Large area contacts for small transistors
US9466722B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 2014 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D84/038
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A large area electrical contact for use in integrated circuits features a non-planar, sloped bottom profile. The sloped bottom profile provides a larger electrical contact area, thus reducing the contact resistance, while maintaining a small contact footprint. The sloped bottom profile can be formed by recessing an underlying layer, wherein the bottom profile can be crafted to have a V-shape, U-shape, crescent shape, or other profile shape that includes at least a substantially sloped portion in the vertical direction. In one embodiment, the underlying layer is an epitaxial fin of a FinFET. A method of fabricating the low-resistance electrical contact employs a thin etch stop liner for use as a hard mask. The etch stop liner, e.g., HfO2, prevents erosion of an adjacent gate structure during the formation of the contact.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.