U.S. patent application number 14/823319 was filed with the patent office on 2016-02-18 for product comprised of finfet devices with single diffusion break isolation structures.
The applicant listed for this patent is GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.. Invention is credited to Wanxun He, Hongliang Shen, Xusheng Wu, Changyong Xiao.
Application Number | 20160049468 14/823319 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54328296 |
Filed Date | 2016-02-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160049468 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu; Xusheng ; et
al. |
February 18, 2016 |
PRODUCT COMPRISED OF FINFET DEVICES WITH SINGLE DIFFUSION BREAK
ISOLATION STRUCTURES
Abstract
An integrated circuit product is disclosed that includes a
plurality of trenches in a semiconducting substrate that define
first, second and third fins, wherein the fins are side-by-side,
and wherein the second fin is positioned between the first and
third fins, a layer of insulating material in the plurality of
trenches such that a desired height of the first, second and third
fins is positioned above an upper surface of the layer of
insulating material, a recess defined in the second fin that at
least partially defines a cavity in the layer of insulating
material, an SDB isolation structure in the cavity on the recessed
portion of the second fin, wherein the SDB isolation structure has
an upper surface that is above the upper surface of the layer of
insulating material, and a gate structure for a transistor
positioned above the SDB isolation structure.
Inventors: |
Wu; Xusheng; (Ballston Lake,
NY) ; Xiao; Changyong; (Mechanicville, NY) ;
He; Wanxun; (Mechanicville, NY) ; Shen;
Hongliang; (Ballston Lake, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. |
Grand Cayman |
|
KY |
|
|
Family ID: |
54328296 |
Appl. No.: |
14/823319 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14457325 |
Aug 12, 2014 |
9171752 |
|
|
14823319 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
257/401 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/76224 20130101;
H01L 27/0886 20130101; H01L 21/823431 20130101; H01L 29/0653
20130101; H01L 29/0646 20130101; H01L 29/0649 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/06 20060101
H01L029/06; H01L 27/088 20060101 H01L027/088 |
Claims
1. An integrated circuit product, comprising: a plurality of
trenches in a semiconducting substrate that define first, second
and third fins in said substrate, wherein said first, second and
third fins are positioned side-by-side, and wherein said second fin
is positioned between said first and third fins; a layer of
insulating material positioned in said plurality of trenches such
that a desired height of said first, second and third fins is
positioned above an upper surface of said layer of insulating
material; a recess defined in said second fin structure that at
least partially defines a cavity in said layer of insulating
material; an SDB isolation structure positioned in said cavity on
said recessed portion of said second fin, wherein said SDB
isolation structure has an upper surface that is positioned at a
level that is above a level of said upper surface of said layer of
insulating material; and a gate structure for a transistor
positioned above said SDB isolation structure.
2. The product of claim 1, wherein said SDB isolation structure and
said layer of insulating material are both made of silicon
dioxide.
3. The product of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said SDB
isolation structure is approximately level with an upper surface of
said second fin positioned on opposite sides of said SDB isolation
structure.
4. The product of claim 1, wherein a portion of said SDB isolation
structure positioned above said upper surface of said recessed
layer of insulating material has a substantially uniform width in a
direction that corresponds to a width of said second fin.
5. The product of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third
fins are arranged on a single fin pitch pattern.
6. An integrated circuit product, comprising: a plurality of
trenches in a semiconducting substrate that define first, second
and third fins in said substrate, wherein said first, second and
third fins are positioned side-by-side, and wherein said second fin
is positioned between said first and third fins; a layer of silicon
dioxide positioned in said plurality of trenches such that a
desired height of said first, second and third fins is positioned
above an upper surface of said layer of silicon dioxide; a recess
defined in said second fin structure that at least partially
defines a cavity in said layer of silicon dioxide; an SDB silicon
dioxide isolation structure positioned in said cavity on said
recessed portion of said second fin, wherein said SDB silicon
dioxide isolation structure has an upper surface that is positioned
at a level that is above a level of said upper surface of said
layer of silicon dioxide and wherein said upper surface of said SDB
silicon dioxide isolation structure is approximately level with an
upper surface of said second fin positioned on opposite sides of
said SDB silicon dioxide isolation structure; and a gate structure
for a transistor positioned above said SDB silicon dioxide
isolation structure.
