Method for fabricating self-aligned contact hole

Abstract

Disclosed are: (i) a method for fabricating self-aligned contact hole in a semiconductor device, and (ii) a semiconductor device having a self-aligned contact. The method comprises the steps of: (a) forming an oxide layer covering a gate structure on a semiconductor substrate, the gate structure including a gate oxide pattern, a gate electrode pattern, a hard-mask nitride pattern, and a spacer nitride on sidewalls thereof; (b) forming a mask pattern on the oxide layer; (c) forming a contact trench by removing a portion of the oxide layer, exposed by the mask pattern, to a predetermined depth; (d) forming a buffer layer on the oxide layer, including in the contact trench; (e) etching a portion of the buffer layer at a bottom of the contact trench to expose a portion of the oxide layer; and (f) forming a contact hole by etching the exposed oxide layer using a remaining buffer layer as an etching mask.