METHODS OF FORMING SELF-ALIGNED CONTACT STRUCTURES ON SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AND THE RESULTING DEVICES

摘要

One method disclosed includes, among other things, forming a structure comprised of an island of a first insulating material positioned between the gate structures above the source/drain region and under a masking layer feature of a patterned masking layer, forming a liner layer that contacts the island of insulating material and the masking layer feature, selectively removing the masking layer feature to thereby form an initial opening that is defined by the liner layer, performing at least one isotropic etching process through the initial opening to remove the island of first insulating material and thereby define a contact opening that exposes the source/drain region, and forming a conductive contact structure in the contact opening that is conductively coupled to the source/drain region.

主权项

1. A method of forming a self-aligned contact to a source/drain region of a transistor device positioned between two adjacent gate structures formed above a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
forming a structure comprised of an island of a first insulating material positioned between said gate structures above said source/drain region and under a masking layer feature of a patterned masking layer; forming a liner layer that contacts said island of said first insulating material and said masking layer feature; selectively removing said masking layer feature relative to said gate structures to thereby form an initial opening that is defined by said liner layer, said initial opening exposing said island of said first insulating material; performing at least one isotropic etching process through said initial opening to remove said island of said first insulating material and thereby define a contact opening that exposes said source/drain region; and forming a conductive contact structure in said contact opening that is conductively coupled to said source/drain region.