7. The product of claim 6, wherein a portion of said SDB silicon
dioxide isolation structure positioned above said upper surface of
said recessed layer of insulating material has a substantially
uniform width in a direction that corresponds to a width of said
second fin.
8. The product of claim 7, wherein said first, second and third
fins are arranged on a single fin pitch pattern.
9. An integrated circuit product, comprising: a plurality of
trenches in a semiconducting substrate that define first, second
and third fins in said substrate, wherein said first, second and
third fins are positioned side-by-side, and wherein said second fin
is positioned between said first and third fins; a layer of
insulating material positioned in said plurality of trenches such
that a desired height of said first, second and third fins is
positioned above an upper surface of said layer of insulating
material; a recess defined in said second fin structure that at
least partially defines a cavity in said layer of insulating
material; an SDB isolation structure positioned in said cavity on
said recessed portion of said second fin, wherein said SDB
isolation structure comprises: an upper surface that is positioned
at a level that is above a level of said upper surface of said
layer of insulating material; said upper surface of said SDB
isolation structure is approximately level with an upper surface of
said second fin positioned on opposite sides of said SDB isolation
structure; and a portion of said SDB isolation structure positioned
above said upper surface of said recessed layer of insulating
material has a substantially uniform width in a direction that
corresponds to a width of said second fin; and a gate structure for
a transistor positioned above said SDB isolation structure.
10. The product of claim 9, wherein said SDB isolation structure
and said layer of insulating material are both made of silicon
dioxide.
11. The product of claim 9, wherein said first, second and third
fins are arranged on a single fin pitch pattern.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacture
of semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to various
examples of an integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET
devices with single diffusion break isolation structures, and
various methods of making such products.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an illustrative prior art
FinFET semiconductor device 10 that is formed above a semiconductor
substrate 12 that will be referenced so as to explain, at a very
high level, some basic features of a FinFET device. In this
example, the FinFET device 10 includes a plurality of trenches 14
that define three illustrative fins 16, a gate structure 18,
sidewall spacers 20 and a gate cap layer 22. The fins 16 have a
three-dimensional configuration: a height H, a width W and an axial
length L. The axial length L of the fins 16 corresponds to the
direction of current travel in the device 10 when it is
operational. The portions of the fins 16 covered by the gate
structure 18 are the channel regions of the FinFET device 10
[0005] A shallow trench isolation structure (not shown) is formed
in the semiconducting substrate 12 around the FinFET device 10 so
as to electrically isolate the FinFET device. Traditionally,
isolation structures were always the first structures that were
formed when manufacturing semiconductor devices. The isolation
structures were formed by etching the trenches for the isolation
structures and thereafter filling the trenches with the desired
insulating material, e.g., silicon dioxide. Thereafter, the
isolation structures were masked and the trenches 14 were etched
into the substrate 12 so as to define the fins 16. However, as the
dimensions of the fins became smaller, problems arose with
manufacturing the isolation structures before the fins were formed.
As one example, trying to accurately define very small fins in
regions that were separated by relatively large isolation regions
was difficult due to the non-uniform spacing between various
structures on the substrate. One manufacturing technique that is
employed in manufacturing FinFET devices is to initially form the
trenches 14 in the substrate 12 to define multiple "fins" that
extend across the entire wafer or substrate 12, and thereafter
remove some of the fins 16 where isolation structures will be
formed. Using this type of manufacturing approach, better accuracy
and repeatability may be achieved in forming the fins 16 to very
small dimensions due to the more uniform environment in which the
etching process that forms the trenches 14 is performed.
[0006] The size or "footprint" of the fins 16 that are removed so
that an isolation structure can be formed may vary in size, i.e.,
it may be very large (in a relative sense) or very small. In many
applications, a section of several adjacent fins, positioned
side-by-side, may be removed to make room for a portion of a
relatively large isolation structure. In some product designs, only
a portion of one single fin may be removed between two adjacent
"active" fins to make room for an isolation structure that is to be
formed between the two active fins. That is, considering three fins
that are formed side-by-side with a uniform gate pitch for all
three, a portion of the middle fin may be removed, thereby cutting
the middle fin into two active fins. The amount of the middle fin
removed in such a situation corresponds approximately to the gate
length of a "dummy" gate structure that will be formed in and above
the area of the removed portion of the middle fin. Such a
configuration is sometimes referred to as a Single Diffusion Break
(SDB), since the isolation material that will be formed where the
portion of the middle fin is removed is the only means of
preventing undesirable current flow between the two active fins
that abut the SDB isolation structure.
