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:
May. 20, 2025
Filed:
May. 26, 2022
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Yu-Chen Ko, Chiayi, TW;
Kai-Chieh Yang, New Taipei, TW;
Yu-Ting Wen, Taichung, TW;
Ya-Yi Cheng, Taichung, TW;
Min-Hsiu Hung, Tainan, TW;
Wei-Jung Lin, Hsinchu, TW;
Chih-Wei Chang, Hsinchu, TW;
Ming-Hsing Tsai, Chupei, TW;
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
Methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are described. In some embodiments, the method includes forming a contact opening in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over an epitaxy source/drain region and forming a metal layer in the contact opening. The metal layer includes top portions, side portions, and a bottom portion, and a space is defined between the top portions of the metal layer. The method further includes performing a gradient metal removal process on the metal layer to enlarge the space, forming a sacrificial layer in the contact opening, recessing the sacrificial layer in the contact opening to expose a portion of the sidewall portions, removing the top portions and the exposed portion of the sidewall portions, removing the sacrificial layer, and forming a bulk metal layer on the bottom portion of the metal layer.