Patent ID: 9741615
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A method comprising: forming a first gate structure and a second gate structure separated from the first gate structure by a space that crosses over a top surface of a fin; forming a first sacrificial layer within the space adjacent to the top surface of the fin; forming a dielectric layer within the space above the sacrificial layer; forming a hardmask layer on the dielectric layer; forming an opening in the hardmask layer at a location that is above the top surface of the fin and between the first gate structure and the second gate structure; forming a first section of a contact hole in the dielectric layer at the location of the opening, wherein the first section of the contact hole extends through the dielectric layer to the sacrificial layer; after the first section of the contact hole is formed, removing the first sacrificial layer selective to the dielectric layer to form a second section of the contact hole between the dielectric layer and the top surface of the fin, wherein the second section of the contact hole extends through the first sacrificial layer to expose the top surface of the fin; and forming a contact in the contact hole that is coupled with the top surface of the fin, wherein the second section of the contact hole is located between a sidewall spacer on the first gate structure and a sidewall spacer on the second gate structure, and the first section of the contact hole is narrower than a distance between the sidewall spacer on the first gate structure and the sidewall spacer on the second gate structure.