Abstract:
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a first region, a second region, and a third region; forming a plurality of spacers on the first region, the second region, and the third region; forming a first patterned mask to cover the spacers on the first region and the second region; and removing the spacers on the third region.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a method for fabricating field effect transistor, and more particularly to a method of fabricating planar field effect transistor, fin field effect transistor (FinFET), and static random access memory (SRAM) on a substrate. 
       2. Description of the Prior Art 
       [0002]    With increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, it is crucial to maintain the efficiency of miniaturized semiconductor devices in the industry. However, as the size of the field effect transistors (FETs) is continuously shrunk, the development of the planar FETs faces more limitations in the fabricating process thereof. On the other hand, non-planar FETs, such as the fin field effect transistor (Fin FET) have three-dimensional structure, not only capable of increasing the contact to the gate but also improving the controlling of the channel region, such that the non-planar FETs have replaced the planar FETs and become the mainstream of the development. 
         [0003]    The current method of forming the Fin FETs is forming a fin structure on a substrate primary, and then forming a gate on the fin structure. The fin structure generally includes the stripe-shaped fin formed by etching the substrate. However, under the requirements of continuous miniaturization, the width of each fin, as well as the pitch between fins have to be shrunk accordingly. Thus, the fabricating process of the Fin FETs also faces more challenges and limitations. For example, the fabricating process is limited by current mask and lithography techniques, such that it has problems to precisely define the position of the fin structure, or to precisely control the etching time, thereby leading to the fin collapse or over-etching issues, and seriously affecting the efficiency of the fin structure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a first region, a second region, and a third region; forming a plurality of spacers on the first region, the second region, and the third region; forming a first patterned mask to cover the spacers on the first region and the second region; and removing the spacers on the third region. 
         [0005]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a first region and a second region; a first base on the first region and a second base on the second region; a plurality of first fin-shaped structures on the first base; a single second fin-shaped structure on the second base; a first shallow trench isolation (STI) between the first fin-shaped structures and the second fin-shaped structure; and a second STI adjacent to the second fin-shaped structure. 
         [0006]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 8-11  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 12-14  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 ,  FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a substrate  12 , such as silicon substrate is provided, and a first region  14 , a second region  16 , and a third region  18  are defined on the substrate  12 . Preferably, the first region  14 , second region  16 , and third region  18  are used to fabricate different types of semiconductor devices in the later process, in which the first region  14  in this embodiment is preferably serving as a logic region for fabricating FinFET devices, the second region  16  is serving as a memory region for fabricating SRAM devices, and the third region  18  is used for fabricating planar MOS transistors. 
         [0011]    Next, a pad oxide  20 , a pad nitride  22 , and a material layer (not shown) are formed on the substrate  12 , and a sidewall image transfer (SIT) technique is conducted to form a plurality of spacers on the pad nitride  22 . For instance, a photo-etching process could be conducted by first forming a patterned resist on the material layer, and then conducting an etching process by using the patterned resist as mask to remove part of the material layer for forming a plurality of mandrels  24  on the pad nitride  22 . Next, a cap layer is formed on the mandrels  24  and pad nitride  22 , and an etching back is conducted to remove part of the cap layer to form spacers  26  on the first region  14 , second region  16 , and third region  18 . 
         [0012]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 2 , after removing all of the mandrels  24 , a first patterned mask  28  is formed to cover the spacers  26  on the first region  14  and second region  16 , and an etching process is conducted by using the first patterned mask  28  as mask to remove all of the spacers  26  on third region  18  for exposing the surface of the pad nitride  22 . 
         [0013]    After removing the first patterned mask  28 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , a second patterned mask  30  is formed on the third region  18 , and an etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  30  and the spacers  26  on first region  14  and second region  16  as mask to remove part of the substrate  12  on first region  14  and second region  16  for forming a plurality of first fin-shaped structures  32  on first region  14  and a plurality of second fin-shaped structures  34  on second region  16 . 
         [0014]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a third patterned mask  36  is formed on part of the first fin-shaped structures  32  and part of the second fin-shaped structures  34 . 
         [0015]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 5 , an etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  30  and third patterned mask  36  as mask to remove the spacers  26 , pad nitride  22 , pad oxide  20 , first fin-shaped structures  32 , and second fin-shaped structures  34  not covered by the second patterned mask  30  and third patterned mask  36 , and then continuing using the second patterned mask  30  and third patterned mask  36  to remove part of the substrate  12  underneath for forming a first base  38  on the third region  18 , a base  40  under the first fin-shaped structures  32 , a plurality of bases  42  under the second fin-shaped structures  34 , a trench  44  between the base  38  and base  40 , a trench  46  between the base  40  and base  42 , and a trench  48  between the bases  42 . It should be noted that a plurality of fin-shaped structures are still disposed on the base  40  on first region  14  and the bases  42  on second region  16  respectively. For instance, four first fin-shaped structures  32  are disposed on the base  40  and two second fin-shaped structures  34  are disposed on each of the bases  42 . 
