Methods, apparatus, and system for forming epitaxial formations with reduced risk of merging
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
a first fin and a second fin on the semiconductor substrate;
a first epitaxial formation on the first fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the second fin and an outer surface oriented away from the second fin;
a second epitaxial formation on the second fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the first fin and an outer surface oriented away from the first fin; and
a conformal dielectric layer on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation, on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation and the second epitaxial formation, and merged between the inner surface of the first epitaxial formation and inner surface of the second epitaxial formation, wherein a top of the merged conformal dielectric layer between the inner surfaces of the first and second epitaxial formations is higher than a top of the conformal dielectric layer on the outer surfaces of the first and second epitaxial formations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
At least one method, apparatus and system providing semiconductor devices comprising a semiconductor substrate; a first fin and a second fin on the semiconductor substrate; a first epitaxial formation on the first fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the second fin and an outer surface oriented away from the second fin; a second epitaxial formation on the second fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the first fin and an outer surface oriented away from the first fin; and a conformal dielectric layer on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation, on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation and the second epitaxial formation, and merged between the inner surface of the first epitaxial formation and inner surface of the second epitaxial formation.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a first fin and a second fin on the semiconductor substrate; a first epitaxial formation on the first fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the second fin and an outer surface oriented away from the second fin; a second epitaxial formation on the second fin and having an inner surface oriented toward the first fin and an outer surface oriented away from the first fin; and a conformal dielectric layer on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation, on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation and the second epitaxial formation, and merged between the inner surface of the first epitaxial formation and inner surface of the second epitaxial formation, wherein a top of the merged conformal dielectric layer between the inner surfaces of the first and second epitaxial formations is higher than a top of the conformal dielectric layer on the outer surfaces of the first and second epitaxial formations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a semiconductor device processing system to manufacture a semiconductor device; and a processing controller operatively coupled to the semiconductor device processing system, the processing controller configured to control an operation of the semiconductor device processing system; wherein the semiconductor device processing system is adapted to; form a first fin and a second fin on the semiconductor substrate; form, on the first fin, a first epitaxial formation having an inner surface oriented toward the second fin and an outer surface oriented away from the second fin; form, on the second fin, a second epitaxial formation and having an inner surface oriented toward the first fin and an outer surface oriented away from the first fin; deposit a conformal dielectric material at least on the first epitaxial formation, the second epitaxial formation, an inner surface of the upper region of the first fin oriented toward the second fin, an outer surface of the upper region of the first fin oriented away from the second fin, an inner surface of the upper region of the second fin oriented toward the first fin, and an outer surface of the upper region of the second fin oriented away from the first fin, wherein the conformal dielectric material merges between the inner surface of the first epitaxial formation and inner surface of the second epitaxial formation and pinches off a space between the first fin and the second fin; and etch the conformal dielectric material to form a conformal dielectric layer on at least portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the first epitaxial formation and the second epitaxial formation, and merged between the inner surface of the first epitaxial formation and inner surface of the second epitaxial formation. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification