Source/Drain Contact Bar Layout for Dense Nanosheet Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
As nanosheet devices scale down, they interfere with each other, making it difficult to form proper source/drain contacts without shorts, due to the challenge of alignment and spacing in densely packed areas.
Innovation Solution
A microelectronic structure with a source/drain contact bar formed integrally within a gate cut, featuring a dielectric pillar between source/drain contacts, allowing for parallel extension and easy alignment, and a dielectric liner and fill layer to facilitate contact formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If nanosheet devices are scaled down and densely packed, then device density and integration are improved, but alignment and spacing precision deteriorates leading to shorts between contacts
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric liner is introduced as an intermediary layer between adjacent source/drain contacts. This liner acts as a physical barrier and spacing reference that prevents direct contact between neighboring contacts, thereby eliminating shorts while enabling continued device scaling and density improvement
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric liner is formed in advance before the source/drain contact formation process. By pre-establishing the spacing boundaries and alignment references through the liner, the subsequent contact formation achieves proper spacing without requiring ultra-precise alignment, thus resolving the precision issue while maintaining high device density
2Productivity
If source/drain contacts are formed in densely packed areas, then device integration is improved, but contact formation difficulty increases due to alignment challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric liner serves as a manufacturing aid by providing clear physical boundaries and spacing references. This intermediary structure simplifies the contact formation process in dense areas by eliminating alignment uncertainties, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining high device integration
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric liner is selectively placed in specific locations between adjacent contacts where spacing control is critical. This localized approach provides enhanced spacing control exactly where needed in densely packed areas, making contact formation easier without affecting overall device integration
Data Source
AI summary
A microelectronic structure including a first nano device that includes a plurality of first transistors and the plurality of first transistors includes at least one first source/drain. A second nano device includes a plurality of second transistors and the second nano device is oriented parallel to the first nano device. The plurality of second transistors includes at least two second source/drains. A gate cut located between the first nano device and the second nano device. A source/drain contact connected to the at least one first source/drain and is connected to at least one of the second source/drains. A portion of the source/drain contact extends parallel to the first nano device and the second nano device.