The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2024
Filed:
May. 07, 2021
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Tsu-Hsiu Perng, Zhubei, TW;
Kai-Chieh Yang, Kaohsiung, TW;
Zhi-Chang Lin, Zhubei, TW;
Teng-Chun Tsai, Hsinchu, TW;
Wei-Hao Wu, Hsinchu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
A method includes forming a gate stack, which includes a gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode over the gate dielectric. An inter-layer dielectric is formed on opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack and the inter-layer dielectric are planarized. The method further includes forming an inhibitor film on the gate stack, with at least a portion of the inter-layer dielectric exposed, selectively depositing a dielectric hard mask on the inter-layer dielectric, with the inhibitor film preventing the dielectric hard mask from being formed thereon, and etching to remove a portion of the gate stack, with the dielectric hard mask acting as a portion of a corresponding etching mask.