Intel corporation (20240105716). INTEGRATED CIRCUIT STRUCTURES HAVING UNIFORM GRID METAL GATE AND TRENCH CONTACT PLUG simplified abstract

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT STRUCTURES HAVING UNIFORM GRID METAL GATE AND TRENCH CONTACT PLUG

Organization Name

intel corporation

Inventor(s)

Leonard P. Guler of Hillsboro OR (US)

Sukru Yemenicioglu of Portland OR (US)

Mohit K. Haran of Hillsboro OR (US)

Stephen M. Cea of Hillsboro OR (US)

Charles H. Wallace of Portland OR (US)

Tahir Ghani of Portland OR (US)

Shengsi Liu of Portland OR (US)

Saurabh Acharya of Hillsboro OR (US)

Thomas O'brien of Portland OR (US)

Nidhi Khandelwal of Portland OR (US)

Marie T. Conte of Hillsboro OR (US)

Prabhjot Luthra of Hillsboro OR (US)

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT STRUCTURES HAVING UNIFORM GRID METAL GATE AND TRENCH CONTACT PLUG - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240105716 titled 'INTEGRATED CIRCUIT STRUCTURES HAVING UNIFORM GRID METAL GATE AND TRENCH CONTACT PLUG

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes integrated circuit structures with uniform grid metal gate and trench contact cut, along with methods of fabricating such structures.

• Vertical stack of horizontal nanowires
• Gate electrode over the vertical stack
• Conductive trench contact adjacent to the gate electrode
• Dielectric sidewall spacer between the gate electrode and trench contact
• First and second dielectric cut plug structures extending through the gate electrode, sidewall spacer, and trench contact

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1. 1. 1. Potential Applications

The technology described in the patent application could be applied in the manufacturing of advanced integrated circuits for various electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and IoT devices.

1. 1. 1. Problems Solved

This innovation addresses the need for improved integration of metal gate and trench contact structures in integrated circuits, enhancing performance and reliability.

1. 1. 1. Benefits

The uniform grid metal gate and trench contact cut structures offer increased efficiency, reduced power consumption, and enhanced overall functionality of integrated circuits.

1. 1. 1. Potential Commercial Applications

The technology has potential applications in the semiconductor industry for the production of high-performance integrated circuits, leading to advancements in electronics and technology.

1. 1. 1. Possible Prior Art

Prior art in the field of semiconductor manufacturing may include methods for fabricating metal gate structures and trench contacts in integrated circuits, but the specific combination of features described in this patent application may be novel.

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1. 1. Unanswered Questions

1. 1. 1. How does this technology compare to existing methods for fabricating integrated circuits?

The article does not provide a direct comparison with existing methods or technologies in the field of semiconductor manufacturing.

1. 1. 1. What are the specific performance improvements achieved by the uniform grid metal gate and trench contact cut structures?

The article does not detail the specific performance enhancements or metrics resulting from the implementation of this technology.

Original Abstract Submitted

integrated circuit structures having uniform grid metal gate and trench contact cut, and methods of fabricating integrated circuit structures having uniform grid metal gate and trench contact cut, are described. for example, an integrated circuit structure includes a vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. a gate electrode is over the vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. a conductive trench contact is adjacent to the gate electrode. a dielectric sidewall spacer is between the gate electrode and the conductive trench contact. a first dielectric cut plug structure extends through the gate electrode, through the dielectric sidewall spacer, and through the conductive trench contact. a second dielectric cut plug structure extends through the gate electrode, through the dielectric sidewall spacer, and through the conductive trench contact, the second dielectric cut plug structure laterally spaced apart from and parallel with the first dielectric cut plug structure.