U.S. patent application number 15/814724 was filed with the patent office on 2019-05-16 for forming contacts for vfets.
This patent application is currently assigned to GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.. Invention is credited to Steven Bentley, Daniel Chanemougame, Lars Liebmann, Chanro Park, Ruilong Xie, Hui Zang, John H. Zhang.
Application Number | 20190148494 15/814724 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 66174786 |
Filed Date | 2019-05-16 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190148494 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Xie; Ruilong ; et
al. |
May 16, 2019 |
FORMING CONTACTS FOR VFETS
Abstract
A first vertical field effect transistor (VFET) and a second
VFET are formed on a substrate. The VFETs are parallel and adjacent
to one another, and each comprises: a fin-shaped semiconductor; a
lower source/drain (S/D) element; an upper S/D element; and a gate
conductor. A portion of a gate conductor of the second VFET that is
positioned over a lower S/D element of the second VFET is removed
to leave a trench. An isolation spacer is formed to contact the
gate conductor of the second VFET in a first portion of the trench.
A lower S/D contact of the second VFET is formed on the lower S/D
element of the second VFET in a second portion of the trench, a
lower S/D contact of the first VFET is formed to a lower S/D
element of the first VFET, and contacts are formed.
Inventors: |
Xie; Ruilong; (Schenectady,
NY) ; Liebmann; Lars; (Mechanicville, NY) ;
Chanemougame; Daniel; (Niskayuna, NY) ; Park;
Chanro; (Clifton Park, NY) ; Zhang; John H.;
(Altamont, NY) ; Bentley; Steven; (Menands,
NY) ; Zang; Hui; (Guilderland, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC. |
GRAND CAYMAN |
|
KY |
|
|
Assignee: |
GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
GRAND CAYMAN
KY
|
Family ID: |
66174786 |
Appl. No.: |
15/814724 |
Filed: |
November 16, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
438/268 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/522 20130101;
H01L 21/76897 20130101; H01L 29/7827 20130101; H01L 29/8083
20130101; H01L 27/11273 20130101; H01L 29/78642 20130101; H01L
29/42384 20130101; H01L 29/1087 20130101; H01L 29/42392 20130101;
H01L 29/66666 20130101; H01L 21/02697 20130101; H01L 29/41733
20130101; H01L 29/785 20130101; H01L 27/088 20130101; H01L 27/2454
20130101; H01L 29/7835 20130101; H01L 29/51 20130101; H01L
21/823487 20130101; H01L 29/0676 20130101; H01L 45/1233 20130101;
H01L 21/823475 20130101; H01L 29/66742 20130101; Y10S 977/938
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/10 20060101
H01L029/10; H01L 29/78 20060101 H01L029/78; H01L 27/24 20060101
H01L027/24; H01L 21/8234 20060101 H01L021/8234 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: forming a first vertical field effect
transistor (VFET) and a second VFET on a substrate, wherein the
first VFET and the second VFET are parallel and adjacent to one
another, and the first VFET and the second VFET each comprise: a
fin-shaped semiconductor extending from the substrate; a lower
source/drain (S/D) element in the substrate contacting a first
surface of the fin-shaped semiconductor that is adjacent the
substrate; an upper S/D element contacting an opposite surface of
the fin-shaped semiconductor that is distal to the substrate; and a
gate conductor laterally adjacent the fin-shaped semiconductor;
removing a portion of a gate conductor of the second VFET that is
positioned over a lower S/D element of the second VFET to leave a
trench; forming a vertical insulator in a first portion of the
trench, contacting the gate conductor of the second VFET and
adjacent the first VFET, thereby creating a second portion of the
trench that is insulated from the gate conductors of the first and
second VFETs, and forming an isolation spacer in the second portion
of the trench; creating an opening in the second portion of the
trench by selectively removing a portion of the isolation spacer
relative to the vertical insulator in the first portion of the
trench; and forming a lower S/D contact of the second VFET on the
lower S/D element of the second VFET in the opening, forming a
lower S/D contact of the first VFET to a lower S/D element of the
first VFET, and forming contacts to the upper S/D element and the
gate conductor of the first VFET and the second VFET.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a
cap insulator on the gate conductor of the first VFET and the
second VFET before removing the portion of the gate conductor of
the second VFET, wherein contacts to a gate conductor of the first
VFET and the gate conductor of the second VFET are formed through
the cap insulator.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vertical insulator
and the isolation spacer are made of different materials.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming
upper spacers on upper portions of sidewalls of the fin-shaped
semiconductor, wherein the upper portions of the sidewalls of the
fin-shaped semiconductor are distal to a location where the
fin-shaped semiconductor contacts the lower S/D element, and
wherein the upper spacers are elongated, straight, and extend away
from the substrate in a height direction above a top of the
fin-shaped semiconductor that is distal to the lower S/D
element.
