IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,302,632
Granted Patent B2
US 12,302,632 · App. 18/523,637 · Granted May 13, 2025

Non-planar integrated circuit structures having mitigated source or drain etch from replacement gate process

Inventors: Jun Sung Kang (Portland, OR); Kai Loon Cheong (Beaverton, OR); Erica J. Thompson (Beaverton, OR); Biswajeet Guha (Hillsboro, OR); William Hsu (Hillsboro, OR); Dax M. Crum (Beaverton, OR); Tahir Ghani (Portland, OR); Bruce Beattie (Portland, OR)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H10D84/853H10D30/024H10D30/62H10D62/121H10D62/832H10D64/017H10D64/021H10D64/513H10D64/693H10D84/017H10D84/0184H10D84/0193H10D84/038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,302,632
App. No.
18/523,637
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Non-planar integrated circuit structures having mitigated source or drain etch from replacement gate process are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin or nanowire. A gate stack is over the fin or nanowire. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. A first dielectric spacer is along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer is along a second side of the gate stack. The first and second dielectric spacers are over at least a portion of the fin or nanowire. An insulating material is vertically between and in contact with the portion of the fin or nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure is at the second side of the gate stack.

Claims (41)

1. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a nanowire comprising silicon;

a gate stack around the nanowire, the gate stack comprising a gate dielectric and a gate electrode;

a first dielectric spacer along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer along a second side of the gate stack, the first and second dielectric spacers over at least a portion of the nanowire;

an insulating material vertically between and in contact with the portion of the nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers; and

a first epitaxial source or drain structure at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure at the second side of the gate stack.

2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein a portion of each of the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures is beneath a respective one of the first and second dielectric spacers.

3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein no portion of each of the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures is beneath a respective one of the first and second dielectric spacers.

4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material is in contact with the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures.

5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises a same material as the first and second dielectric spacers.

6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises a different material than the first and second dielectric spacers.

7. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises silicon, nitrogen and carbon.

8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises silicon, oxygen and carbon.

9. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a nanowire;

a gate stack around the nanowire, the gate stack comprising a gate dielectric and a gate electrode;

a first dielectric spacer along and in contact with a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer along and in contact with a second side of the gate stack, the first and second dielectric spacers over at least a portion of the nanowire;

an insulating material vertically between and in contact with the portion of the nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers, wherein the insulating material comprises a first dielectric material, and the first and second dielectric spacers comprise a second dielectric material different than the first dielectric material, and wherein the first dielectric material has a widest lateral width the same as a widest lateral width of the second dielectric material;

a first epitaxial source or drain structure at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure at the second side of the gate stack; and

a first tip laterally adjacent to the first epitaxial source or drain structure, and a second tip laterally adjacent to the second epitaxial source or drain structure, the first tip and the second tip vertically beneath and in contact with the first dielectric material of the insulating material.

10. The integrated circuit structure of claim 9 , wherein a portion of each of the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures is beneath a respective one of the first and second dielectric spacers.

11. The integrated circuit structure of claim 9 , wherein no portion of each of the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures is beneath a respective one of the first and second dielectric spacers.

12. The integrated circuit structure of claim 9 , wherein the insulating material is in contact with the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures.

13. The integrated circuit structure of claim 9 , wherein the insulating material comprises silicon, nitrogen and carbon.

14. The integrated circuit structure of claim 9 , wherein the insulating material comprises silicon, oxygen and carbon.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a board; and

a component coupled to the board, the component including an integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a nanowire comprising silicon;

a gate stack around the nanowire, the gate stack comprising a gate dielectric and a gate electrode;

a first dielectric spacer along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer along a second side of the gate stack, the first and second dielectric spacers over at least a portion of the nanowire;

an insulating material vertically between and in contact with the portion of the nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers; and

a first epitaxial source or drain structure at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure at the second side of the gate stack.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:

a memory coupled to the board.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:

a communication chip coupled to the board.

18. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:

a battery coupled to the board.

19. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the component is a packaged integrated circuit die.

20. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a processor, a communications chip, and a digital signal processor.

Continuity (2)
Division 16146808 · Sep 28, 2018
Related Publication 20240096896A1 · Mar 21, 2024
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