Globalfoundries Inc.

Globalfoundries U.S. Inc.

Junsic Hong

Haigou Huang

Daniel J Jaeger

Michael Vincent Aquilino

Jinsheng Gao

Patrick D Carpenter

Huy Cao

Chih-Chiang Chang

Mitchell Rutkowski

Ruilong Xie

Chanro Park

Haiting Wang

Laertis Economikos

Brian Joseph Greene

Jinping Liu

Jiehui Shu

Keith Howard Tabakman

Scott Beasor

Man Gu

Jessica M Dechene

Charlotte DeWan Adams

Tao Han

Qun Gao

Chang Seo Park

Pei Liu

Chang Ho Maeng

Shimpei Yamaguchi

Vishal Chhabra

Christopher Nassar

Ankur Arya

Yong Mo Yang

Asli Sirman

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a cap structure and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a gate structure composed of conductive gate material; sidewall spacers on the gate structure, extending above the conductive gate material; and a capping material on the conductive gate material and extending over the sidewall spacers on the gate structure.

Cap structure

Structures and fabrication methods for a field-effect transistor. First and second spacers are formed adjacent to opposite sidewalls of a gate structure. A section of the gate structure is partially removed with a first etching process to form a cut that extends partially through the gate structure. After partially removing the section of the gate structure with the first etching process, upper sections of the first and second sidewall spacers arranged above the gate structure inside the cut are at least partially removed. After at least partially removing the upper sections of the first and second sidewall spacers, the section of the gate structure is completely removed from the cut with a second etching process. A dielectric material is deposited inside the cut to form a dielectric pillar.

Methods and structures for a gate cut

One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a first fin having first and second opposing sidewalls and forming a first sidewall spacer positioned adjacent the first sidewall and a second sidewall spacer positioned adjacent the second sidewall, wherein the first sidewall spacer has a greater height than the second sidewall spacer. In this example, the method further includes forming epitaxial semiconductor material on the fin and above the first and second sidewall spacers.

Asymmetric formation of epi semiconductor material in source/drain regions of FinFET devices

The disclosed methods may include depositing an amorphous carbon layer, a SiCN layer, and a TEOS layer; planarizing the semiconductor structure; performing a non-selective etch to remove the SiCN layer, the TEOS layer, and a portion of the amorphous carbon layer; and performing a selective etch of the amorphous carbon layer. The methods may reduce step height differences between first and second regions of the semiconductor structure.

Methods, apparatus, and system for reducing step height difference in semiconductor devices

A method of forming a robust low-k sidewall spacer by exposing an upper portion of the spacer to a thermal and plasma treatment prior to downstream processes and resulting device are provided. Embodiments include providing a pair of gates separated by a canyon trench over a substrate, an EPI layer in a bottom of the canyon trench, respectively, and a low-k spacer on each opposing sidewall of the pair; forming a masking layer in a bottom portion of the canyon trench, an upper portion of the low-k spacers exposed; and treating the upper portion of the low-k spacers with a thermal and plasma treatment.

Semiconductor devices with robust low-k sidewall spacers and method for producing the same

The method includes steps for improving gate cut isolation region critical dimension (CD) control. Prior to replacement metal gate (RMG) formation, a first sacrificial gate adjacent to first and second channel regions and made of a first sacrificial material (e.g., polysilicon or amorphous silicon) is replaced with a second sacrificial gate made of a second sacrificial material (e.g., amorphous carbon) that is more selectively and anisotropically etchable. A cut is made, dividing the second sacrificial gate into first and second sections, and the cut is then filled with a dielectric to form the gate cut isolation region. The second sacrificial material ensures that, when an opening in a mask pattern used to form the cut extends over a gate sidewall spacer and interlayer dielectric (ILD) material, recesses are not form within the spacer or ILD. Thus, the CD of the isolation region can be controlled.

Methods of forming field effect transistors (FETS) with gate cut isolation regions between replacement metal gates

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Malta, NY, United States of America

Junsic Hong