IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,664,433
Granted Patent B2
US 11,664,433 · App. 17/366,534 · Granted May 30, 2023

Integrated circuit devices including stacked transistors

Inventors: Byounghak Hong (Albany, NY); Seunghyun Song (Albany, NY); Inchan Hwang (Schenectady, NY)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H01L29/41775H01L21/823425H01L21/823475H01L27/088H01L29/0847H01L29/401H01L29/41733H01L29/42392H01L29/0665
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,664,433
App. No.
17/366,534
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Integrated circuit devices may include a lower transistor and an upper transistor stacked on a substrate and may include a conductive contact. The upper transistor may include an upper source/drain region that overlaps a lower source/drain region of the lower transistor. The conductive contact may contact a side surface of the upper source/drain region and may overlap a center portion of the lower source/drain region. The side surface of the upper source/drain region may include a protrusion and a recess.

Claims (35)

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

an upper transistor on a substrate, the upper transistor comprising an upper active region and first and second upper source/drain regions that are spaced apart from each other in a first horizontal direction, wherein each of the first and second upper source/drain regions comprises a first side surface contacting a respective one of opposing side surfaces of the upper active region and a second side surface spaced apart from the first side surface in the first horizontal direction, and the first horizontal direction is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate;

a lower transistor between the substrate and the upper transistor, the lower transistor comprising a lower active region and first and second lower source/drain regions that are spaced apart from each other in the first horizontal direction and contact opposing side surfaces of the lower active region, respectively, wherein the first upper source/drain region overlaps the first lower source/drain region in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate, and the first lower source/drain region comprises a center portion in a second horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and is parallel to the upper surface of the substrate; and

a conductive contact that contacts and overlaps the second side surface of the first upper source/drain region and overlaps the center portion of the first lower source/drain region in the vertical direction.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the first lower source/drain region comprises opposing side surfaces that are spaced apart from each other in the second horizontal direction, and

a center of the conductive contact in the second horizontal direction is equidistant from the opposing side surfaces of the first lower source/drain region.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the conductive contact overlaps the first lower source/drain region in the vertical direction.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the first lower source/drain region has a first width in the second horizontal direction, the conductive contact has a second width in the second horizontal direction, and the first width is wider than the second width.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the first upper source/drain region comprises a protrusion that protrudes in the first horizontal direction into the conductive contact.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion tapers toward the conductive contact.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the second side surface of the first upper source/drain region comprises a recess that is recessed toward the first upper source/drain region, and a portion of the conductive contact is in the recess.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive contact contacts the center portion of the first lower source/drain region.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the upper active region comprises a plurality of nanosheet layers that are stacked in the vertical direction.

10. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the upper transistor further comprises an upper gate electrode, and the lower transistor further comprises a lower gate electrode that is electrically connected to the upper gate electrode.

11. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a first upper transistor and a second upper transistor on a substrate, wherein the first and second upper transistors are spaced apart from each other in a first horizontal direction that is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, each of the first and second upper transistors comprises an upper active region and an upper source/drain region that comprises a first surface contacting the upper active region and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions are spaced apart from each other in the first horizontal direction;

a first lower transistor and a second lower transistor between the substrate and the first and second upper transistors, each of the first and second lower transistors comprising a lower active region and a lower source/drain region contacting the lower active region; and

a conductive contact that contacts the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions,

wherein each of the upper source/drain regions comprises a protrusion that protrudes into the conductive contact.

12. The integrated circuit device of claim 11 , wherein the protrusions taper toward the conductive contact.

13. The integrated circuit device of claim 11 , wherein each of the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions comprises a recess, and portions of the conductive contact are in the recesses.

14. A method of forming an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

forming a first lower transistor and a second lower transistor on a substrate, each of the first and second lower transistors comprising a lower active region and a lower source/drain region contacting the lower active region;

forming a first upper transistor and a second upper transistor on the first and second lower transistors, wherein the first and second upper transistors are spaced apart from each other in a first horizontal direction that is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, each of the first and second upper transistors comprises an upper active region and an upper source/drain region that comprises a first surface contacting the upper active region and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions are spaced apart from each other in the first horizontal direction;

forming an insulating layer on the first and second upper transistors, the insulating layer separating the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions from each other;

forming an opening in the insulating layer, the opening exposing the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions; and

forming a conductive contact in the opening.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the opening comprises removing a portion of the insulating layer while maintaining shapes of the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the lower source/drain regions is a portion of a common lower source/drain region, and

the common lower source/drain region has a first width in the first horizontal direction, each of the upper source/drain regions has a second width in the first horizontal direction, and the second width is narrower than half of the first width.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the lower source/drain regions is a portion of a common lower source/drain region,

the opening of the insulating layer exposes an upper portion of the common lower source/drain region, and

the conductive contact contacts the upper portion of the common lower source/drain region.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the upper source/drain regions are formed by an epitaxial growth process using the upper active regions as a seed layer, and each of the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions comprises a recess.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the conductive contact in the opening comprises forming the conductive contact in the recesses of the second surfaces of the upper source/drain regions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2021
From: HONG, BYOUNGHAK; SONG, SEUNGHYUN; HWANG, INCHAN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056744/0231 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63177413 · Apr 21, 2021
Related Publication 20220344481A1 · Oct 27, 2022
Cited By (3)
US 12,635,236 US 12,701,788 US 12,745,461