         [0016]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the second patterned mask  30  and third patterned mask  36  are removed and a fourth patterned mask  50  is formed on the third region  18 , the first region  14 , and the second fin-shaped structures  34  on second region  16 . An etching process is then conducted by using the fourth patterned mask  50  as mask to remove part of the base  42  on second region  16  to divide the original base  42  into two parts while forming another trench  52  between the second fin-shaped structures  34 . It should be noted that at this point a plurality of first fin-shaped structures  32  are still disposed on the base  40  on first region  14  while only a single second fin-shaped structure  34  is disposed on each base  42  on second region  16 . 
         [0017]    After removing the fourth patterned mask  50 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , a shallow trench isolation (STI) fabrication is conducted by first depositing an insulating layer (not shown) composed of silicon oxide on the substrate  12  and fill the trenches  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  52  between the bases  38 ,  40 ,  42 , and then planarizing part of the insulating layer and removing part of the insulating layer by etching back process to form a plurality of STIs  54  between the first fin-shaped structures  32  and second fin-shaped structure  34  and STI  56  in the trench  52  between bases  42 . Next, spacers  26 , pad nitride  22 , and pad oxide  20  could be removed depending on the demand of the process and gate structures could be formed on each fin-shaped structure and bases  38 ,  40 ,  42 , and fabrication of active devices could be conducted thereafter to form FinFET, SRAM, and planar MOS transistors on first region  14 , second region  16 , and third region  18  respectively. This completes the fabrication of a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0018]    Referring again to  FIG. 7 , a semiconductor device structure is further disclosed, which preferably includes a base  40  disposed on the first region  14  of a substrate  12 , at least a base  42  disposed the second region  16 , a base  38  disposed on the third region  18 , a plurality of first fin-shaped structures  32  disposed on the base  40 , a single second fin-shaped structure  34  disposed on each base  42 , STI  54  disposed between the first fin-shaped structures  32  and second fin-shaped structure  34 , and STI  56  between the bases  42 . 
         [0019]    In this embodiment, the bases  38 ,  40 ,  42 , first fin-shaped structures  32 , and second fin-shaped structures  34  all composed of same material, such as all being composed of single crystal silicon. In addition, the top surface of the base  38  on third region  18  is preferably higher than the top surfaces of the base  40  on first region  14  and the base  42  on second region  16 , and the top surface of the base  40  is preferably even with the top surface of the base  42 . The depths of the STI  54  and STI  56  are preferably different, in which the depth of the STI  54  between the bases  40  and  42  is approximately 840 Angstroms, the depth of the STI  54  on top of the base  40  is about 140 Angstroms, and depth of the STI  56  between bases  42  is about 1400 Angstroms. 
         [0020]    viewing from the second region  16 , each of the bases  42  includes a sidewall  58  and sidewall  60  and the second fin-shaped structure  34  on top of each base  42  also includes a sidewall  62  and a sidewall  64 , in which the sidewall  58  of the base  42  is preferably aligned with the sidewall  62  of the second fin-shaped structure  34  and the other sidewall  60  of the base  42  is not aligned with the sidewall  64  of the second fin-shaped structure  34 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 8-11 ,  FIGS. 8-11  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , a substrate  72 , such as silicon substrate is provided, and a first region  74 , a second region  76 , and a third region  78  are defined on the substrate  72 . Preferably, the first region  74 , second region  76 , and third region  78  are used to fabricate different types of semiconductor devices in the later process, in which the first region  74  in this embodiment is preferably serving as a logic region for fabricating FinFET devices, the second region  76  is serving as a memory region for fabricating SRAM devices, and the third region  78  is used for fabricating planar MOS transistors. 
         [0022]    Next, a pad oxide  80  and a pad nitride  82  are formed on the substrate  72 , and the SIT process conducted from  FIGS. 1-2  is carried out to form a plurality of spacers  84  on the first region  74 , second region  76 , and third region  78 . Next, a first patterned mask (not shown) is formed to cover the spacers  84  on first region  74  and second region  76 , and an etching process is conducted by using the first patterned mask to remove all of the spacers  84  on third region  78  and expose the pad nitride  82  surface. After removing the first patterned mask, a second patterned mask  86  is formed on the first region  74  and third region  78 . 
         [0023]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 9 , an etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  86  as mask to remove part of the substrate  72  on second region  76 . 
