IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,414,327
Granted Patent B2
US 12,414,327 · App. 17/359,440 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Lateral confinement of source drain epitaxial growth in non-planar transistor for cell height scaling

Inventors: Nitesh Kumar (Beaverton, OR); Mohammed Hasan (Aloha, OR); Vivek Thirtha (Portland, OR); Nikhil Mehta (Portland, OR); Tahir Ghani (Portland, OR)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H10D30/6735H10D30/6757H10D62/121H10D62/151H10D84/85
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,414,327
App. No.
17/359,440
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having nanoribbon sub-fin isolation by backside Si substrate removal etch selective to source and drain epitaxy, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a plurality of horizontal nanowires above a sub-fin. A gate stack is over the plurality of nanowires and the sub-fin. Epitaxial source or drain structures are on opposite ends of the plurality of horizontal nanowires. The epitaxial growth occurs inside a mold confinement, and due the mold, the lateral wingspan of the wingspan of the epitaxial growth is limited. Also the mold causes the epitaxial source or drain structures to exhibit substantially vertical opposing sidewalls and a top surface having a generally mushroom shape over a top of a dielectric layer.

Claims (46)

1. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a plurality of nanowires above a sub-fin;

a gate stack over the plurality of nanowires and the sub-fin; and

epitaxial source or drain structures on opposite ends of the plurality of nanowires, the epitaxial source or drain structures having substantially vertical opposing sidewalls extending a height of the plurality of nanowires, and a substantially lateral wingspan that is symmetric around the plurality of nanowires such that a first distance from a left edge of the plurality of nanowires to a left edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures is substantially equal as a second distance from a right edge of the plurality of nanowires to a right edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures.

2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures further include dislocations along the substantially vertical opposing sidewalls.

3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the substantially lateral wingspan is approximately 3-12 nm.

4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures have a top surface above the height of the plurality of nanowires, the top surface having a generally mushroom shape.

5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the substantially lateral wingspan of the epitaxial source or drain structures is defined by a distance from an edge of the plurality of nanowires to an edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures.

6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the substantially lateral wingspan of the epitaxial source or drain structures is predefined by a thickness of a gate spacer.

7. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures are non-discrete epitaxial source or drain structures.

8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures are discrete epitaxial source or drain structures.

9. A computing device, comprising:

a board; and

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

a plurality of nanowires above a sub-fin;

a gate stack over the plurality of nanowires and the sub-fin; and

epitaxial source or drain structures on opposite ends of the plurality of nanowires, the epitaxial source or drain structures having substantially vertical opposing sidewalls extending a height of the plurality of nanowires, and a substantially lateral wingspan that is symmetric around the plurality of nanowires such that a first distance from a left edge of the plurality of nanowires to a left edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures is substantially equal as a second distance from a right edge of the plurality of nanowires to a right edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising:

a memory coupled to the board.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising:

a communication chip coupled to the board.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising:

a battery coupled to the board.

13. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the component is a packaged integrated circuit die.

14. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a plurality of fins having respective sub-fin portions in a substrate and respective active fin portions protruding from the substrate;

an isolation structure between and adjacent to the respective sub-fin portions of the plurality of fins;

a plurality of nanowires above a sub-fin; and

epitaxial source or drain structures on opposite ends of the plurality of fins, the epitaxial source or drain structures having substantially vertical opposing sidewalls extending a height of the plurality of nanowires, and a substantially lateral wingspan that is symmetric around the plurality of fins such that a first distance from a left edge of the plurality of fins to a left edge of the epitaxial source or drain structures is substantially equal as a second distance from a right edge of the plurality of fins to a right edge of epitaxial source or drain structures.

15. The integrated circuit structure of claim 14 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures further include dislocations along the substantially vertical opposing sidewalls.

16. The integrated circuit structure of claim 14 , wherein the substantially lateral wingspan is approximately 3-12 nm.

17. The integrated circuit structure of claim 14 , wherein the epitaxial source or drain structures have a top surface above the height of the plurality of nanowires, the top surface having a generally mushroom shape.

18. A computing device, comprising:

a board; and

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

an n-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) region comprising;

a first plurality of horizontal nanowires above a first sub-fin;

a first gate stack over the first plurality of horizontal nanowires and the first sub-fin; and

first epitaxial source or drain structures on opposite ends of the first plurality of horizontal nanowires; and

a p-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (PMOS) region comprising;

a second plurality of horizontal nanowires above a second sub-fin;

a second gate stack over the second plurality of horizontal nanowires and the second sub-fin; and

second epitaxial source or drain structures on opposite ends of the second plurality of horizontal nanowires;

wherein the first epitaxial source or drain structures and the second epitaxial source or drain structures have substantially vertical opposing sidewalls extending a height of the first plurality of nanowires and the second plurality of nanowires, and a top surface above the height of the first plurality of nanowires and the second plurality of nanowires, respectively, the top surface having a generally mushroom shape.

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

a memory coupled to the board.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2021
From: KUMAR, NITESH; HASAN, MOHAMMED; THIRTHA, VIVEK; MEHTA, NIKHIL; GHANI, TAHIR
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057953/0326 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220416044A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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