IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,520,518
Granted Patent B2
US 12,520,518 · App. 18/109,205 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Semiconductor device structure and methods of forming the same

Inventors: Kuan-Ting Pan (Taipei, TW); Kuo-Cheng Chiang (Zhubei, TW); Pei-Yu Wang (Hsinchu, TW); Cheng-Ting Chung (Hsinchu, TW); Chih-Hao Wang (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10D30/62H10D30/024H10D64/511H10D84/0147H10D84/038H10D30/6219
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,520,518
App. No.
18/109,205
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a plurality of semiconductor layers and a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with the plurality of semiconductor layers. The first source/drain epitaxial feature includes a bottom portion having substantially straight sidewalls. The structure further includes a spacer having a gate spacer portion and one or more source/drain spacer portions. Each source/drain spacer portion has a first height, and a source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions is in contact with one of the substantially straight sidewalls of the first source/drain epitaxial feature. The structure further includes a dielectric feature disposed adjacent one source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portion. The dielectric has a second height substantially greater than the first height.

Claims (39)

1 . A semiconductor device structure, comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor layers;

a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with the plurality of semiconductor layers, wherein the first source/drain epitaxial feature comprises a top portion and a bottom portion;

a spacer comprising a gate spacer portion and one or more source/drain spacer portions, wherein each source/drain spacer portion has a first height, and a source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions is in contact with the bottom portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature, wherein a slant surface of the top portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature is disposed over a top surface of the source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions, and a gap is formed between the slant surface of the top portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the top surface of the source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions;

a dielectric feature disposed adjacent the top portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions, wherein the dielectric feature has a second height substantially greater than the first height; and

an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over the dielectric feature.

2 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , further comprising a gate electrode layer surrounding at least a portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor layers.

3 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 2 , further comprising an inner spacer disposed between the gate electrode layer and the first source/drain epitaxial feature.

4 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 3 , wherein the inner spacer comprises a first dielectric material, and the spacer comprises a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material.

5 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 1 , further comprising a second source/drain epitaxial feature, wherein the dielectric feature is disposed between the first and second source/drain epitaxial features.

6 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 5 , wherein the bottom portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature has substantially straight sidewalls, and the second source/drain epitaxial feature comprises a bottom portion having substantially straight sidewalls.

7 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 6 , wherein the one or more source/drain spacer portions comprise first and second pairs of source/drain spacer portions, the first pair of source/drain spacer portions is in contact with the substantially straight sidewalls of the bottom portion of the first source/drain epitaxial feature, and the second pair of source/drain spacer portions is in contact with the substantially straight sidewalls of the bottom portion of the second source/drain epitaxial features.

8 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 7 , wherein one source/drain spacer portion of the first pair of source/drain spacer portions and one source/drain spacer portion of the second pair of source/drain spacer portions are in contact with the dielectric feature.

9 . A semiconductor device structure, comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor layers;

a source/drain epitaxial feature interfacing the plurality of semiconductor layers;

a gate electrode layer surrounding at least a portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor layers;

a gate dielectric layer, wherein the gate electrode layer is disposed on the gate dielectric layer, wherein a distance is between a bottom of the gate dielectric layer and a top of a topmost semiconductor layer of the plurality of semiconductor layers;

a spacer comprising a gate spacer portion and one or more source/drain spacer portions, wherein each source/drain spacer portion has a first height, and the first height is about 20 percent to about 75 percent of the distance, wherein a slant surface of the source/drain epitaxial feature is disposed over a top surface of a source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions, and a gap is formed between the slant surface of the source/drain epitaxial feature and the top surface of the source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions;

a dielectric feature disposed adjacent a top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature; and

an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over the dielectric feature.

10 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 9 , wherein the dielectric feature is interfacing the top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature.

11 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 9 , wherein the one or more source/drain spacer portions comprises two source/drain spacer portions.

12 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 11 , wherein a bottom portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature is clamped by the two source/drain spacer portions.

13 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 12 , wherein the dielectric feature is in contact with one of the two source/drain spacer portions.

14 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 13 , wherein the dielectric feature comprises:

a liner;

a dielectric material disposed on the liner; and

a high-K dielectric layer disposed on the liner and the dielectric material.

15 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 9 , wherein the one or more source/drain spacer portions are substantially perpendicular to the gate spacer portion.

16 . A semiconductor device structure, comprising:

a source/drain epitaxial feature disposed over a substrate, wherein the source/drain epitaxial feature comprises a top portion and a bottom portion;

a spacer comprising a gate spacer portion and two source/drain spacer portions, wherein the two source/drain spacer portions are in contact with opposite sides of the bottom portion, each source/drain spacer portion is substantially perpendicular to the gate spacer portion, and each source/drain spacer portion has a height substantially less than a height of the gate spacer portion, wherein a slant surface of the top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature is disposed over a top surface of a source/drain spacer portion of the two source/drain spacer portions, and a gap is formed between the slant surface of the top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature and the top surface of the source/drain spacer portion of the two source/drain spacer portions;

a dielectric feature disposed adjacent the top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature; and

an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over the dielectric feature.

17 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 16 , wherein the dielectric feature is in contact with one of the two source/drain spacer portions.

18 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 17 , wherein the dielectric feature has a height substantially greater than the height of the source/drain spacer portion.

19 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 18 , wherein the height of the dielectric feature is substantially less than the height of the gate spacer portion.

20 . The semiconductor device structure of claim 16 , wherein the top portion of the source/drain epitaxial feature is in contact with the gate spacer portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2023
From: PAN, KUAN-TING; CHIANG, KUO-CHENG; WANG, PEI-YU; CHUNG, CHENG-TING; WANG, CHIH-HAO
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062679/0978 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17199427 · Mar 11, 2021
Related Publication 20230197850A1 · Jun 22, 2023
References Cited (19)
US 9209247B2 · Colinge et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9236267B2 · De et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9412817B2 · Yang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9412828B2 · Ching et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9472618B2 · Oxland · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9502265B1 · Jiang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9520482B1 · Chang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9536738B2 · Huang et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9576814B2 · Wu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9608116B2 · Ching et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10573755B1 · Frougier et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20150340438A1 · Zhu · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20170200738A1 · Kim · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170365604A1 · Suh · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190067120A1 · Ching · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200043793A1 · Huang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200058649A1 · Ching · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200075421A1 · Wu · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210210413A1 · Zhang · 2021 [cited by examiner]