[0007] One prior art fin removal process that is typically referred
to as "Fins-cut-First," will be described with reference to FIGS.
1B-1J. FIG. 1B depicts the device 10 after several process
operations were performed. First, an etching process was performed
through a patterned masking layer (not shown) so as to define the
trenches 14 in the substrate 12 that define the fins 16. Then, a
layer of insulating material 24, such as silicon dioxide, was
formed so as to overfill the trenches 14. Thereafter, one or more
chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes, mixed with one or
more wet clean processes, were performed to planarize the upper
surface of the insulating material 24 such that the process(es)
stops on the top of the fins 16. Performing such operations results
in the removal of the patterned hard mask and exposing the upper
surface of the fins 16.
[0008] FIGS. 1C and 1D depict the device 10 after a patterned mask
layer 26, e.g., a patterned photoresist mask, was formed above
device 10. The patterned mask layer 26 has a plurality of openings
26A, each of which exposes a portion of the axial length of fins 16
that will be removed, i.e., the dimension 16AL, to form SDB
isolation regions. The axial length 16AL of the fins 16 that are
removed is normally kept as small as possible so as not to
unnecessarily consume valuable plot space on the substrate 12 and
it will normally be approximately equal to the gate length of a
gate structure that will be formed above the area where the exposed
portions of the fins are removed.
[0009] FIG. 1E depicts the device 10 after a timed etching process
was performed through the patterned etch mask 26 to remove the
exposed fins 16 and thereby define cavities 17 in the area formerly
occupied by the removed fin portions. Typically, substantially the
entire vertical height of the exposed fins is removed.
[0010] FIG. 1F depicts the device 10 after several process
operations were performed. First, the patterned etch mask 26 was
removed. Then, another layer of insulating material 19 was
deposited so as to overfill the cavities 17. A CMP process was then
performed to remove excess amounts of the insulating material 19
positioned outside of the fin cavities 17. In the drawings, the
material 19 is provided with a different shading just to make clear
that it is formed at a different point in time than the insulating
material 24. In practice, the materials 24 and 19 are typically
made of the same material, e.g., silicon dioxide.
[0011] FIG. 1G depicts the device 10 after a so-called "fin-reveal"
etch-back process was performed to recess the layers of insulating
material 19, 24 between the fins 16 and thereby expose the upper
portions of the fins 16, which corresponds to the final fin height
of the fins 16.
[0012] An alternative method to achieve the prior art device 10
depicted in FIG. 1G is to apply a two-times lithography technique
on the etch mask 26 that, when combined with a corresponding etch
process, opens the trench area and SDB isolation regions in the
etch mask, respectively. Then, an etching process may be performed
to form the shallow trenches and the SDB open areas between fins in
the substrate 12. After overfilling the trenches 14 in FIG. 1A and
the SDB open areas 17 in FIG. 1E with insulating material, such as
silicon dioxide, one or more CMP processes, or wet clean processes,
may be performed to remove the silicon dioxide above the mask layer
26, so as to finally obtain the substantially planar surface
depicted in FIG. 1F. As shown, the top surface of the fin 16 is
exposed such that it is approximately level with the upper surface
of the insulating layer 24. Ultimately, the device 10 depicted in
FIG. 1G may be obtained by performing a so called "fin-reveal"
recess etch-back process, where the SDB isolation structures 19 and
the insulating material 24 were recessed to approximately the same
height level.
