Patent ID: 9543167
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A method comprising: conducting a laser-based anneal treatment on a metal layer positioned above and in direct contact with a first diamond shaped epitaxial layer surrounding a first fin and a second diamond shaped epitaxial layer surrounding a second fin, the metal layer extending from the first diamond shaped epitaxial layer to the second diamond shaped epitaxial layer, the laser-based anneal treatment forming a silicide layer from the metal layer and the first and second diamond shaped epitaxial layers thereby merging the first diamond shaped epitaxial layer and the second diamond shaped epitaxial layer, a portion of the silicide layer between the first and the second diamond shaped epitaxial layers being substantially thicker than a portion of the silicide layer in contact with the first and the second diamond shaped epitaxial layers, wherein the silicide layer has a crystal orientation of the first and the second epitaxial layers.