Method of fabricating a salicide of an embedded memory

Abstract

A memory array region and a periphery circuit region are defined on a silicon substrate of a semiconductor wafer. A plurality of gates is formed on the silicon substrate in both the memory array region and the periphery circuit region. A barrier layer and a dielectric layer are formed, respectively, on the semiconductor wafer. Therein, the barrier layer covers the gates and the barrier layer fills a space between two gates. Following that, the dielectric layer atop each gate is removed and the dielectric layer remaining in the space between two gates is aligned to the surface of the gates. A photoresist layer is formed to cover the memory array region followed by an etching process to remove the dielectric layer and the barrier layer down to the surface of the silicon substrate. The photoresist layer and the barrier layer atop the gate in the memory array region are removed. Finally, a salicide process is performed.