Method of forming a bridge contact.

摘要

A method of forming a bridge contact between silicon regions (24, 32) on a substrate (10) that are separated by a first insulating region (32A) having a first lateral length, without forming a bridge contact between silicon regions on the substrate that are separated by other insulating regions that have lateral lengths that are greater than that of said first insulating region (32A), comprising the steps of: forming a refractory metal layer (14) on the substrate (10) under conditions such that said refractory metal has a substantially columnar grain structure; sintering the substrate under conditions that limit lateral silicon diffusion, so that a silicide (14A) is formed over all of said silicon regions and said first insulation region (32A) without forming a silicide over said other insulating regions; and exposing the substrate to an etchant that preferentially removes portions of said refractory metal that did not react to form said silicide (14A), without appreciably removing said silicide. The method in particular uses a self-aligned silicide reaction to form a bridging contact between portions of a semiconductor surface that are separated by a thin insulating layer.