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising forming a
conformal insulating material on the upper spacers so that the
conformal insulating material contains two right angles in
cross-section.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the first and
second VFET further comprises forming a spacer layer on the lower
S/D element of the first VFET and the lower S/D element of the
second VFET, wherein the isolation spacer contacts the spacer
layer.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vertical insulator
prevents short circuits between a gate conductor of the first VFET
and the lower S/D contact of the second VFET.
8. A method comprising: forming a first vertical field effect
transistor (VFET) and a second VFET on a substrate, wherein the
first VFET and the second VFET are parallel and adjacent to one
another, and the first VFET and the second VFET each comprise: a
fin-shaped semiconductor extending from the substrate; a lower
source/drain (S/D) element in the substrate contacting a first
surface of the fin-shaped semiconductor that is adjacent the
substrate; an upper S/D element contacting a top of the fin-shaped
semiconductor that is distal to the substrate; and a gate conductor
laterally adjacent the fin-shaped semiconductor; forming upper
spacers on upper portions of sidewalls of the fin-shaped
semiconductor, wherein the upper portions of the sidewalls of the
fin-shaped semiconductor are distal to a location where the
fin-shaped semiconductor contacts the lower S/D element, wherein
the upper spacers are elongated and extend away from the substrate
in a height direction above the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor
that is distal to the lower S/D element, and wherein the upper S/D
element is on the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor between the
upper spacers; recessing the gate conductor to expose a top portion
of the upper spacers that are distal to the substrate; removing a
portion of a second gate conductor of the second VFET that is
positioned over a lower S/D element of the second VFET to leave a
trench; forming a vertical insulator in a first portion of the
trench, to contact the gate conductor of the second VFET; forming
an isolation spacer in a second portion of the trench; forming a
lower S/D contact of the second VFET on the lower S/D element of
the second VFET in the isolation spacer; forming a lower S/D
contact of the first VFET to a lower S/D element of the first VFET;
and forming contacts to the upper S/D element and the gate
conductor of the first VFET and the second VFET.
9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming a
cap insulator on the gate conductor of the first VFET and the
second VFET before removing the portion of the gate conductor of
the second VFET, wherein contacts to a gate conductor of the first
VFET and the gate conductor of the second VFET are formed through
the cap insulator.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the vertical insulator
and the isolation spacer are made of different materials.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the upper spacers are
straight, and wherein the method further comprises forming a
conformal insulating material on the upper spacers so that the
conformal insulating material contains two right angles in
cross-section.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming the first and
second VFETs further comprises forming outer spacers on an upper
portion of the conformal insulating material that is distal to the
substrate, wherein the outer spacers and a lower portion of the
conformal insulating material that contacts sidewalls of the upper
spacers form a straight line.
13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming a
spacer layer on the lower S/D element of the first VFET and the
lower S/D element of the second VFET, wherein the isolation spacer
contacts the spacer layer.
14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the vertical insulator
prevents short circuits between a gate conductor of the first VFET
and the lower S/D contact of the second VFET.
15-20. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present disclosure relates to transistors, and more
specifically, to vertical field effect transistors (VFETs) and
contacts formed therein.
Description of Related Art
[0002] Transistorized devices continue to enjoy size reductions
because of technological advances. For example, gate all around
(GAA) device structures are replacing fin-type field effect
transistors (FINFET) in order to achieve continued scaling, which
may otherwise be limited by poor electrostatics in FINFET devices.
As a result, new constructs are being presented to allow continued
scaling with GAA structures, such as vertical field effect
transistors (VFETs).
[0003] However, because VFETs are so small, it can be difficult to
accurately align conductive contacts to the various components of
VFETs. For example, VFETs include a lower source/drain, over which
is formed a channel region and an upper source/drain, which makes
is very difficult to form a contact to the lower source/drain, and
to the gate that surrounds the channel region. As transistor size
is continually reduced, shorts between the contacts are common.
SUMMARY
[0004] Methods herein form a first vertical field effect transistor
(VFET) and a second VFET on a substrate. The first VFET and the
second VFET are parallel and adjacent to one another, and the first
VFET and the second VFET are each formed to include: a fin-shaped
semiconductor extending from the substrate; a lower source/drain
(S/D) element in the substrate contacting a first (bottom) surface
of the fin-shaped semiconductor that is adjacent the substrate; a
spacer layer on the lower S/D element; an upper S/D element
contacting an opposite surface (top) of the fin-shaped
semiconductor that is distal to the substrate; and a gate conductor
laterally adjacent the fin-shaped semiconductor.
[0005] Such methods form upper spacers on upper portions of
sidewalls of the fin-shaped semiconductor. Such upper portions of
sidewalls of the fin-shaped semiconductor are distal to the
location where the semiconductor fin contacts the lower S/D
element. The upper spacers are elongated, straight, and extend away
from the substrate (in a height direction) above the top of the
fin-shaped semiconductor (that is distal to the lower S/D element).
The upper S/D element is on the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor
between the upper spacers. These methods also form a sacrificial
material on the upper S/D element and between the upper
spacers.
