Method of forming self-aligned contacts for a semiconductor device

US8927407B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GlobalFoundries Inc. · KY

Inventors

• Peter Baars · Dresden, DE
• Andy Wei · Queensbury, US
• Erik Geiss · Wappingers Falls, US
• Martin Mazur · Pulsnitz, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 20, 2012
• Grant date: Jan 6, 2015
• Expiry date: Apr 8, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D64/017
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of forming self-aligned contacts for a semiconductor device. In one example, the method includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart sacrificial gate electrodes above a semiconducting substrate, wherein each of the gate electrodes has a gate cap layer positioned on the gate electrode, and performing at least one etching process to define a self-aligned contact opening between the plurality of spaced-apart sacrificial gate electrodes. The method further includes removing the gate cap layers to thereby expose an upper surface of each of the sacrificial gate electrodes, depositing at least one layer of conductive material in said self-aligned contact opening and removing portions of the at least one layer of conductive material that are positioned outside of the self-aligned contact opening to thereby define at least a portion of a self-aligned contact positioned in the self-aligned contact opening.