Abstract:
A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) is provided. The FinFET includes a first gate having top and bottom portions of different widths, the top portion of the first gate being disposed above the bottom portion of the first gate. The FinFET also includes a second gate having top and bottom portions of different widths, the top portion of the second gate being disposed above the bottom portion of the second gate. A first inter-layer dielectric layer is disposed between the first gate and the second gate in an interposed manner. The first inter-layer dielectric layer has a thickness equal to a height of the bottom portions of the first and second gates. A second inter-layer dielectric layer is patterned over the first inter-layer dielectric layer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/141,619, entitled “Method of Forming Trench on FinFET and FinFET Thereof,” filed Dec. 27, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The technology described in this patent document relates generally to a method of forming a trench on a semiconductor structure and the semiconductor structure thereof, and more particularly, a method of forming a trench on a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) and the FinFET thereof. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a FinFET process, a trench is formed for depositing metal gate materials inside. However, in a conventional process of forming a trench on the FinFET, a tapered profile of the trench is easily introduced while patterning a dummy poly gate. The tapered profile may introduce voids within the trench after the trench is deposited with gate metal materials. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate various cross-sectional views during the formation of a trench of a FinFET. 
           [0005]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a FinFET. 
           [0006]      FIGS. 7-13  illustrate various cross-sectional views of part of a gate portion during the formation of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 14  illustrates of a flowchart of an exemplary method of forming a trench on a FinFET. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate various cross-sectional views during the formation of a trench of a FinFET. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows that photo-resists  101  and  102  are formed on a poly layer  130  in a poly photolithography process. A gate oxide layer  120  is below the poly layer  130 . A substrate layer  110  is below the gate oxide layer  120 . 
         [0010]    After completing a poly patterning process on the structure shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  shows a tapered portion of the poly layer  130  that acts as a dummy poly portion above the substrate layer  110 . 
         [0011]    After performing an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) deposition process and an ILD chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process on the structure shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  shows a plurality of portions of an ILD layer, for example, two ILD portions  310  and  320  interposed by the tapered portion of the poly layer  130 . A first spacer  330  is formed between the ILD portion  310  and the tapered portion of the poly layer  130 . A second spacer  340  is formed between the ILD portion  320  and the tapered portion of the poly layer  130 . 
         [0012]    After performing a dummy poly removal process on the structure shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  shows the tapered portion of the poly layer  130  removed to form a trench  460 . 
         [0013]    After performing a gate depositing process on the structure shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, using a high k/metal gate (HK/MG) process,  FIG. 5  shows a metal gate layer  570  above and within the trench  460 . Because of the tapered profile of the trench  460 , some voids, such as a void  580  shown in  FIG. 5 , may also be introduced during the gate depositing process. These voids may significantly reduce conductivity of the metal gate layer  570 . 
         [0014]    For improving the conductivity issue caused by voids inside a metal gate layer in the abovementioned FinFET process, this disclosure teaches an improved method of forming a trench of a FinFET and the FinFET thereof. 
         [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a FinFET  600 . The FinFET  600  includes a gate portion  610 , a source portion  620 , and a drain portion  630 . 
         [0016]      FIGS. 7-13  illustrate various cross-sectional views of part of the gate portion  610  during the formation of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0017]    In,  FIG. 7 , a substrate  705  is first formed. A gate oxide layer  725  is deposited on the substrate  705 . A first poly layer  730  is deposited above the gate oxide layer  725 . The gate oxide layer  725  and the first poly layer  730  are patterned for forming a body of the first gate  710  and the second gate  720  of the gate portion. The gate oxide layer  725  and the first poly layer  730  may include a plurality of separated portions after being patterned. For example, the body of the first gate  710  includes a first portion  732  of the first poly layer  730  and a first portion  722  of the gate oxide layer  725 . The body of the second gate  720  includes a second portion  734  of the first poly layer  730  and a second portion  724  of the gate oxide layer  725 . 
