FinFET Source/Drain Protection Layer for Etch Damage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges in forming reliable fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs) due to the increasing difficulty of fabricating devices with decreasing feature sizes, which affects the reliability and performance of semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A method for forming semiconductor devices with fin structures and epitaxially grown source/drain structures, where a semiconductor protection layer with a higher atomic concentration of silicon is grown over the source/drain structures to protect them from damage during subsequent processes, and a similar layer is used for fin structures to enhance device reliability and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If feature sizes continue to decrease to increase functional density, then production efficiency and cost are improved, but fabrication difficulty and device reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A semiconductor protection layer is formed over the fin structure before subsequent etching and fabrication processes. This preliminary protective action prevents damage to the fin structure during manufacturing, enabling continued scaling without compromising fabrication reliability or increasing device failure rates
2Productivity
If feature sizes continue to decrease to increase functional density, then production efficiency and cost are improved, but device reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection layer is formed in advance over the fin structure before etching processes, creating a preliminary shield that prevents collateral damage during subsequent manufacturing steps, thereby maintaining device reliability despite continued scaling
Solution Approach 2:
The semiconductor protection layer serves as a cushioning protective barrier formed beforehand, absorbing or preventing damage during etching and cleaning processes, which cushions against reliability deterioration as feature sizes decrease
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional etching and cleaning processes are used without protection, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but damage to source/drain and fin structures occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The semiconductor protection layer acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the fin structure and harmful etching/cleaning processes. This mediator absorbs or deflects damage, allowing conventional aggressive etching and cleaning processes to proceed without causing collateral damage to the source/drain and fin structures
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
The semiconductor protection layers effectively prevent damage to the source/drain and fin structures during etching and cleaning processes, improving the performance and reliability of the semiconductor device by maintaining their size and morphology.
Implementation Method 1
A semiconductor protection layer having a higher atomic concentration of silicon than the source/drain structures is grown over the source/drain structures
Data Source
AI summary
A structure and a formation method of a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a fin structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack covering a portion of the fin structure and an epitaxially grown source/drain structure over the fin structure and adjacent to the gate stack. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor protection layer over the epitaxially grown source/drain structure. The semiconductor protection layer has an atomic concentration of silicon greater than that of the epitaxially grown source/drain structure.