Patent ID: 9653583
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A method of forming a diffusion break for a FinFET device comprising a fin formed in a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: forming a first gate structure above said fin, said first gate structure comprising sacrificial gate materials, a sidewall spacer and a gate cap layer; forming epi semiconductor material on exposed portions of said fin; forming a patterned sacrificial layer of material above said epi semiconductor material, wherein said patterned sacrificial layer of material covers a second gate structure while exposing at least said gate cap layer of said first gate structure; performing at least one first etching process through said patterned sacrificial layer of material to remove at least said gate cap layer and said sacrificial gate materials of said first gate structure so as to define a first isolation cavity that exposes said fin while leaving said second gate structure intact; performing at least one second etching process through said first isolation cavity to remove at least a portion of a vertical height of said fin and thereby form a first isolation trench; removing said patterned sacrificial layer of material; and forming a layer of insulating material above said epi semiconductor material and in said first isolation trench and in said first isolation cavity.