IP Library Granted Patent US 12,550,352
Granted Patent B2
US 12,550,352 · App. 17/882,465 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Bo-Huan Hsin (Taichung, TW); Ying-Han Chiou (Tainan, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10D30/024H10D30/6211H10D62/115H10D84/017H10D84/0184H10D84/0188H10D84/0193H10D84/038H10D84/853
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,550,352
App. No.
17/882,465
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes forming a semiconductor fin upwardly extending from a substrate; forming a gate strip extending across the semiconductor fin; forming source/drain regions on the semiconductor fin and at opposite sides of the gate strip; forming a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate strip; forming a film layer on the gate spacer; performing an etching process on the gate strip to break the gate strip into a first gate structure and a second gate structure, the etching process further consuming the gate spacer while remains the film layer; forming an isolation structure interposing the first and second gate structures.

Claims (46)

1 . A method, comprising:

forming a semiconductor fin upwardly extending from a substrate;

forming a gate strip extending across the semiconductor fin;

forming source/drain regions on the semiconductor fin and at opposite sides of the gate strip;

forming a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate strip;

forming a film layer on the gate spacer;

performing an etching process on the gate strip to break the gate strip into a first gate structure and a second gate structure, the etching process further consuming the gate spacer while remains the film layer; and

forming an isolation structure interposing the first and second gate structures.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the film layer is made of a silicon-containing material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the film layer has a lower nitrogen atomic concentration than the gate spacer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer laterally surrounding the gate strip, wherein the film layer has a different silicon atomic concentration than the ILD layer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer laterally surrounding the gate strip, wherein the film layer has a different density than the ILD layer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the film layer is performed by using a furnace.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising implanting a dopant into the film layer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the film layer is made of silicon oxide doped with germanium, nitrogen, phosphorus, or boron.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolation structure has a dielectric constant less than about 5.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolation structure is made of SiOC.

11 . A method, comprising:

forming first and second semiconductive channel patterns on a substrate;

forming a gate pattern extending across the first and second semiconductive channel patterns;

forming first source/drain patterns on the first semiconductive channel pattern and at opposite sides of the gate pattern and forming second source/drain patterns on the second semiconductive channel pattern and at opposite sides of the gate pattern;

forming a first spacer layer on a sidewall of the gate pattern;

selectively forming a leakage barrier on the first spacer layer;

impaling a dopant into the leakage barrier;

patterning the gate pattern to form a first gate structure extending across the first semiconductive channel pattern and a second gate structure extending across the second semiconductive channel pattern; and

depositing a dielectric material over the substrate and in contact with a longitudinal end of the first gate structure and a longitudinal end of the second gate structure.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the leakage barrier has a lower nitrogen atomic concentration than the first spacer layer.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first spacer layer is dopant-free.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the dielectric material is made of silicon oxy-carbo-nitride.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

forming a second spacer layer on the sidewall of the gate pattern prior to forming the first spacer layer, the second spacer layer having a higher oxygen atomic concentration than the first spacer layer.

16 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a nanostructured pedestal on the semiconductor substrate and having a top surface and opposite side surfaces;

a gate strip wrapping around the top surface and the opposite side surfaces of the nanostructured pedestal;

epitaxial structures on the nanostructured pedestal and at opposite sides of the gate strip;

an isolation structure abutting a longitudinal end of the gate strip and forming a linear boundary with the gate strip, wherein the isolation structure has a rectangular profile from a top view and a trapezoidal profile from a cross-sectional view;

a spacer lining a sidewall of the gate strip;

a first doped silicon oxide leakage barrier lining a sidewall of the spacer opposite to the gate strip, wherein the first doped silicon oxide leakage barrier comprises an implanted dopant; and

a second doped silicon oxide leakage barrier lining a sidewall of the isolation structure.

17 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein the second doped silicon oxide leakage barrier is in contact with the isolation structure.

18 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein the second doped silicon oxide leakage barrier has a lower nitrogen atomic concentration than the spacer.

19 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein the isolation structure has an upper portion having a narrower width than a lower portion of the isolation structure from the cross-sectional view.

20 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein the first doped silicon oxide leakage barrier is doped with germanium, nitrogen, phosphorus, or boron.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2022
From: HSIN, BO-HUAN; CHIOU, YING-HAN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060742/0224 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240047562A1 · Feb 8, 2024
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