17940194. EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS simplified abstract (Intel Corporation)
Contents
- 1 EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS
- 1.1 Organization Name
- 1.2 Inventor(s)
- 1.3 EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS - A simplified explanation of the abstract
- 1.4 Simplified Explanation
- 1.5 Potential Applications
- 1.6 Problems Solved
- 1.7 Benefits
- 1.8 Potential Commercial Applications
- 1.9 Unanswered Questions
- 1.10 Original Abstract Submitted
EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Feng Zhang of Hillsboro OR (US)
Ting-Hsiang Hung of Beaverton OR (US)
Chia-Ching Lin of Portland OR (US)
EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17940194 titled 'EPITAXIAL REGIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN INNER GATE SPACERS
Simplified Explanation
The patent application describes techniques for forming semiconductor devices with epitaxial growth laterally extending between inner spacer structures to address issues caused by the inner spacer structures being too thick or too thin. A directional etch is used to create a narrow opening for a source or drain region, increasing usable fin space for forming inner spacer structures. After forming the inner spacer structures around the ends of the semiconductor layers within the fin, the exposed ends of the semiconductor layers are laterally recessed inwards from the outermost sidewalls of the inner spacer structures. Epitaxial source or drain regions are then grown from the recessed semiconductor ends, filling in the recessed regions between the spacer structures.
- Directional etch creates narrow openings for source/drain regions
- Inner spacer structures formed around semiconductor layers within the fin
- Exposed ends of semiconductor layers laterally recessed inwards
- Epitaxial source/drain regions grown from recessed semiconductor ends
Potential Applications
The technology described in the patent application could be applied in the manufacturing of advanced semiconductor devices, such as high-performance transistors for electronics and computing applications.
Problems Solved
1. Mitigating issues caused by inner spacer structures being too thick or too thin 2. Increasing usable fin space for forming inner spacer structures
Benefits
1. Improved performance and reliability of semiconductor devices 2. Enhanced control over the formation of source/drain regions 3. Increased efficiency in semiconductor manufacturing processes
Potential Commercial Applications
Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing for High-Performance Transistors
Unanswered Questions
=== What specific semiconductor materials are used in this process? The patent application does not specify the exact semiconductor materials utilized in the described techniques.
=== Are there any limitations to the size or scale of the semiconductor devices that can be produced using this method? The patent application does not address any potential limitations regarding the size or scale of semiconductor devices that can be manufactured using these techniques.
Original Abstract Submitted
Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices having epitaxial growth laterally extending between inner spacer structures to mitigate issues caused by the inner spacer structures either being too thick or too thin. A directional etch is performed along the side of a multilayer fin to create a relatively narrow opening for a source or drain region to increase the usable fin space for forming the inner spacer structures. After the inner spacer structures are formed around ends of the semiconductor layers within the fin, the exposed ends of the semiconductor layers are laterally recessed inwards from the outermost sidewalls of the inner spacer structures. Accordingly, the epitaxial source or drain region is grown from the recessed semiconductor ends and thus fills in the recessed regions between the spacer structures.
