Patent ID: 7071517
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A self-aligned contact structure comprising: a plurality of spaced apart gate electrodes disposed on a semiconductor substrate with the gate electrodes having opposing first and second sidewalls and top and bottom surfaces, wherein adjacent sidewalls of selected neighboring gate electrodes have respective upper portions that angle toward each other to present a sloped profile; a first liner layer that is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and covers one of the first and second sidewalls, a minor portion of the other sidewall and a major portion of the top surface of the gate electrodes; a plurality of self-aligned contact pads that are separately electrically connected to selected regions of the semiconductor substrate, each self-aligned contact pad having opposing upwardly extending sidewalls, wherein a respective self-aligned contact pad is positioned between the selected neighboring gate electrodes, and have a length sufficient so that the self-aligned contact pads extend a distance above the top surface of the gate electrodes; an interlayer insulation layer disposed on the first liner layer above the top surface and about selected sidewalls of respective gate electrodes, the selected sidewalls of respective gate electrodes being those sidewalls that are positioned away from the self-aligned contact pad electrodes; and a second liner layer disposed on the angled portions of the adjacent sidewalls of neighboring gate electrodes.