[0006] Additionally, methods herein form a cap insulator on the
gate conductor of the first VFET and the second VFET. After forming
the cap insulator, these methods remove portions of the cap and a
gate conductor of the second VFET that is positioned over a lower
S/D element of the second VFET to leave a trench. This allows these
methods to form a vertical insulator to contact the gate conductor
of the second VFET in a first portion of the trench. The vertical
insulator and the isolation spacer are different materials. For
example, the vertical insulator can be silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2)
or silicon nitride (SiN), while the isolation spacer can be silicon
carbide (SiC) or silicon-oxycarbide (SiCO). The vertical insulator
prevents short circuits between the gate conductor of the first
VFET and the lower S/D contact of the second VFET. The isolation
spacer also contacts the spacer layer.
[0007] The sacrificial material is removed, and such methods form a
lower S/D contact of the second VFET on the lower S/D element of
the second VFET in a second portion of the trench. Also, such
methods form a lower S/D contact of the first VFET to a lower S/D
element of the first VFET, and form contacts to the upper S/D
element and the gate conductor of the first VFET and the second
VFET. The contacts to the gate conductor of the first VFET and the
second VFET are formed through the cap insulator.
[0008] In other variations, methods herein recess the gate
conductor to expose the top portion of the upper spacers that are
distal to the substrate. The top portion of the upper spacers are
removed to expose sidewalls of the sacrificial material, and
methods herein form a conformal insulating material on the upper
spacers and the sidewalls of the sacrificial material so that the
conformal insulating material contains two right angles in
cross-section where the conformal insulating material transitions
from contacting the upper spacers to contacting the sacrificial
material. These method form outer spacers on an upper portion of
the conformal insulating material that is distal to the substrate
from where the two right angles are located. The outer spacers and
a lower portion of the conformal insulating material (that contacts
sidewalls of the upper spacers) form a straight line.
[0009] Such methods produce various integrated circuit structures
that include, among other components, a first vertical field effect
transistor (VFET) and a second VFET on a substrate. The first VFET
and the second VFET are parallel and adjacent to one another, and
the first VFET and the second VFET each include: a fin-shaped
semiconductor extending from the substrate; a lower source/drain
(S/D) element in the substrate contacting a first surface of the
fin-shaped semiconductor that is adjacent the substrate; an upper
S/D element contacting an opposite surface of the fin-shaped
semiconductor that is distal to the substrate; a gate conductor
laterally adjacent the fin-shaped semiconductor; a gate contact
connected to and the gate conductor; an upper S/D contact connected
to the upper S/D element; a lower S/D contact connected to the
lower S/D element; and upper spacers on upper portions of sidewalls
of the fin-shaped semiconductor.
[0010] The upper portions of sidewalls of the fin-shaped
semiconductor are distal to the location where the semiconductor
fin contacts the lower S/D element. The upper spacers are
elongated, straight, and extend away from the substrate in a height
direction above the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor that is
distal to the lower S/D element, and the upper S/D element is on
the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor between the upper spacers.
The first VFET and the second VFET each further include a spacer
layer on the lower S/D element, where the isolation spacer contacts
the spacer layer.
[0011] The first VFET and the second VFET each further include a
cap insulator on the gate conductor, where the gate contacts are
formed through the cap insulator. The vertical insulator and the
isolation spacer are different materials. For example, the vertical
insulator can be silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) or silicon nitride
(SiN), while the isolation spacer can be silicon carbide (SiC) or
silicon-oxycarbide (SiCO). The vertical insulator prevents short
circuits between the gate conductor of the first VFET and the lower
S/D contact of the second VFET.
[0012] Further, the vertical insulator contacts, and is laterally
adjacent to, the gate conductor of the second VFET, and extends
from the lower spacer of the second VFET in a vertical direction
that is generally perpendicular to the plane of the lower spacer.
Also, the lower S/D contact of the second VFET contacts, and is
laterally adjacent to (parallel to), the vertical insulator and
extends through the lower spacer to the lower S/D element of the
second VFET. The isolation spacer contacts, and is laterally
adjacent to (parallel to), the lower S/D contact of the second VFET
and extends from the lower spacer of the second VFET.
