Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chia-Han Lai

Wei-Jung Lin

Chi-Yuan Chen

Pin-Wen Chen

Ya-Yi Cheng

Mei-Hui Fu

Teng-Chun Tsai

Li-Ting Wang

Cheng-Tung Lin

Chun-I Tsai

Hong-Mao Lee

Huicheng Chang

Ming-Hsing Tsai

Huang-Yi Huang

Min-Hsiu Hung

Chi-Hsuan Ni

Chih-Wei Chang

I-Li Chen

Mei-Yun Wang

Chii-Ming M Wu

Chun-Hsien Huang

Yu-Sheng Wang

Ming-Ta Lei

Chen-Yuan Kao

Ken-Yu Chang

Fang-Cheng Chen

Huang-Ming Chen

Yung-Chung Chen

Ching-Yao Sun

Ren-Hau Yu

Wen-Chi Tsai

Tain-Shang Chang

Yu-Syuan Cai

Peng-Fu Hsu

Chih-wei Chang

Hui-Cheng Chang

Bing-Hung Chen

Yu Shih Wang

Yu-Shih Wang

Hong-Ming Wu

Yu-Chan Tsai

Yu Shih Shih Wang

The present disclosure provides example embodiments relating to conductive features, such as metal contacts, vias, lines, etc., and methods for forming those conductive features. In some embodiments, a structure includes a first dielectric layer over a substrate, a first conductive feature through the first dielectric layer, the first conductive feature comprising a first metal, a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, and a second conductive feature through the second dielectric layer having a lower convex surface extending into the first conductive feature, wherein the lower convex surface of the second conductive feature has a tip end extending laterally under a bottom boundary of the second dielectric layer.

Conductive feature formation and structure using bottom-up filling deposition

Some implementations described herein provide a gas curtain system. The gas curtain system includes various components to prevent a gas flowing within a chamber of an interface tool from flowing through an opening into a transport carrier adjacent to the interface tool. The gas curtain system may include a gas distribution component along an edge of the opening that generates a flow of another gas across the opening towards an opposite edge of the opening. In this way, the gas from the chamber is prevented from entering the transport carrier. By preventing the gas from the chamber from entering the transport carrier, a relative humidity within an environment of the transport carrier is maintained such that condensation of moisture on one or more semiconductor wafers within the transport carrier is mitigated.

Interface tool and methods of operation

In some implementations, one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a metal cap on a metal gate. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form one or more dielectric layers on the metal cap. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a recess to the metal cap within the one or more dielectric layers. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may perform a bottom-up deposition of metal material on the metal cap to form a metal plug within the recess and directly on the metal cap.

Interconnect structures including a fin structure and a metal cap

Generally, the present disclosure provides example embodiments relating to conductive features, such as metal contacts, vias, lines, etc., and methods for forming those conductive features. In an embodiment, a structure includes a first dielectric layer over a substrate, a first conductive feature in the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, a second conductive feature in the second dielectric layer, and a blocking region disposed between the first conductive feature and the second conductive feature. The second conductive feature is disposed between and abutting a first sidewall of the second dielectric layer and a second sidewall of the second dielectric layer. The blocking region extends laterally at least from the first sidewall of the second dielectric layer to the second sidewall of the second dielectric layer.

Conductive feature structure including a blocking region

A semiconductor device and methods of formation are provided. A semiconductor device includes an annealed cobalt plug over a silicide in a first opening of the semiconductor device, wherein the annealed cobalt plug has a repaired lattice structure. The annealed cobalt plug is formed by annealing a cobalt plug at a first temperature for a first duration, while exposing the cobalt plug to a first gas. The repaired lattice structure of the annealed cobalt plug is more regular or homogenized as compared to a cobalt plug that is not so annealed, such that the annealed cobalt plug has a relatively increased conductivity or reduced resistivity.

Contact structure and formation thereof

Conductive feature formation and structure

Interconnect formation and structure

Methods of forming conductive structures and the conductive structures are disclosed. A method includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer over a substrate, performing a cleaning process on the dielectric layer with the opening, forming a nucleation layer in the opening, etching the nucleation layer in the opening, and forming a conductive material in the opening and on the nucleation layer after the etching. An upper portion of the opening is distal from the substrate, and a lower portion of the opening is proximate the substrate. After the etching, a thickness of an upper portion of the nucleation layer in the upper portion of the opening is less than a thickness of a lower portion of the nucleation layer in the lower portion of the opening.

Opening fill process and structures formed thereby

A system and method for forming and using a liner is provided. An embodiment comprises forming an opening in an inter-layer dielectric over a substrate and forming the liner along the sidewalls of the opening. A portion of the liner is removed from a bottom of the opening, and a cleaning process may be performed through the liner. By using the liner, damage to the sidewalls of the opening from the cleaning process may be reduced or eliminated. Additionally, the liner may be used to help implantation of ions within the substrate.

Semiconductor device and method for forming the same

Opening fill process and structure formed thereby

In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a dielectric layer is formed on a substrate, and a contact hole is formed from the dielectric layer to the substrate. A dielectric spacer liner is formed to cover a sidewall and a bottom of the contact hole. A portion of the dielectric spacer liner is removed to expose a portion of the substrate. A metal silicide layer is formed into the substrate through the contact hole.

Contact critical dimension control

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Zhubei, Taiwan

Chia-Han Lai