[0013] FIGS. 1H-1J depict the device after an illustrative dummy
gate structure 30 was formed above the fins 16. In general, the
gate structure 30 is comprised of a gate insulation layer 30A and a
gate electrode 30B. The gate structure 30 may be made using either
so-called gate-first manufacturing techniques or so-called
replacement gate manufacturing techniques. Also depicted are an
illustrative gate cap layer 32 and sidewall spacers 34. The
dashed-circled regions 25 in FIG. 1H depict the locations where the
portion of the fins was removed. As depicted for the middle region
25, the removal of the portion of the fin separates the fin 16 into
a first active fin 16X and a second active fin 16Y. The dummy gate
structure 30 is a "dummy" relative to the active fins 16X, 16Y in
the sense that it is not the gate structure that controls the
operation of either of the fins 16X, 16Y. The gate structures that
control the operation of the devices that include the fins 16X, 16Y
are not depicted in FIG. 1H. However, the gate structure 30 may be
an operational gate structure for the fins 16 that have remaining
portions positioned under the gate structure 30, as depicted by the
dashed lines. FIG. 1J is a cross-sectional view that is taken
through the long-axis of the fins 16X, 16Y. As depicted, given the
relatively short height of the isolation region 19, due to it being
formed after the fin cut process was performed and commonly
recessed along with the layer of insulating material 24, there is a
relatively short path 36 where undesirable diffusion may occur
between the fins 16X and 16Y during operations.
[0014] One prior art technique that has been employed in an attempt
to increase the height of the isolation material under the dummy
gate structure 30 between the fins 16X, 16Y is simplistically
depicted in FIG. 1K. As shown therein, this prior art method
involved forming additional insulating material 40 in the area
where the dummy gate structure 30 will be formed. However, this
prior art method involved the use of a separate masking layer that
permitted formation of the additional isolation material 40
selectively only in regions where such SDB situations were present.
As is well known in the art, each additional masking layer that is
required when forming an integrated circuit product results in
increased manufacturing costs and time, both of which are
undesirable.
[0015] The present disclosure is directed to various examples of an
integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET devices with single
diffusion break isolation structures, and various methods of making
such products, that may solve or reduce one or more of the problems
identified above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The following presents a simplified summary of the invention
in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the
invention. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of the
invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements
of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its
sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a
prelude to the more detailed description that is discussed
later.
[0017] Generally, the present disclosure is directed to various
examples of an integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET
devices with single diffusion break isolation structures. One
illustrative integrated circuit product disclosed herein includes,
among other things, a plurality of trenches in a semiconducting
substrate that define first, second and third fins in the
substrate, wherein the first, second and third fins are positioned
side-by-side, and wherein the second fin is positioned between the
first and third fins, a layer of insulating material positioned in
the plurality of trenches such that a desired height of the first,
second and third fins is positioned above an upper surface of the
layer of insulating material, a recess defined in the second fin
structure that at least partially defines a cavity in the layer of
insulating material above the recess in the second fin, an SDB
isolation structure positioned in the cavity on the recessed
portion of the second fin, wherein the SDB isolation structure has
an upper surface that is positioned at a level that is above a
level of the upper surface of the layer of insulating material, and
a gate structure for a transistor positioned above the SDB
isolation structure.
[0018] Another illustrative integrated circuit product disclosed
herein includes, among other things, a plurality of trenches in a
semiconducting substrate that define first, second and third fins
in the substrate, wherein the first, second and third fins are
positioned side-by-side, and wherein the second fin is positioned
between the first and third fins, a layer of silicon dioxide
positioned in the plurality of trenches such that a desired height
of the first, second and third fins is positioned above an upper
surface of the layer of silicon dioxide, a recess defined in the
second fin structure that at least partially defines a cavity in
the layer of silicon dioxide, an SDB silicon dioxide isolation
structure positioned in the cavity on the recessed portion of the
second fin, wherein the SDB silicon dioxide isolation structure has
an upper surface that is positioned at a level that is above a
level of the upper surface of the layer of silicon dioxide and
wherein the upper surface of the SDB silicon dioxide isolation
structure is approximately level with an upper surface of the
second fin positioned on opposite sides of the SDB silicon dioxide
isolation structure, and a gate structure for a transistor
positioned above the SDB silicon dioxide isolation structure.