[0013] Alternative structures further include a conformal
insulating material on the upper spacers and the sidewalls of the
upper S/D contact. The conformal insulating material contains two
right angles in cross-section where the conformal insulating
material transitions from contacting the upper spacers to
contacting the upper S/D contact. These structures also include a
vertical insulator contacting a gate conductor of the second VFET
and a lower S/D contact of the second VFET. The first VFET and the
second VFET each further include outer spacers on an upper portion
of the conformal insulating material that is distal to the
substrate from where the two right angles are located, and the
outer spacers and a lower portion of the conformal insulating
material that contacts sidewalls of the upper spacers form a
straight line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The embodiments herein will be better understood from the
following detailed description with reference to the drawings,
which are not necessarily drawn to scale and in which:
[0015] FIGS. 1A-1B are schematic diagrams illustrating a top-down
(plan) view of transistors formed on a substrate according to
embodiments herein;
[0016] FIGS. 2A-14C are schematic diagrams illustrating
cross-sectional views of transistors shown in FIG. 1B according to
embodiments herein;
[0017] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating embodiments
herein;
[0018] FIGS. 16A-19C are schematic diagrams illustrating
cross-sectional views of transistors shown in FIG. 1B according to
embodiments herein; and
[0019] FIG. 20 is a flow diagram illustrating embodiments
herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] As mentioned above, VFETs include a lower source/drain, over
which is formed a channel region and an upper source/drain, which
makes is very difficult to form a contact to the lower
source/drain, and to the gate that surrounds the channel region. As
transistor size is continually reduced, shorts between the contacts
are common. The systems and methods herein address these issues by
forming a trench between transistors, followed by formation of an
isolation spacer that is different from other dielectrics
formed.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, methods herein form a first
vertical field effect transistor (VFET) 160 and a second VFET 162
on a substrate 100. More specifically, FIG. 1A illustrates a
top-down (plan) view of many transistors formed on a substrate 100,
and one region 103 of the integrated circuit structure shown in
FIG. 1A is shown in isolation in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 1B, the
first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 are parallel and adjacent to
one another. FIG. 1B illustrates various cross-sectional lines X-X,
Y-Y, Z-Z, and the "A" drawings of FIGS. 2A-14C and 16A-19C are
cross-sectional views along line X-X in FIG. 1B; the "B" drawings
of FIGS. 2A-14C and 16A-19C are cross-sectional views along line
Y-Y in FIG. 1B; and the "C" drawings of FIGS. 2A-14C and 16A-19C
are cross-sectional views along line Z-Z in FIG. 1B. Additionally,
FIGS. 15 and 20 show such processing in flowchart form.
[0022] While the structure will be described in greater detail
below, in the top view shown in FIG. 1B, it can be seen that the
first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 each include upper spacers
114, a cap insulator 122, gate contacts 132, lower S/D contacts
134, upper S/D contacts 136, an isolation spacer 138, and a
vertical insulator 144. The method of formation, locations,
connections, and operation of such elements is discussed below.
[0023] Therefore, FIGS. 2A-14C and 16A-19C are cross-sectional
views showing various stages of manufacture of the VFETs 160, 162.
FIG. 15 is described simultaneously with FIGS. 2A-14C, where item
200 in FIG. 15 begins by forming (see FIGS. 2A-2C): shallow trench
isolation (STI) structures 102 in the substrate 100; a lower
source/drain (S/D) element 104A-B in the substrate 100; a
fin-shaped semiconductor 106 extending from the substrate 100 (the
lower S/D 104A-B contacts a first (bottom) surface of the
fin-shaped semiconductor 106); and a spacer layer 110 on the lower
S/D element 104A-B. The lower S/D element 104A-B is formed between
the shallow trench isolation regions 102 in the substrate 100, and
the lower S/D element 104A of the first partially formed VFET 160
is distinguished from the lower S/D element 104B of the second
partially formed VFET in the drawings.
[0024] The shallow trench isolation structures 102 are generally
formed by patterning openings/trenches within the substrate and
growing or filling the openings with a highly insulating material
(this allows different active areas of the substrate to be
electrically isolated from one another).
[0025] In FIGS. 2A-2C, the lower S/D element 104A-B is highly
conductive and is formed by implanting impurities into the
substrate 100 in a pattern between the STI regions 102 to form the
conductors in the substrate 100 (alternatively, the STI regions 102
could be formed after the lower S/D element 104A-B is formed). Note
that, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the STI regions 102 are not
symmetrical, and the lower S/D elements are bordered by a single
STI 102; and, therefore, the lower S/D element 104A-B are also
asymmetrical and have one end that extends further from the
fin-shaped semiconductor 106 relative to the other end. As will be
explained in greater detail below, the asymmetrical shape of the
lower S/D elements 104A-B allows easier formation of the lower S/D
contact 134 (FIG. 14A).
[0026] In FIGS. 2A-2C and item 200, the fin-shaped semiconductor
106 is generally formed by depositing or epitaxially growing a
layer of semiconductor material, and patterning the semiconductor
layer into fins. Additionally, item 108 is the mask used to pattern
the fin-shaped semiconductor 106. The spacer layer 110 is generally
formed by directional dielectric deposition, such as HDP deposition
process or gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) deposition process.
[0027] Within a transistor, the semiconductor (or channel region)
is positioned between a conductive "source" region and a similarly
conductive "drain" region and when the semiconductor is in a
conductive state, the semiconductor allows electrical current to
flow between the source and drain. A "gate" is a conductive element
that is electrically separated from the semiconductor by a "gate
oxide" (which is an insulator) and current/voltage within the gate
changes the conductivity of the channel region of the transistor.