         [0018]    Furthermore, some spacers may be disposed on lateral sides of the first gate  710  and the second gate  720 . For example, a first spacer  752  may be formed adjacent to a first lateral side (e.g. a left side) of the body of the first gate  710 . A second spacer  754  may be formed adjacent to a second lateral side (e.g. a right side) of the body of the first gate  710  opposite to the first lateral side of the body of the first gate  710 . A third spacer  756  may be formed adjacent to a first lateral side (e.g. a left side) of the body of the second gate  720  confronting the second lateral side of the body of the first gate  710 . A fourth spacer  758  may be formed adjacent to a second lateral side (e.g. right side) of the body of the second gate  720  opposite to the first lateral side of the body of the second gate  720 . 
         [0019]    A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) procedure is optionally performed on the first gate  710  and the second gate  720  after forming the first spacer  752 , the second spacer  754 , the third spacer  756 , and the fourth spacer  758 . The CMP procedure is utilized for planarizing top surfaces of the first gate  710  and the second gate  720 . And specifically, the CMP procedure is utilized for planarizing top surfaces of the first portion  732  of the first poly layer  730  and the spacers  752  and  754  and is also utilized for planarizing top surfaces of the second portion  734  of the first poly layer  730  and the spacers  756  and  758 . 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 8 , after the first gate and the second gate are formed in  FIG. 7 , an initial ILD layer  820  is further deposited on the part of the gate portion that was shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 9 , after the deposition of the initial ILD layer  820  is completed, the initial ILD layer  820  may be etched to form a first ILD layer  930 . A CMP procedure is optionally performed on the first ILD layer  930  for planarization of the top surface of the first ILD layer  930  and for planarization of the top surfaces of the first gate and the second gate. 
         [0022]    After forming the first ILD layer  930 , a second ILD layer  910  is deposited above the first gate, the second gate, and the first ILD layer  930 . A photoresist layer  920  is further patterned over the second ILD layer  910  for defining active regions above the first gate and the second gate. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 10 , an etching process is performed on the part of the gate region shown in  FIG. 9 . After the etching process, part of the second ILD layer  910  that is not below the photoresist layer  920  is substantially etched for form a plurality of trenches, such as trenches  1010  and  1020 . The photoresist layer  920  is also substantially removed. Corners of the second ILD layer  910  around the trenches  1010  and  1020  may be slightly etched as well. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the etching process in  FIG. 10  may be a dry etching process. In another embodiment, the etching process in  FIG. 10  may be a wet etching process. 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 11 , after the etching process shown in  FIG. 10 , a second poly layer  1105  may be deposited within the trenches  1010  and  1020  and above the first gate and the second gate. A CMP process is optionally performed on the top surfaces of the second ILD layer  910  and the second poly layer  1105  for planarization. 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 12 , the first portion  732  and the second portion  734  of the first poly layer and the second poly layer  1105  are substantially etched to form a first trench  1201  and a second trench  1202 . The first trench  1201  is defined for the first gate. The second trench  1202  is defined for the second gate. The portions  722  and  724  of the gate oxide layer are etched as well. 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, the etching process in  FIG. 12  may be a dry etching process. In another embodiment, the etching process in  FIG. 12  may be a wet etching process. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 13 , after depositing gate metal materials within the first trench  1201  and the second trench  1202 , a gate metal material  1310  is deposited within the first trench  1201  and the second trench  1202  defined in the part of the gate region. A replacement gate process is completed after depositing the gate metal material  1310 . An oxidation film  1320  may be substantially formed above the second ILD layer  910  and the spacers  752 ,  754 ,  756 , and  758  before depositing the gate metal material  1310 . 
         [0029]    As can be observed from the process shown in  FIGS. 7-13 , the first trench  1201  and the second trench  1202  may be formed by two stages. A first stage is indicated by  FIGS. 7-9  to perform the deposition of the first ILD layer  930  shown in  FIG. 9 . A second stage is indicated by  FIGS. 9-10  to perform the deposition of the second ILD layer  910  shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0030]    With the aid of the two-stage process, openings of the exemplary trenches between the portions  911  and  914  of the ILD layer  910  and a second trench between the portions in  FIG. 10  will be broad enough. As a result, formation of voids will be reduced during the gate depositing process shown in  FIG. 13 . Conductivity of the gates can be well preserved after performing the gate depositing process. In other words, the tapered opening of the trench  460  shown in  FIG. 4  is not introduced in the abovementioned embodiment. 
