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:
Jul. 29, 2025
Filed:
Feb. 12, 2024
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Kai-Hsuan Lee, Hsinchu, TW;
Bo-Yu Lai, Taipei, TW;
Sai-Hooi Yeong, Hsinchu County, TW;
Feng-Cheng Yang, Hsinchu County, TW;
Yih-Ann Lin, Hsinchu County, TW;
Yen-Ming Chen, Hsin-Chu County, TW;
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
In one example aspect, a method for integrated circuit (IC) fabrication comprises providing a device structure including a substrate, a source/drain (S/D) feature on the substrate, a gate stack on the substrate, a contact hole over the S/D feature; and a dummy feature over the S/D feature and between the gate stack and the contact hole. The method further comprises forming in the contact hole a contact plug that is electrically coupled to the S/D feature, and, after forming the contact plug, selectively removing the dummy feature to form an air gap that extends higher than a top surface of the gate stack. The method further comprises forming over the contact plug a seal layer that covers the air gap.