Epitaxial Growth Sequencing for Semiconductor Device Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges in manufacturing field-effect transistors (FETs) as existing methods are not entirely satisfactory, particularly in nanometer technology process nodes, where scaling down increases complexity and requires advancements in IC manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A method for fabricating semiconductor devices involves providing a substrate, forming shallow trench isolation (STI) features, growing epitaxial semiconductor material in recesses, and constructing gate stacks, which minimizes epi-growth variation by sequencing epi-growing the material before forming STI features, ensuring consistent growth rates across surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If epi-growing is performed after forming STI features, then the manufacturing process follows conventional sequencing, but epi-growth variation increases across different surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional process sequence by performing epi-growing before forming STI features, rather than after. This reversal eliminates the epi-growth variation problem because the epitaxial growth occurs on a uniform substrate surface before any STI structures are created, ensuring consistent growth rates across all device regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by completing the epi-growing step before proceeding to STI formation. The epitaxial semiconductor material is grown to the desired thickness and uniformity first, establishing a consistent baseline for subsequent processing steps, including STI formation and device fabrication.
2Reliability
If conventional FET manufacturing methods are used, then existing process flows are maintained, but device performance reliability decreases due to epi-growth variations
Solution Approach 1:
By performing epi-growing as a preliminary step before STI formation, the patent ensures that the semiconductor material has already achieved its target thickness and uniformity. This preliminary establishment of consistent material properties directly improves device performance reliability, as all subsequent processing operates on a uniformly prepared substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter of the manufacturing process by reordering the sequence of operations. Specifically, it shifts the epi-growing step to occur before STI formation, which fundamentally alters the growth conditions and eliminates variation introduced by subsequent STI structuring, thereby improving reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If epi-growing is performed on substrates with existing STI features, then the process follows standard sequencing, but growth rates vary across different surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the standard process sequence by performing epi-growing before STI formation. This inversion ensures that the epitaxial growth occurs on a completely planar substrate surface without any STI features present, eliminating the cause of growth rate variation and achieving consistent growth across all device regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the reliability of semiconductor device performance by minimizing epi-growth variations and is easily integrated into current processing techniques, addressing the complexity and inefficiencies in FET manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
epitaxially grown (epi-grown) in the plurality of recess in the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The exemplary method includes providing a substrate having a source region and a drain region. The method further includes forming a first recess in the substrate within the source region and a second recess in the substrate within the drain region. The first recess has a first plurality of surfaces and the second recess has a second plurality of surfaces. The method also includes epi-growing a semiconductor material in the first and second recesses and, thereafter, forming shallow isolation (STI) features in the substrate.