Patent · US Expired

Method of fabricating sidewall spacers for a self-aligned contact hole

US6033962A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
12References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1998
Grant dateMar 7, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/76897
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for forming a self-aligned contact, (SAC), opening, for a semiconductor device, has been developed. The process features the formation of partial silicon nitride spacers, on the sides of polycide gate structures, via a partial anisotropic RIE procedure, applied to a silicon nitride layer, also resulting in a thin layer of silicon nitride remaining on regions between polycide gate structures. After deposition of an overlying insulator layer, a two step, anisotropic RIE procedure is used to create the SAC opening in the insulator layer, and in the underlying, thin silicon nitride layer. The first step, of the two step, SAC opening procedure, selectively removes first insulator layer, while the second step, of the two step, SAC opening procedure, selectively removes the thin silicon nitride layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.