IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,941,161
Granted Patent B2
US 9,941,161 · App. 14/838,374 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Method for fabricating semiconductor device

Inventors: Duan Quan Liao (Singapore, SG); Yikun Chen (Singapore, SG); Ching Hwa Tey (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
H01L21/76897H01L21/283H01L21/30625H01L21/31051H01L21/76829H01L29/6653H01L29/66545H01L29/785
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,941,161
App. No.
14/838,374
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a gate structure thereon, a first hard mask atop the gate structure, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the gate structure and the first hard mask; removing part of the first hard mask; forming a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask and the ILD layer; and planarizing part of the second hard mask layer to form a second hard mask on the first hard mask.

Claims (24)

1. A method for fabricating semiconductor device, comprising:

providing a substrate having a gate structure thereon, a first hard mask atop the gate structure, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the gate structure and the first hard mask;

removing part of the first hard mask;

forming a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask and the ILD layer; and

planarizing part of the second hard mask layer and part of the ILD layer at the same time to form a second hard mask on the first hard mask.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the width of the second hard mask is greater than the width of the first hard mask.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a spacer and a contact etch stop layer (CESL) are formed adjacent to the gate structure and the first hard mask, the method further comprises:

removing part of the first hard mask and part of the spacer; and

forming the second hard mask on the first hard mask and the spacer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a spacer and a contact etch stop layer (CESL) are formed adjacent to the gate structure and the first hard mask, the method further comprises:

removing part of the first hard mask, part of the spacer, and part of the CESL; and

forming the second hard mask on the first hard mask, the spacer, and the CESL.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hard mask and the second hard mask comprise different material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second hard mask comprises TiN.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a cap layer on the first hard mask and the ILD layer before forming the second hard mask layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cap layer comprises an oxide layer.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing part of the ILD layer after forming the second hard mask.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the second hard mask to form a contact hole adjacent to the gate structure after planarizing part of the second hard mask layer.

11. A method for fabricating semiconductor device, comprising:

providing a substrate having a gate structure thereon, a spacer around the gate structure, a contact etch stop layer (CESL) adjacent to the spacer, a first hard mask atop the gate structure, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the gate structure and the first hard mask;

removing part of the first hard mask and part of the spacer simultaneously so that a top surface of the first hard mask and the spacer is lower than a top surface of the CESL;

forming a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask and the ILD layer; and

planarizing part of the second hard mask layer to form a second hard mask on the first hard mask.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the top surfaces of the second hard mask and the CESL are coplanar.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2015
From: LIAO, DUAN QUAN; CHEN, YIKUN; TEY, CHING HWA
To: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 036444/0279 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2015 1 0479380 · Aug 3, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170040179A1 · Feb 9, 2017