         [0031]    One of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure will appreciate that embodiments may also be formed by generating multiple trenches on a FinFET according to details of this disclosure. 
         [0032]      FIG. 14  illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary method of forming a trench on a FinFET based on descriptions and drawings related to  FIGS. 6-13 . The method includes the following stages: Form a first inter-layer dielectric layer  930  between a first gate  710  and a second gate of a FinFET in an interposed manner ( 1402 ). Form a second inter-layer dielectric layer  910  above the first inter-layer dielectric layer  820 , the first gate of the FinFET, and the second gate of the FinFET ( 1404 ). Pattern a photoresist layer  920  over the second inter-layer dielectric layer  910  ( 1406 ). Etch part of the second inter-layer dielectric layer  910  that is not below the photoresist layer  920  ( 1408 ). 
         [0033]    This disclosure teaches a method of forming a trench on a FinFET. In one embodiment, a first inter-layer dielectric layer is formed between a first gate and a second gate of the FinFET in an interposed manner. A second inter-layer dielectric layer is formed above the first inter-layer dielectric layer, the first gate of the FinFET, and the second gate of the FinFET. A photoresist layer is patterned over the second inter-layer dielectric layer. And part of the second inter-layer dielectric layer that is not below the photoresist layer is etched. 
         [0034]    This disclosure also teaches a FinFET. In one embodiment, the FinFET comprises a first gate, a second gate, a first inter-layer dielectric layer, and a second inter-layer dielectric layer. The first inter-layer dielectric layer is formed between the first gate and the second gate in an interposed manner. The second inter-layer dielectric layer is patterned over the first inter-layer dielectric layer. 
         [0035]    This disclosure further teaches a method of forming a trench on a FinFET. In one embodiment, a gate oxide layer is deposited on a substrate. A poly layer is deposited above the gate oxide layer. The gate oxide layer and the poly layer are patterned to form a body of the first gate of the FinFET and a body of the second gate of the FinFET. A first inter-layer dielectric layer is formed between the first gate and the second gate in an interposed manner. A second inter-layer dielectric layer is formed above the first inter-layer dielectric layer, the first gate of the FinFET, and the second gate of the FinFET. The photoresist layer is patterned over the second inter-layer dielectric layer. Part of the second inter-layer dielectric layer that is not below the photoresist layer is etched. 
         [0036]    This written description uses examples to disclose embodiments of the disclosure, include the best mode, and also to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use various embodiments of the disclosure. The patentable scope of the disclosure may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. One of ordinary skill in the relevant art will recognize that the various embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other replacement and/or additional methods, materials, or components. Well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of various embodiments of the disclosure. Various embodiments shown in the figures are illustrative example representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Various additional layers and/or structures may be included and/or described features may be omitted in other embodiments. Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the disclosure. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described herein may be performed in a different order, in series or in parallel, than the described embodiments. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described. Operations may be omitted in additional embodiments. 
         [0037]    This written description and the following claims may include terms, such as left, right, top, bottom, over, under, upper, lower, first, second, etc. that are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. For example, terms designating relative vertical position may refer to a situation where a device side (or active surface) of a substrate or integrated circuit is the “top” surface of that substrate; the substrate may actually be in any orientation so that a “top” side of a substrate may be lower than the “bottom” side in a standard terrestrial frame of reference and may still fall within the meaning of the term “top.” The term “on” as used herein (including in the claims) may not indicate that a first layer “on” a second layer is directly on and in immediate contact with the second layer unless such is specifically stated; there may be a third layer or other structure between the first layer and the second layer on the first layer. As an example, the structures, layouts, materials, operations, voltage levels, or current levels related to “source” and “drain” described herein (including in the claims) may be interchangeable as a result of transistors with “source” and “drain” being symmetrical devices. The term “substrate” may refer to any construction comprising one or more semiconductive materials, including, but not limited to, bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials). The embodiments of a device or article described herein can be manufactured, used, or shipped in a number of positions and orientations. Persons skilled in the art will recognize various equivalent combinations and substitutions for various components shown in the figures.