[0019] Yet another illustrative integrated circuit product
disclosed herein includes, among other things, a plurality of
trenches in a semiconducting substrate that define first, second
and third fins in the substrate, wherein the first, second and
third fins are positioned side-by-side, and wherein the second fin
is positioned between the first and third fins, a layer of
insulating material positioned in the plurality of trenches such
that a desired height of the first, second and third fins is
positioned above an upper surface of the layer of insulating
material, a recess defined in the second fin structure that at
least partially defines a cavity in the layer of insulating
material, an SDB isolation structure positioned in the cavity on
the recessed portion of the second fin, wherein the SDB isolation
structure has an upper surface that is positioned at a level that
is above a level of the upper surface of the layer of insulating
material, the upper surface of the SDB isolation structure is
approximately level with an upper surface of the second fin
positioned on opposite sides of the SDB isolation structure, and a
portion of the SDB isolation structure positioned above the upper
surface of the recessed layer of insulating material has a
substantially uniform width in a direction that corresponds to a
width of the second fin, and a gate structure for a transistor
positioned above the SDB isolation structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The disclosure may be understood by reference to the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements,
and in which:
[0021] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment
of a prior art FinFET device;
[0022] FIGS. 1B-1J depict an illustrative prior art method of
removing selected portions of fin structures when forming FinFET
semiconductor devices;
[0023] FIG. 1K simplistically depicts one illustrative prior art
method of increasing the height of an isolation structure under a
dummy gate structure;
[0024] FIGS. 2A-2H depict various illustrative examples of an
integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET devices with single
diffusion break isolation structures, and various methods of making
such products; and
[0025] FIGS. 3A-3C depict yet other illustrative examples of an
integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET devices with single
diffusion break isolation structures, and various methods of making
such products.
[0026] While the subject matter disclosed herein is susceptible to
various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments
thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are
herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that
the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to
limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the
contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents,
and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Various illustrative embodiments of the invention are
described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an
actual implementation are described in this specification. It will
of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual
embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made
to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with
system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary
from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be
appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and
time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for
those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this
disclosure.
[0028] The present subject matter will now be described with
reference to the attached figures. Various structures, systems and
devices are schematically depicted in the drawings for purposes of
explanation only and so as to not obscure the present disclosure
with details that are well known to those skilled in the art.
Nevertheless, the attached drawings are included to describe and
explain illustrative examples of the present disclosure. The words
and phrases used herein should be understood and interpreted to
have a meaning consistent with the understanding of those words and
phrases by those skilled in the relevant art. No special definition
of a term or phrase, i.e., a definition that is different from the
ordinary and customary meaning as understood by those skilled in
the art, is intended to be implied by consistent usage of the term
or phrase herein. To the extent that a term or phrase is intended
to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning other than that
understood by skilled artisans, such a special definition will be
expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional manner
that directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for
the term or phrase.
[0029] The present disclosure is directed to various methods for
removing selected fins that are formed for FinFET semiconductor
devices. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art
upon a complete reading of the present application, the methods
disclosed herein may be employed in manufacturing a variety of
different devices, including, but not limited to, logic devices,
memory devices, etc. With reference to the attached figures,
various illustrative embodiments of the methods and devices
disclosed herein will now be described in more detail.
[0030] FIGS. 2A-2H depict one illustrative example of an integrated
circuit product 100 comprised of FinFET devices with single
diffusion break isolation structures, and various methods of making
such products. FIG. 2A is a simplified view of a product 100 at an
early stage of manufacturing wherein the product 100 is formed in
and above a semiconductor substrate 102. As will be recognized by
those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present
application, the product 100 described herein may include N-type
FinFET devices, P-type FinFET devices or both types of devices
(CMOS applications). In this illustrative embodiment, the substrate
102 has a bulk semiconducting material configuration. The substrate
102 may be made of silicon or it may be made of materials other
than silicon. Thus, the terms "substrate" or "semiconducting
substrate" should be understood to cover all forms of all
semiconductor materials. The various components and structures of
the product 100 disclosed herein may be formed using a variety of
different materials and by performing a variety of known
techniques, e.g., a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, an
atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, a thermal growth process,
spin-coating techniques, etc. The thicknesses of these various
layers of material may also vary depending upon the particular
application.
[0031] FIG. 2A depicts the product 100 at a point in fabrication
where a plurality of fins 108 have been formed across a substrate
102. In the example depicted herein, four illustrative fin
structures 108A-D are formed for the product 100. In one example,
for processing simplicity, the fins 108 are formed in a single
pitch pattern, rather than more complex multiple fin pitch
arrangements. FIG. 2A contains a simplistic plan drawing of the
fins 108 and indicates where various cross-sectional views in the
attached drawings are taken, as well as locations 110 where SDB
isolation structures will be formed along the fins 108A and 108C
using the methods disclosed herein. The view "X-X" is a
cross-sectional view that is taken through the long axis of the fin
108C of the product 100 in a direction that corresponds to the
current transport direction of the devices 100 when they are
completed; the view "Y-Y" is a cross-sectional view that is taken
through the long axis of the fin 108B in a direction that
corresponds to the current transport direction of the devices; and
the view Z-Z is a cross-sectional view taken through all of the
fins 108 in a direction that corresponds to the gate width
direction of the completed FinFET devices.
