of the third angle is equal to 180° minus a sum of the magnitudes of the first angle and the second angle.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a concentration of the DIO 3 solution used during the first etching operations and during the third etching operations is about 10 ppm to about 100 ppm.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the dHF comprises HF and deionized water in a volumetric ratio of about 1:100 to about 1:500.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein pretreating the top surface of the gate structure using oxygen (O 2 ) gas comprises pretreating the top surface of the gate structure using oxygen (O 2 ) gas at a pressure of about 1000 Torr to about 2500 Torr and at a power of about 1000 W to about 3000 W.

15 . A method comprising:

receiving a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, the gate structure comprising:

a high-k dielectric layer;

one or more work function metal layers;

a silicon cap (scap) layer comprising a silicon oxide material; and

a glue layer; and

forming a continuous tungsten (W) cap over the gate structure, the continuous W cap comprising:

a first W material layer disposed over the high-k dielectric layer, the one or more work function metal layers, and the glue layer; and

a second W material layer disposed over the first W material layer and a recess in a top surface of the scap layer that is not covered by W material from the first W material layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the continuous W cap has a thickness of about 1 nm to about 2 nm.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a first silicide layer between the scap layer and the continuous W cap in a first side of the gate structure; and

forming a second silicide layer between the scap layer and the continuous W cap in a second side of the gate structure;

wherein a region around the first silicide layer is defined by a first angle, a second angle, and a third angle, wherein the first angle is an angle between a horizontal plane of the gate structure and a first edge of the first silicide layer, the second angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a second edge of the first silicide layer, and the third angle is an angle between the first edge of the first silicide layer and the second edge of the first silicide layer; and

wherein a region around the second silicide layer is defined by a fourth angle, a fifth angle, and a sixth angle, wherein the fourth angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a first edge of the second silicide layer, the fifth angle is an angle between the horizontal plane of the gate structure and a second edge of the second silicide layer, and the sixth angle is an angle between the first edge of the second silicide layer and the second edge of the second silicide layer.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a magnitude of the first angle is substantially equal to a magnitude of the fourth angle, a magnitude of the second angle is substantially equal to the magnitude of the fifth angle, and a magnitude of the third angle is substantially equal to the magnitude of the sixth angle.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a magnitude of the first angle ranges from about 10° to about 70°, a magnitude of the second angle ranges from about 10° to about 70°, and a magnitude of the third angle is equal to 180° minus a sum of the magnitudes of the first angle and the second angle.

20 . The Method of claim 15 , wherein the W material comprises fluorine free tungsten (FFW).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2023
From: CHUNG, CHIA-LING; CHENG, CHUN-CHIH; CHUANG, YING-LIANG; YEH, MING-HSI; HUANG, KUO-BIN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062357/0214 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17809030 · Jun 27, 2022
Provisional Application 63382839 · Nov 8, 2022
Related Publication 20230420534A1 · Dec 28, 2023
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