Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Li-Ting Chen

Chih-Han Lin

Kuei-Yu Kao

Chi-Sheng Lai

Wei-Chung Sun

Shih-Yao Lin

Yuan-Ching Peng

Pei-Yi Liu

Yu-Bey Wu

Yu-Shan Lu

Yu-Fan Peng

Jing Yi Yan

A device includes a plurality of fin structures that each protrude vertically upwards out of a substrate and each extend in a first direction in a top view. A gate structure is disposed over the fin structures. The gate structure extends in a second direction in the top view. The second direction is different from the first direction. The fin structures have a fin pitch equal to a sum of: a dimension of one of the fin structures in the second direction and a distance between an adjacent pair of the fin structures in the second direction. An end segment of the gate structure extends beyond an edge of a closest one of the fin structures in the second direction. The end segment has a tapered profile in the top view or is at least 4 times as long as the fin pitch in the second direction.

Transistor gate profile optimization

An alignment structure for a semiconductor device and a method of forming same are provided. A method includes forming an isolation region over a substrate and forming an alignment structure over the isolation region. Forming the alignment structure includes forming a sacrificial gate electrode layer over the substrate and the isolation region. The sacrificial gate electrode layer is patterned to form a plurality of first sacrificial gates over the isolation region. At least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates is reshaped. The at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates is disposed at an edge of the alignment structure in a plan view. A sidewall of the at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates comprises a notch at an interface between the at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates and the isolation region.

Alignment structure for semiconductor device and method of forming same

A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; fin active regions protruded above the semiconductor substrate; and a gate stack disposed on the fin active regions; wherein the gate stack includes a high-k dielectric material layer, and various metal layers disposed on the high-k dielectric material layer. The gate stack has an uneven profile in a sectional view with a first dimension Dat a top surface, a second dimension Dat a bottom surface, and a third dimension Dat a location between the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein each of Dand Dis greater than D.

Semiconductor device structure with uneven gate profile

Processes to form differently-pitched gate structures are provided. An example method includes providing a workpiece having a substrate and semiconductor fins spaced apart from one another by an isolation feature, depositing a gate material layer over the workpiece, forming a patterned hard mask over the gate material layer, the patterned hard mask including differently-pitched elongated features, performing a first etch process using the patterned hard mask as an etch mask through the gate material layer to form a trench, performing a second etch process using the patterned hard mask as an etch mask to extend the trench to a top surface of the isolation feature, and performing a third etch process using the patterned hard mask to extend the trench into the isolation feature. The first etch process includes use of carbon tetrafluoride and is free of use of oxygen gas.

Gate formation process

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Li-Ting Chen