METAL GATE STRUCTURE AND METHODS THEREOF
First Claim
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1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a first fin and a second fin extending from a substrate, the first fin having a first gate region and the second fin having a second gate region and a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure interposing the first and second fins;
a first portion of a metal gate structure disposed over the first gate region and a second portion of the metal gate structure disposed over the second gate region, wherein the first and second portions are separated by a cut gate region; and
a dielectric layer disposed in the cut gate region, wherein the dielectric layer extends below a top surface of the STI structure;
wherein the first portion of the metal gate structure has a first face abutting the cut gate region, wherein the first face has a first width adjacent the top surface of the STI structure and a second width above the first width, the second width less than the first width.
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Abstract
Provided is a metal gate structure and related methods that include performing a metal gate cut process. The metal gate cut process includes a plurality of etching steps. For example, a first anisotropic dry etch is performed, a second isotropic dry etch is performed, and a third wet etch is performed. In some embodiments, the second isotropic etch removes a residual portion of a metal gate layer including a metal containing layer. In some embodiments, the third etch removes a residual portion of a dielectric layer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
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a first fin and a second fin extending from a substrate, the first fin having a first gate region and the second fin having a second gate region and a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure interposing the first and second fins; a first portion of a metal gate structure disposed over the first gate region and a second portion of the metal gate structure disposed over the second gate region, wherein the first and second portions are separated by a cut gate region; and a dielectric layer disposed in the cut gate region, wherein the dielectric layer extends below a top surface of the STI structure; wherein the first portion of the metal gate structure has a first face abutting the cut gate region, wherein the first face has a first width adjacent the top surface of the STI structure and a second width above the first width, the second width less than the first width. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A semiconductor device, comprising:
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a first portion of a metal gate line and a collinear second portion of the metal gate line, wherein the first portion has a first end and the collinear second portion has a second end; and a dielectric layer extending from the first end to the second end; and a shallow trench isolation structure underlying the dielectric layer; wherein the dielectric layer has a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is defined as extending from an interface with a first sidewall of the shallow trench isolation structure to an interface with a second sidewall of the shallow trench isolation structure, and the second width is defined at a region above the interface with the shallow trench isolation structure, the second width greater than the first width. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A semiconductor device, comprising:
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a first fin and a second fin extending vertically from a substrate and extending in a first direction; a first metal gate structure disposed over a region of the first fin, wherein the first metal gate structure extends in a second direction, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second metal gate structure disposed over a region of the second fin and extends in the second direction, wherein the first and second metal gate structures are separated by a cut gate region filled with dielectric material; and wherein the first metal gate structure has a first face abutting the dielectric material of the cut gate region, wherein the first face has a first width adjacent the STI structure and a second width above the first width, the second width less than the first width and the first width and the second width each defined in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification