Patent ID: 7790622
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a transistor device in an active silicon region of a semiconductor substrate, wherein the transistor device comprises a gate structure having a gate electrode and first and second sidewall spacers formed on respective first and second sidewalls of the gate electrode, and first and second diffusion regions formed in the active silicon region adjacent the first and second sidewall spacers, respectively, wherein the first and second sidewall spacers each comprise a first spacer insulating layer and a second spacer insulating layer, wherein the first spacer insulating layer is interposed between the second spacer insulating layer and the gate electrode sidewall and a surface of the active silicon region adjacent the first and second sidewalls of the gate electrode; forming a conformal insulating layer over the gate structure and the active silicon region; depositing a layer of organic material over the conformal insulating layer and performing a first etch process to etch back the layer of organic material; to form an etch mask of the same organic material to cover a portion of the conformal insulating layer over the active silicon region while exposing a portion of the conformal insulating layer formed on upper sidewall and top surfaces of the gate structure etching the exposed portion of the conformal insulating layer using the etch mask of organic material; and removing the second spacer insulating layers of the first and second sidewall spacers using an etch process in which an etch selectivity of material forming the second spacer insulating layer is greater than that an etch selectivity of the materials forming the first spacer insulating layers and the conformal insulating layer so as to protect the sidewall surfaces of the gate electrode and the surface of the active silicon region from etch damage when etching the second spacer insulating layers.