Generally, transistor structures are formed by depositing or
implanting impurities into a substrate to form at least one
semiconductor channel region, bordered by shallow trench isolation
regions below the top (upper) surface of the substrate.
[0028] A "substrate" herein can comprise any material appropriate
for the given purpose (whether now known or developed in the
future) and can comprise, for example, silicon-based wafers (bulk
materials), ceramic materials, organic materials, oxide materials,
nitride materials, etc., whether doped or undoped. For purposes
herein, a "semiconductor" is a material or structure that may
include an implanted impurity that allows the material to sometimes
be a conductor and sometimes be an insulator, based on electron and
hole carrier concentration. As used herein, "implantation
processes" can take any appropriate form (whether now known or
developed in the future) and can comprise, for example, ion
implantation, etc.
[0029] When patterning any material herein, the material to be
patterned can be grown or deposited in any known manner and a
patterning layer (such as an organic photoresist) can be formed
over the material. The patterning layer (resist) can be exposed to
some pattern of light radiation (e.g., patterned exposure, laser
exposure, etc.) provided in a light exposure pattern, and then the
resist is developed using a chemical agent. This process changes
the physical characteristics of the portion of the resist that was
exposed to the light. Then one portion of the resist can be rinsed
off, leaving the other portion of the resist to protect the
material to be patterned (which portion of the resist that is
rinsed off depends upon whether the resist is a negative resist
(illuminated portions remain) or positive resist (illuminated
portions are rinsed off). A material removal process is then
performed (e.g., plasma etching, etc.) to remove the unprotected
portions of the material below the resist to be patterned. The
resist is subsequently removed to leave the underlying material
patterned according to the light exposure pattern (or a negative
image thereof).
[0030] As shown in item 202 in FIG. 15, and FIGS. 3A-3C, another
sacrificial material 112 (dummy gate, i.e.,) is formed as a thin
layer of SiO.sub.2 followed by a-Si deposition. Therefore,
sacrificial material 112 can be, for example, SiO.sub.2, a-Si, or a
combination of SiO.sub.2 and a-Si. Next, upper spacers 114 are
formed on upper portion of sidewall of the fin-shaped semiconductor
106 and on sidewall of the mask 108, where the dummy gates 112
restrict the location of the upper spacers 114 to the upper
portions of the sidewalls of the fin-shaped semi conductor 106.
Such upper portions of sidewalls of the fin-shaped semiconductor
106 are distal to the location where the semiconductor 106 fin
contacts the lower S/D element 104A-B. The upper spacers 114 are
elongated, straight, and extend away from the substrate 100 (in a
height direction) above the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106
(that is distal to the lower S/D element 104A-B). A sacrificial
layer 118 insulator is then formed over the structure, and reduced
in height by processing such as chemical mechanical polishing
(CMP).
[0031] In item 204 in FIG. 15, and FIGS. 4A-4C, the mask 108 is
removed using a selective material removal process (e.g., reactive
ion etching (RIE), etc.) that removes the mask 108 without
affecting the rest of materials. Then, a conductive upper S/D
element 120 is formed (deposited/grown) to contact a top surface of
the fin-shaped semiconductor 106 (the top of the fin 106 is distal
to the substrate 100). Therefore, this forms the upper S/D element
120 on the top of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106 between the
upper spacers 114. These methods also form (deposit/grow) a
sacrificial material 116 on the upper S/D element 120 and between
the upper spacers 114.
[0032] Processing in item 206 in FIG. 15, and FIGS. 5A-5C removes
the sacrificial layer 118 and portions of dummy gate 112 that are
not protected by the sacrificial material 116 and upper spacers 114
(using, for example reactive ion etching (RIE), etc.) to leave the
spacer layer 110 exposed. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C, the
remainder of the dummy gate 112 is removed in a selective removal
process, and a gate oxide is formed (grown) to contact sidewalls of
the fin-shaped semiconductor 106. More specifically, an atomic
layer deposition (ALD) HfO.sub.2 gate oxide is used, and it is
formed everywhere, including on the fin sidewall, over the top
spacer, bottom spacer, etc.
[0033] Additionally, as further shown in item 206, a gate conductor
124 (high-K metal gate (HKMG)) is deposited to contact the gate
oxide and upper spacers 114 (and planarized). Conceptually, the
gate stack includes (1) HfO.sub.2 gate dielectric, (2) work
function metals, (3) conductive metals such as W, Ru or Co, and are
generally represented by numeral 124 in the accompanying drawings.
Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7C and item 208, methods herein
recess the gate conductor 124 and form a cap insulator 122 (e.g.,
grown oxide) on the recessed gate conductor 124 of the first VFET
160 and the second VFET 162.
[0034] In item 210 in FIG. 15, and FIGS. 8A-8C, the methods herein
pattern a gate patterning mask 128 that leaves one end of the
second VFET 162 exposed, and these methods remove portions of the
cap insulator 122 and the gate conductor 124 of the second VFET 162
that are positioned over a lower S/D element 104B of the second
VFET 162 to leave a trench 111. Note however, the upper spacer 114
allows a portion of the gate conductor 124 to remain on the gate
oxide adjacent the recess 111, as shown most clearly in FIG. 8C.
