Gate contact structure positioned above an active region with air gaps positioned adjacent the gate structure
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit product, comprising:
- a transistor device comprising a T-shaped gate structure positioned above an active region defined in a semiconducting substrate, said T-shaped gate structure comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion has a greater lateral width in a current transport direction of said transistor device than said lower portion;
first and second conductive source/drain structures positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure; and
first and second air gaps positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure, wherein each of said air gaps is positioned between at least said lower portion of said T-shaped gate structure and adjacent conductive source/drain structures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One illustrative integrated circuit product disclosed herein includes a transistor device comprising a T-shaped gate structure positioned above an active region defined in a semiconducting substrate, the T-shaped portion of the gate structure comprising a relatively wider upper portion and a relatively narrower lower portion, and first and second conductive source/drain structures positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of the T-shaped gate structure. In this example, the product also includes first and second air gaps positioned adjacent opposite sidewall of the T-shaped gate structure, wherein each of the air gaps is positioned between at least the lower portion of one of the sidewalls of the T-shaped gate structure and the adjacent conductive source/drain structure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit product, comprising:
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a transistor device comprising a T-shaped gate structure positioned above an active region defined in a semiconducting substrate, said T-shaped gate structure comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion has a greater lateral width in a current transport direction of said transistor device than said lower portion; first and second conductive source/drain structures positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure; and first and second air gaps positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure, wherein each of said air gaps is positioned between at least said lower portion of said T-shaped gate structure and adjacent conductive source/drain structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An integrated circuit product, comprising:
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a transistor device comprising a T-shaped gate structure positioned above an active region defined in a semiconducting substrate, said T-shaped gate structure comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion has a greater lateral width in a current transport direction of said transistor device than said lower portion, and wherein, in a direction corresponding to a gate width direction of said transistor device, said T-shaped gate structure has a non-recessed portion with a first upper surface and a recessed portion with a second upper surface, said second upper surface being positioned at a level below a level of said first upper surface; first and second conductive source/drain structures positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure; first and second air gaps positioned adjacent opposite sidewalls of said T-shaped gate structure, wherein each of said air gaps is positioned between at least said lower portion of said T-shaped gate structure and adjacent conductive source/drain structures; and a conductive gate contact structure that is conductively coupled to said T-shaped gate structure, wherein at a location adjacent said conductive gate contact structure, each of said conductive source/drain structures has an upper surface that is positioned at a level that is below a level of the first upper surface of said non-recessed portion of said T-shaped gate structure. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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forming a gate for a transistor device, said gate comprising a sacrificial gate structure, a sidewall spacer positioned adjacent said sacrificial gate structure and a gate cap positioned above said sacrificial gate structure; forming first and second conductive source/drain structures adjacent said sidewall spacer on opposite sidewalls of said sacrificial gate structure; performing an etching process to reduce a lateral thickness of an upper portion of said sidewall spacer that is located above an upper surface of said sacrificial gate structure; removing said sacrificial gate structure to form a replacement gate cavity having an upper portion with a first lateral width and a lower portion with a second lateral width that is less than said first lateral width, said first lateral width being defined by said upper portion of said sidewall spacer with said reduced lateral width; forming a replacement gate structure in said replacement gate cavity, said replacement gate structure having a T-shaped configuration and comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion has a greater lateral width in a current transport direction of said transistor device than said lower portion; performing an etching process to remove said upper portion of said sidewall spacer and at least a portion of any remaining portion of said sidewall spacer so as to form a space between a lower portion of said T-shaped gate structure and each of said first and second conductive source/drain structures; and forming a second spacer adjacent said T-shaped gate structure, said second spacer comprising at least first and second air gaps within said second spacer, said first and second air gaps being positioned between at least said lower portion of said T-shaped gate structure and adjacent conductive source/drain structures. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification