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:
Dec. 31, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2001
Jen-Shiang Leu, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd, Hsin Chu, TW;
Abstract
A method for forming a self-aligned contact in a IC device is disclosed. In the method, a gate oxide layer, a polysilicon layer and a metal silicide layer are first deposited and patterned on a substrate. A first silicon dioxide layer is then deposited on the polysilicon layer followed by the deposition of a silicon nitride cap layer on the first silicon dioxide layer. A second silicon oxide layer is deposited on the silicon nitride cap layer and the stack is patterned forming an oxide-nitride-oxide hard mask. The substrate is then wet etched by an etchant that has low selectivity toward silicon oxide and high selectivity to nitride and silicide, thus forming a toroidal-shaped recess between the silicon nitride layer. A second silicon nitride layer is deposited over the whole substrate. A dielectric layer is formed over the whole substrate.