The gate patterning mask 128 defines where the HKMG 124 is to
remain, and where unwanted portions of HKMG 124 will be removed. In
FIGS. 8A-8C, all HKMG 124 that is not covered by the upper spacer
114 or the gate patterning mask 128 will be etched away.
[0035] This allows these methods to form an isolation spacer 138 in
a first portion of the trench 111 and another vertical insulator
(inter-layer dielectric (ILD)) 144 (which can, but does not need to
be, the same material as upper spacer 114) to contact the gate
conductor 124 of the second VFET 162 in the other portion of the
trench 111, as shown in item 212 in FIG. 15, and FIGS. 9A-9C. In
this processing, sequential deposition/etch processes of the
isolation spacer 138 and vertical insulator 144 (that are
self-aligned to the vertical insulator 144), to form the two items
side-by-side in the trench 111. The mask 128 (see FIG. 8B) can be
removed at a convenient point in this processing. As shown, the
isolation spacer 138 also contacts the spacer layer 110. The cap
insulator 122 and the isolation spacer 138 are different materials.
For example, the cap insulator 122 and other vertical insulator 144
can be silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) or silicon nitride (SiN), while
the isolation spacer 138 includes silicon carbide (SiC) or
silicon-oxycarbide (SiCO). The vertical insulator 144 prevents
short circuits between the gate conductor contact 132 of the first
VFET 160 and the lower S/D contact 134 (shown in FIG. 14B-14C,
discussed below) of the second VFET 162.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 10A-10C, an additional mask 126 (TS litho)
is patterned that exposes the isolation spacer 138 and the vertical
insulator 144; and, as shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, portions of the
isolation spacer 138 are removed through the mask 126. Note that a
portion of the isolation spacer 138 remains. Similarly, after
removing mask 126, in FIGS. 12A-12C another mask 130 (CB litho) is
patterned to expose portions of the cap insulator; and in FIGS.
13A-13C a selective removal process is performed to expose portions
of the gate conductor 124. In FIGS. 14A-14C, after removing mask
130 and the sacrificial material 116, the openings formed by masks
126 and 130 are filled with a conductor to form gate contacts 132,
lower S/D contacts 134, and upper S/D contacts 136. Note that the
views in FIGS. 12B, 13B, and 14B have been expanded, relative to
the other drawings, to illustrate the mask and contacts more fully.
In particular FIG. 12B has been expanded to show, previously not
shown in FIG. 11B, that a portion of cap insulator 122 is formed to
the sidewall of gate conductor 124. Therefore, such methods form a
lower S/D contact 134 on the lower S/D element 104B of the second
VFET in a second portion of the trench 111 in item 214 in FIG. 15.
The contacts 132 to the gate conductor 124 of the first VFET 160
and the second VFET 162 are formed through the cap insulator 122 in
item 214 in FIG. 15.
[0037] As can be seen in FIGS. 1A-1B and 14A-14C, the isolation
spacer 138 and the vertical insulator 144 provide a greater form of
electrical insulation within the area identified by letter A in
FIG. 1A, between the gate contact 132 and the lower S/D contact
134, and this prevents short circuits between the gate conductor
contact 132 of the first VFET 160 and the lower S/D contact 134 of
the second VFET 162. More specifically, using materials such as
silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) or silicon nitride (SiN) for the
vertical insulator 144, while using materials such as silicon
carbide (SiC) or silicon-oxycarbide (SiCO) for the isolation spacer
138 provides a very stout insulator that eliminates short circuits.
Additionally, the asymmetric length of the lower S/D 104B allows
the contacts 132, 134 to be offset and not be directly laterally
adjacent one another; and this additional spacing further reduces
the incident of contact-to-contact electrical shorts.
[0038] In other variations, shown in FIGS. 16A-20 (that are
discussed simultaneously), this discussion begins with the
structure shown in FIGS. 6A-6C, and item 206 in the flowchart in
FIG. 20. The processing in items 200-206 is as discussed above and
are illustrated in FIGS. 1A-5C, and a redundant discussion of the
same is omitted for brevity. Then, as shown in item 207A in FIG.
20, and FIGS. 16A-16C, this processing recesses the gate conductor
124 to expose the top portion of the upper spacers 114 that are
distal to the substrate 100. Next, as shown in item 207B in FIG.
20, and FIGS. 17A-17C, the top portions of the upper spacers 114
are removed, to expose sidewalls of the sacrificial material
116.
