Patent ID: 8383503

Claim:
A method for forming a FinFET structure, the method comprising the steps of: forming a fin overlying a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate structure overlying the fin, wherein the gate structure has a height as measured from the semiconductor substrate that is greater than a height of the fin; depositing a first sidewall spacer-forming material overlying the gate structure and the fin; depositing a second sidewall spacer-forming material overlying the first sidewall spacer-forming material, the second sidewall spacer-forming material having an etch rate when subjected to an etchant that is different from an etch rate of the first sidewall spacer-forming material when subjected to the same etchant; etching the second sidewall spacer-forming material and the first sidewall spacer-forming material until a composite spacer is formed about the gate structure, wherein the step of etching comprises forming about the gate structure a composite spacer having a width that is greater than a width of a composite spacer formed about the fin; at least substantially removing the second sidewall spacer-forming material from the fin; and at least substantially removing the first sidewall spacer-forming mterial from the fin.