IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,543,560
Granted Patent B2
US 12,543,560 · App. 18/358,707 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Semiconductor structure

Inventors: Chia-Ta Yu (New Taipei, TW); Kai-Hsuan Lee (Hsinchu, TW); Sai-Hooi Yeong (Zhubei, TW); Yen-Chieh Huang (Tainan, TW); Feng-Cheng Yang (Zhudong Township, Hsinchu County, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H01L21/7682H01L21/28518H01L21/76805H01L21/76843H01L21/76865H01L21/76895H01L23/5329H01L23/535H10D30/024H10D30/6211H10D62/151H10D64/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,543,560
App. No.
18/358,707
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor structure includes a fin structure formed over a substrate. The structure also includes a gate structure formed across the fin structure. The structure also includes source/drain epitaxial structures formed on opposite sides of the gate structure. The structure also includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed over the gate structure. The structure also includes a contact blocking structure formed through the ILD structure over the source/drain epitaxial structure. A lower portion of the contact blocking structure is surrounded by an air gap, and the air gap is covered by a portion of the ILD structure.

Claims (48)

1 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a fin structure formed over a substrate;

a gate structure formed across the fin structure;

source/drain epitaxial structures formed on opposite sides of the gate structure;

an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed over the gate structure; and

a contact blocking structure formed through the ILD structure over the source/drain epitaxial structure,

wherein a lower portion of the contact blocking structure is surrounded by an air gap, and the air gap is covered by a portion of the ILD structure.

2 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a doping region formed in the ILD structure over the air gap.

3 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a dopant in the doping region comprises Ge.

4 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the contact blocking structure is wider than a bottom surface of the contact blocking structure.

5 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the air gap protrudes upward into the ILD structure.

6 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the air gap is below a bottom surface of the contact blocking structure.

7 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a contact structure formed over the source/drain epitaxial structure;

wherein the contact structure and the contact blocking structure are separated by the air gap.

8 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a fin structure formed over a substrate;

a gate structure formed across the fin structure;

a source/drain epitaxial structure formed over the fin structure on opposite sides of the gate structure;

a contact structure formed over the source/drain epitaxial structure;

a contact blocking structure formed in the contact structure,

wherein the contact blocking structure is separated from the contact structure by an air gap.

9 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

an ILD structure formed over the gate structure,

wherein a portion of the ILD structure is in direct contact with the contact blocking structure.

10 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

a doping region formed in a top portion of the ILD structure,

wherein the doping region is in direct contact with the contact blocking structure.

11 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

an etch stop layer deposited over the gate structure,

wherein the air gap is formed through the etch stop layer.

12 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a bottom surface of the doping region is level with a top surface of an etch stop layer.

13 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 8 , wherein an area of a top portion of the contact blocking structure is less than an area of a bottom portion of the contact blocking structure.

14 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the contact blocking structure is separated from the fin structure by the air gap.

15 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a gate structure formed over a substrate;

a source/drain epitaxial structure adjacent to the gate structure;

a contact etch stop layer formed over the gate structure;

an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed over the contact etch stop layer and comprising a doping region; and

a contact blocking structure formed through the ILD structure and the contact etch stop layer over the source/drain epitaxial structure,

wherein the contact blocking structure is in contact with the doping region and spaced apart from the contact etch stop layer by an air gap.

16 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the doping region is in contact with the contact etch stop layer.

17 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the contact blocking structure is spaced apart from a bottom portion of the ILD structure by the air gap.

18 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 17 , wherein a Ge concentration of the doping region is greater than a Ge concentration of the bottom portion of the ILD structure.

19 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising a metal semiconductor compound layer over the source/drain epitaxial structure,

wherein the contact blocking structure is spaced apart from the metal semiconductor compound layer by the air gap.

20 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the air gap is formed over an edge of the source/drain epitaxial structure.

Continuity (2)
Division 17225437 · Apr 8, 2021
Related Publication 20230369102A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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