[0032] FIG. 2A depicts the product 100 after several process
operations were performed. First, an etching process was performed
through the patterned masking layer (not shown) to define a
plurality of fin-formation trenches 104 in the substrate 102. The
fin-formation trenches 104 define a plurality of fins 108. Next, a
layer of insulating material 112, e.g., silicon dioxide, was
deposited so as to overfill the fin-formation trenches 104. Then, a
chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process was performed to
planarize the upper surface of the layer of insulating material 112
with the top of the fins 108. Thereafter, a recess etching process
was performed to recess the layer of insulating material 112 so as
to reveal the final exposed height of the fins 108. The fins 108
may be of any size, i.e., any size or width. In the illustrative
example depicted in the attached figures, the fin-formation
trenches 104 and the fins 108 are all of a uniform size and shape.
However, such uniformity in the size and shape of the fin-formation
trenches 104 and the fins 108 is not required to practice the
inventions disclosed herein. Thus, the size and configuration of
the fin-formation trenches 104, as well as the fins 108, and the
manner in which they are made, should not be considered a
limitation of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 2B depicts the product 100 after an etch mask layer 114
is conformably deposited on the fins 108. The etch mask layer 114
may be comprised of a variety of different materials, e.g., silicon
nitride, it may be formed to any desired thickness, e.g., 5-20 nm,
and it may be formed using a variety of known processes, e.g., ALD,
CVD, etc.
[0034] FIG. 2C depicts the product 100 after a patterned masking
layer 116, e.g., a patterned photoresist mask, was formed on the
product 100 above the etch mask layer 114. The patterned masking
layer 116 contains a plurality of openings 116A that correspond to
the locations 110 where the SDB isolation structures will be
formed.
[0035] FIG. 2D depicts the product 100 after one or more etching
processes were performed through the patterned masking layer 116 to
remove the exposed portions of the etch mask layer 114. This
process operation exposes the portions of the fins 108A and 108C
that are to be removed to make room for the SDB isolation
structures.
[0036] FIG. 2E depicts the product 100 after the patterned masking
layer 116 was removed and after an etching process was performed
through the now patterned conformal etch mask layer 114 so as to
remove the desired portions of the fins 108A and 108C. The etching
process results in the formation of recessed fin structures 108AR
and 108CR and the formation of cavities 108Z and 108Y,
respectively, above the recessed fin structures and within the
recessed layer of insulating material 112. The amount or recessing
of the fins 108A, 108C may vary depending upon the particular
application. In some cases, substantially all of the vertical
height of the exposed portion of the fins 108A, 108C may be
removed, i.e., the fins may be removed down to the bottom of the
trenches 104. In one embodiment, the depth of the cavities 108Y,
108Z may be about 20-90 nm relative to the upper surface of the
recessed layer of insulating material 112. Note that, using the
process flow described herein, the removal of the desired portions
of the fins 108A, 108C to make room for the SDB isolation regions
is performed after the "fin reveal" etching process that was
performed to recess the layer of insulating material 112.
Accordingly, unlike traditional prior art processing techniques,
the height of the SDB isolations structures formed herein can be
set independently of the general "fin-reveal" recess etching
process.
[0037] FIG. 2F depicts the product 100 after a thermal oxidation
process is performed to grow an SDB isolation structure 130, e.g.,
silicon dioxide, in the cavities 108Y, 108Z. Note that the
patterned masking layer 114 prevents formation of the material of
the SDB isolation structure 130 on all of the other surfaces of the
fins 108. The overall height of the SDB isolation structure 130 may
vary depending upon the particular application. In one embodiment,
the height 130H of the SDB isolation structure 130 may be about
20-50 nm relative to the upper surface of the recessed layer of
insulating material 112. In some cases, the upper surface of the
SDB isolation structure 130 may be approximately level with the
upper surface of the fin 108C positioned on opposite sides of the
SDB isolation structure 130 (see view X-X). Also note the portion
of the SDB isolation structure 130 positioned above the upper
surface of the recessed layer of insulating material 112 has a
substantially uniform width (view Z-Z) in a direction that
corresponds to the width of the fins 108.
