IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,615,812
Granted Patent B2
US 12,615,812 · App. 17/651,919 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Stacked field-effect transistors

Inventors: Ruilong Xie (Niskayuna, NY); Su Chen Fan (Cohoes, NY); Julien Frougier (Albany, NY); Maruf Amin Bhuiyan (Albany, NY); Pouya Hashemi (Purchase, NY); Takashi Ando (Eastchester, NY); Alexander Reznicek (Troy, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H10D62/118H10D30/031H10D30/6735H10D30/6757H10D62/115H10D84/83
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,615,812
App. No.
17/651,919
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a stacked field-effect transistor (FET). The stacked FET comprises a top active region. The width of the top of the top active region is smaller than the width of bottom of the top active region. The stacked FET further comprises a top contact in direct contact with a top surface of the top active region. The stacked FET further comprises a bottom active region located substantially below the top active region. The stacked FET further comprises a bottom contact in direct contact with a top surface of the bottom active region. The bottom contact is wider at a top end than at a bottom end.

Claims (18)

1 . A stacked field-effect transistor (FET) comprising:

a top active region, wherein the width of the top of the top active region is smaller than the width of the bottom of the top active region;

a top contact in direct contact with a top surface of the top active region;

a bottom active region located substantially below the top active region; and

a bottom contact in direct contact with a top surface of the bottom active region, the bottom contact being wider at a top end than at a bottom end such that a horizontal distance between the bottom contact and the top active region is substantially identical from a bottom surface of the top active region to the top surface of the top active region.

2 . The stacked FET of claim 1 , wherein the bottom contact extends vertically from the top surface of the bottom active region and lateral to the top active region.

3 . The stacked FET of claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom active regions are nanosheet transistor regions having the same doping type.

4 . The stacked FET of claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom active regions are nanosheet transistor regions having different doping types.

5 . The stacked FET of claim 1 , wherein the top active region has a substantially trapezoidal shape.

6 . A stacked field-effect transistor (FET) comprising:

a top device comprising a top epi region that is stacked over a bottom device that comprises a bottom epi region;

a trapezoidal bottom contact in direct contact with the bottom epi region, the trapezoidal bottom contact comprising a sloped sidewall resulting from being wider at a top end than at a bottom end; and

a dielectric liner in direct contact with the sloped sidewall of the trapezoidal bottom contact and in direct contact with an entirety of a side surface of the top epi region, wherein the sloped sidewall of the trapezoidal bottom contact is substantially parallel with the side surface of the top epi region.

7 . The stacked FET of claim 6 , further comprising:

an elongated airgap enclosed within the dielectric liner.

8 . The stacked FET of claim 6 , further comprising:

a middle isolation layer in direct contact with the bottom epi region, in direct contact with the top epi region, and in direct contact with the dielectric liner.

9 . The stacked FET of claim 8 , wherein the middle isolation layer is further in direct contact with the trapezoidal bottom contact.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2022
From: XIE, RUILONG; FAN, SU CHEN; FROUGIER, JULIEN; BHUIYAN, MARUF AMIN; HASHEMI, POUYA; ANDO, TAKASHI; REZNICEK, ALEXANDER
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059066/0057 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230268388A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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