[0039] As shown in item 207C in FIG. 20, and FIGS. 18A-18C, methods
herein then form a conformal insulating material 152 (e.g., SiN) on
the upper spacers 114 and the sidewalls of the sacrificial material
116 so that the conformal insulating material 152 contains two
right angles in cross-section where the conformal insulating
material 152 transitions from contacting the upper spacers 114 to
contacting the sacrificial material 116. Additionally, item 207D in
FIG. 20, these method form outer spacers 150 (e.g., low-K spacer
such as SiCO) on an upper portion of the conformal insulating
material 152 that is distal to the substrate 100 from where the two
right angles are located. The outer spacers 150 and a lower portion
of the conformal insulating material 152 (that contacts sidewalls
of the upper spacers 114) form a straight line (extending
vertically in the height direction from (perpendicular to) the top
surface of the substrate 100) because the outer edges of the outer
spacers 150 are aligned with the outer edges of the insulating
material 152.
[0040] Then the remaining processing discussed above with respect
to FIGS. 7A-14C are preformed in items 208-214 to create the
structure shown in FIGS. 19A-19C. Note that the view in FIG. 19B
has been expanded, relative to the other drawings, to illustrate
the additional contacts, similar to FIG. 14B. The L- or Z-shaped
conformal insulating material 152 and outer spacers 150 increase
the thickness of the insulator around the upper S/D contacts 136,
which reduces the possibility of the other contacts 132, 134
short-circuiting with the upper S/D contacts 136. In other
alternatives, the upper spacers 114 can be formed to a desired
thickness, potentially in combination with insulating material 152
and outer spacers 150, to assist in further preventing short
circuits.
[0041] Such methods produce various integrated circuit structures
that include, among other components, a first vertical field effect
transistor (VFET) 160 and a second VFET 162 on a substrate 100. The
first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 are parallel and adjacent to
one another, and the first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 each
include: a fin-shaped semiconductor 106 extending from the
substrate 100; a lower source/drain (S/D) element in the substrate
100 contacting a first surface of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106
that is adjacent the substrate 100; an upper S/D element 120
contacting the top surface of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106 that
is distal to the substrate 100; a gate oxide contacting sidewalls
of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106; a gate conductor 124
contacting the gate oxide; a gate contact 132 connected to and the
gate conductor 124; an upper S/D contact 136 connected to the upper
S/D element 120; a lower S/D contact 134 connected to the lower S/D
element 104A-B; and upper spacers 114 on upper portions of
sidewalls of the fin-shaped semiconductor 106.
[0042] The upper portions of sidewalls of the fin-shaped
semiconductor 106 are distal to the location where the
semiconductor 106 fin contacts the lower S/D element 104A-B. The
upper spacers 114 are elongated, straight, and extend away from the
substrate 100 in a height direction above the top of the fin-shaped
semiconductor 106 that is distal to the lower S/D element 104A-B,
and the upper S/D element 120 is on the top of the fin-shaped
semiconductor 106 between the upper spacers 114. The first VFET 160
and the second VFET 162 each further include a spacer layer 110 on
the lower S/D element 104A-B, where the isolation spacer 138
contacts the spacer layer 110.
[0043] The first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 each further
include a cap insulator 122 on the gate conductor 124, where the
gate contacts 132 are formed through the cap insulator 122.
[0044] The cap insulator 122 and the vertical insulator 144 are
different materials from the isolation spacer 138. For example, the
cap insulator 122 and the vertical insulator 144 can be silicon
dioxide (SiO.sub.2) or silicon nitride (SiN), while the isolation
spacer 138 is generally silicon carbide (SiC) or silicon-oxycarbide
(SiCO). The vertical insulator 144 prevents short circuits between
the gate conductor 124 of the first VFET 160 and the lower S/D
contact 134 of the second VFET 162.
[0045] Further, as shown in FIGS. 14A-14C, the vertical insulator
144 contacts, and is laterally adjacent to, the gate conductor 124
of the second VFET 162, and extends from the lower spacer 110 of
the second VFET 162 in a vertical direction that is generally
perpendicular to the plane of the lower spacer 110. Also, the lower
S/D contact 134 of the second VFET 162 contacts, and is laterally
adjacent to (parallel to), the vertical insulator 144 and extends
through the lower spacer 110 to the lower S/D element 104B of the
second VFET 162. FIGS. 14A-14C also show that the isolation spacer
138 contacts, and is laterally adjacent to (parallel to), the lower
S/D contact 134 of the second VFET 162 and extends from the lower
spacer 110 of the second VFET 162.
[0046] Alternative structures further include a conformal
insulating material 152 on the upper spacers 114 and the sidewalls
of the sacrificial material 116. The conformal insulating material
152 contains two right angles in cross-section where the conformal
insulating material 152 transitions from contacting the upper
spacers 114 to contacting the upper S/D contact 136. These
structures also include an isolation spacer 138 contacting a gate
conductor 124 of the second VFET 162 and the lower S/D contact 134
of the second VFET 162. The first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162
each further include outer spacers 150 on an upper portion of the
conformal insulating material 152 that is distal to the substrate
100 from where the two right angles are located, and the outer
spacers 150 and a lower portion of the conformal insulating
material 152 that contacts sidewalls of the upper spacers 114 form
a straight line.