[0038] FIG. 2G depicts the product 100 after the patterned etch
mask layer 114 was removed.
[0039] FIG. 2H depicts the product 100 after an illustrative and
schematically depicted gate structure 140 is formed across the fins
108 and above the SDB isolation structure 130. Other gate
structures 140 are formed across the fins 108 at this time as well,
as depicted in the X-X and Y-Y views. The gate structure 140
positioned above the SDB isolation structure 130 is a "dummy" gate
structure relative to the portions of the fins 108C1, 108C2 (see
view X-X) on opposite sides of the SDB isolation structure 130.
Given the increased height of the SDB isolation structure 130
relative to the relatively short height of the SDB isolation
structures formed using prior art techniques, there is much less
chance of undesirable leakage occurring between the fins 108C1 and
108C2. Moreover, the relatively tall SDB isolation structures 130
disclosed herein may be formed without the need of using an
additional masking layer, thereby avoiding the cost and time
associated with the use of such an additional masking layer. The
gate structure 140 depicted herein is intended to be representative
in nature of any type of gate structure that may be employed in
manufacturing integrated circuit products. As one specific example,
the gate structure 140 may include a gate insulation layer 140A and
a gate electrode structure 140B. The gate insulation layer 140A may
be made of silicon dioxide or a high-k (k value greater than 10)
insulation layer or a hybrid gate insulation structure comprised of
both a silicon dioxide layer and a high-k insulation layer. The
gate electrode structure 140B may be made of a conductive material,
such as polysilicon or one or more layers of metal. Also depicted
is a gate cap layer 142 (e.g., silicon nitride) and a sidewall
spacer 144 (e.g., silicon nitride) formed adjacent the gate
structure 140. The gate structure 140 may be formed using so-called
gate-first or replacement gate manufacturing techniques. At the
point of fabrication depicted in FIG. 2H, the product may be
completed by performing traditional manufacturing operations, e.g.,
formation of source/drain contacts, formation of metallization
layers, etc.
[0040] FIGS. 3A-3C depict yet other illustrative examples of an
integrated circuit product comprised of FinFET devices with single
diffusion break isolation structures, and various methods of making
such products. Relative to the embodiment discussed above, in this
embodiment, the material for the SDB isolation structure 130 is
formed by performing a deposition process rather than a thermal
growth process.
[0041] Accordingly, FIG. 3A depicts the product at a point in
fabrication that corresponds to that shown in FIG. 2E, except that,
in this embodiment, the material for the SDB isolation structure
130 is deposited across the product 100 so as to overfill the
cavities 108Y, 108Z. A conformal ALD oxide deposition process may
be performed so as to achieve the profile of the deposited
isolation material depicted in view Z-Z.
[0042] FIG. 3B depicts the product 100 after an anisotropic etching
process was performed on the material of the SDB isolation
structure 130. This etching process results in the definition of
the SDB isolation structures 130, clears the material from above
the upper surface of the patterned etch mask 114, and results in
the formation of sidewall spacers 130X on the patterned etch mask
114 adjacent the sidewalls of the fins 108.
[0043] FIG. 3C depicts the product after a wet etching process is
performed to remove the patterned etch mask 114, which effectively
"lifts off" the sidewall spacers 130X when the patterned etch mask
114 is removed. At this point in the process flow, the gate
structure 140 may be formed above the product 100 as described
above.
[0044] The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative
only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different
but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having
the benefit of the teachings herein. For example, the process steps
set forth above may be performed in a different order. Furthermore,
no limitations are intended to the details of construction or
design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below.
It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed
above may be altered or modified and all such variations are
considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Note that
the use of terms, such as "first," "second," "third" or "fourth" to
describe various processes or structures in this specification and
in the attached claims is only used as a shorthand reference to
such steps/structures and does not necessarily imply that such
steps/structures are performed/formed in that ordered sequence. Of
course, depending upon the exact claim language, an ordered
sequence of such processes may or may not be required. Accordingly,
the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims
below.
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