         [0024]    After removing the second patterned mask  86 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , a third patterned mask  88  is formed on the third region  78 , and an etching process is conducted by using the third patterned mask  88  as mask to remove part of the substrate  72  on first region  74  and second region  76  for forming a plurality of first fin-shaped structures  90  and second fin-shaped structures  92 . Preferably, the top surface of the first fin-shaped structure  90  and second fin-shaped structures  92  are coplanar while the height of the second fin-shaped structures  92  is preferably higher than the height of the first fin-shaped structures  90 . 
         [0025]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 11 , a fourth patterned mask  94  is formed on part of the first fin-shaped structures  90  on first region  74  and part of the second fin-shaped structures  92  on second region  76 , and one or more etching process is conducted to remove the spacer  84 , pad nitride  82 , pad oxide  80 , part of the first fin-shaped structures  90 , and part of the second fin-shaped structures  92  not covered by the fourth patterned mask  94 . The etching process is then continued by using the fourth patterned mask  94  to remove part of the substrate  72  for forming a base  96  under the first fin-shaped structures  90 , abase  98  on third region  78 , and trenches  100  between first fin-shaped structures  90  and second fin-shaped structures  92  and between bases  96  and  98 , in which the bottom of the trenches  100  is preferably even with the bottom of the second fin-shaped structures  92 . Next, a STI fabrication process from  FIG. 7  could be conducted to form STI structures in the trenches  100  and between first fin-shaped structures  90  and second fin-shaped structures  94 , and the details of which are not explained herein for the sake of brevity. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 12-14 ,  FIGS. 12-14  illustrate a method for fabricating semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 12 , a substrate  102 , such as silicon substrate is provided, and a first region  104 , a second region  106 , and a third region  108  are defined on the substrate  102 . Preferably, the first region  104 , second region  106 , and third region  108  are used to fabricate different types of semiconductor devices in the later process, in which the first region  104  in this embodiment is preferably serving as a logic region for fabricating FinFET devices, the second region  106  is serving as a memory region for fabricating SRAM devices, and the third region  108  is used for fabricating planar MOS transistors. 
         [0027]    Next, a pad oxide  110  and a pad nitride  112  are formed on the substrate  102 , and the SIT process conducted from  FIGS. 1-2  is carried out to form a plurality of spacers  114  on the first region  104 , second region  106 , and third region  108 . Next, a first patterned mask (not shown) is formed to cover the spacers on first region  104  and second region  106 , and an etching process is conducted by using the first patterned mask to remove all of the spacers  114  on third region  108  and expose the pad nitride  112  surface. 
         [0028]    After removing the first patterned mask, a second patterned mask  116  is formed on the third region  108 , and an etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  116  to remove part of the substrate  102  for forming a plurality of first fin-shaped structures  118  on first region  104  and second region  106 . 
         [0029]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 13 , a third patterned mask  120  is formed to cover the first fin-shaped structures  118  on first region  104 , and an etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  116  and third patterned mask  120  as mask to remove part of the substrate  102  on second region  106  for forming a plurality of second fin-shaped structures  122 . 
         [0030]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 14 , after removing the third patterned mask  120 , a fourth patterned mask  124  is formed on part of the first fin-shaped structures  118  on first region  104  and part of the second fin-shaped structures  122  on second region  106 . Next, one or more etching process is conducted by using the second patterned mask  116  and fourth patterned mask  124  to remove the spacers  114 , pad nitride  112 , pad oxide  110 , first fin-shaped structures  118 , and second fin-shaped structures  122  not covered by the second patterned mask  116  and fourth patterned mask  124 . The etching process is then continued to remove part of the substrate  102  for forming a base  126  under the first fin-shaped structures  118 , abase  128  on third region  108 , and trenches  130  between first fin-shaped structures  118  and second fin-shaped structures  122  and between bases  126  and  128 , in which the bottom of the trenches  130  is preferably even with the bottom of the second fin-shaped structures  122 . Next, a STI fabrication process from  FIG. 7  could be conducted to form STI structures in the trenches  130  and between first fin-shaped structures  118  and second fin-shaped structures  122 , and the details of which are not explained herein for the sake of brevity. 
         [0031]    Overall, it would be desirable to employ the aforementioned processes to form different semiconductor devices on different regions of a substrate, such as forming a FinFET device on the logic region or first region  14 , forming a SRAM device on the memory region or second region  16 , and forming a planar MOS transistor on the third region  18 . According to the aforementioned first embodiment, a plurality of fin-shaped structures are formed on the base on first region, only a single fin-shaped structure is formed on each base on second region, and only a base without any fin-shaped structure is formed on third region. Moreover, the depths of the STIs on first region and second region are also different from the depth of the STI on second region. 
         [0032]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.