[0047] The first VFET 160 and the second VFET 162 discussed above
can be the same or different types of transistors (e.g.,
complementary, oppositely doped (positive, negative)). A
positive-type transistor "P-type transistor" uses impurities such
as boron, aluminum or gallium, etc., within an intrinsic
semiconductor substrate (to create deficiencies of valence
electrons) as a semiconductor region. Similarly, an "N-type
transistor" is a negative-type transistor that uses impurities such
as antimony, arsenic or phosphorous, etc., within an intrinsic
semiconductor substrate (to create excessive valence electrons) as
a semiconductor region.
[0048] A hardmask can be formed of any suitable material, whether
now known or developed in the future, such as a metal or organic
hardmask, that has a hardness greater than the substrate and
insulator materials used in the remainder of the structure. For
purposes herein, sidewall spacers are structures that are generally
formed by depositing or growing a conformal insulating layer (such
as any of the insulators mentioned above) and then performing a
directional etching process (anisotropic) that etches material from
horizontal surfaces at a greater rate than its removes material
from vertical surfaces, thereby leaving insulating material along
the vertical sidewalls of structures. This material left on the
vertical sidewalls is referred to as sidewall spacers.
[0049] While only one or a limited number of transistors are
illustrated in the drawings, those ordinarily skilled in the art
would understand that many different types transistor could be
simultaneously formed with the embodiment herein and the drawings
are intended to show simultaneous formation of multiple different
types of transistors; however, the drawings have been simplified to
only show a limited number of transistors for clarity and to allow
the reader to more easily recognize the different features
illustrated. This is not intended to limit this disclosure because,
as would be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, this
disclosure is applicable to structures that include many of each
type of transistor shown in the drawings.
[0050] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the foregoing. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein,
terms such as "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top",
"bottom", "upper", "lower", "under", "below", "underlying", "over",
"overlying", "parallel", "perpendicular", etc., are intended to
describe relative locations as they are oriented and illustrated in
the drawings (unless otherwise indicated) and terms such as
"touching", "in direct contact", "abutting", "directly adjacent
to", "immediately adjacent to", etc., are intended to indicate that
at least one element physically contacts another element (without
other element separating the described element). The term
"laterally" is used herein to describe the relative locations of
element and, more particularly, to indicate that an element is
positioned to the side of another element as opposed to above or
below the other element, as those elements is oriented and
illustrated in the drawings. For example, an element that is
positioned laterally adjacent to another element will be beside the
other element, an element that is positioned laterally immediately
adjacent to another element will be directly beside the other
element, and an element that laterally surrounds another element
will be adjacent to and border the outer sidewalls of the other
element.
[0051] Each respective figure, in addition to illustrating methods
of and functionality of the present embodiments at various stages,
also illustrates the logic of the method as implemented, in whole
or in part, by one or more devices and structures. Such devices and
structures are configured to (i.e., include one or more components,
such as resistors, capacitors, transistors and the like that are
connected to enable the performing of a process) implement the
method described above. In other words, one or more computer
hardware devices can be created that are configured to implement
the method and processes described herein with reference to the
figures and their corresponding descriptions.
[0052] Embodiments herein may be used in a variety of electronic
applications, including but not limited to advanced sensors,
memory/data storage, semiconductors, microprocessors and other
applications. A resulting device and structure, such as an
integrated circuit (IC) chip can be distributed by the fabricator
in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that has multiple
unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In the
latter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as a
plastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or
other higher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a
ceramic carrier that has either or both surface interconnections or
buried interconnections). In any case the chip is then integrated
with other chips, discrete circuit element, and/or other signal
processing devices as part of either (a) an intermediate product,
such as a motherboard, or (b) an end product. The end product can
be any product that includes integrated circuit chips, ranging from
toys and other low-end applications to advanced computer products
having a display, a keyboard or other input device, and a central
processor.
[0053] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and
equivalents of all means or step plus function element in the
claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or
act for performing the function in combination with other claimed
element as specifically claimed. The description of the present
embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the
embodiments in the form disclosed. Many modifications and
variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments
herein. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best
explain the principles of such, and the practical application, and
to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the
various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated.
[0054] While the foregoing has been described in detail in
connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be
readily understood that the embodiments herein are not limited to
such disclosure. Rather, the element herein can be modified to
incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or
equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are
commensurate with the spirit and scope herein. Additionally, while
various embodiments have been described, it is to be understood
that aspects herein may be included by only some of the described
embodiments. Accordingly, the claims below are not to be seen as
limited by the foregoing description. A reference to an element in
the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless
specifically stated, but rather "one or more." All structural and
functional equivalents to the element of the various embodiments
described throughout this disclosure that are known or later, come
to be known, to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly
incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by
this disclosure. It is therefore to be understood that changes may
be made in the particular embodiments disclosed which are within
the scope of the foregoing as outlined by the appended claims.
* * * * *