FinFET Guide Pattern Tapering for Contact Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
As integrated circuit devices downscale, the short channel effect increases, deteriorating their reliability, and the reduced size of contact structures for fin-type active regions complicates electric connections, leading to challenges in maintaining device performance.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a substrate with a fin-type active region, a gate structure perpendicular to the substrate, guide patterns with inclined side surfaces, and contacts that taper in width from bottom to top, allowing for reliable electric connections and improved contact quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the integrated circuit device is downscaled to increase integration, then the device density and integration level are improved, but the short channel effect increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar transistor architecture to three-dimensional FinFET architecture by creating vertical fins on the substrate. This dimensional change increases the effective channel width without increasing the planar footprint, thereby improving integration density while maintaining control over the channel to reduce short channel effects and preserve reliability.
2Length of moving object
If the contact structure size is reduced to match the downscaled fin-type active region, then the device miniaturization is improved, but the electric connection reliability and contact quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is designed with a tapered geometry where the lower portion has a larger width than the upper portion. This curved/tapered shape allows the contact to adequately engage with the reduced-size fin-type active region while maintaining sufficient contact area at the base for reliable electrical connection, thus achieving miniaturization without sacrificing connection quality.
3Length of moving object
If the contact hole width is reduced at the upper portion to match the downscaled device features, then the device miniaturization is improved, but the metal material filling completeness and contact quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The contact hole is formed with a tapered profile where the upper width is smaller than the lower width. This curved/tapered geometry prevents pinching off during metal deposition processes, ensuring complete and uniform metal material filling throughout the contact hole while maintaining the required small upper opening for device miniaturization.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit device includes a substrate having a fin-type active region that extends in a first direction, a gate structure that intersects the fin-type active region on the substrate and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, a guide pattern that extends on the gate structure in the second direction and has an inclined side surface that extends in the second direction, source/drain regions disposed on both sides of the gate structure, and a first contact that is electrically connected to one of the source/drain regions and in which an upper portion contacts the inclined side surface of the guide pattern. The width of an upper portion of the guide pattern in the first direction is less than the width of a lower portion of the guide pattern in the first direction.