Methods of laterally etching an epitaxial layer

• Main Authors: LIN, CHE YU, CHANG, CHIH CHIANG, YANG, WEI SIANG, HSIAO, WEN CHU, LI, KUN MU
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 21.07.2021
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; DYES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FORELSEWHERE; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; PAINTS; POLISHES; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

The present disclosure describes a method to form silicon germanium (SiGe) source/drain regions with the incorporation of a lateral etch in the epitaxial source/drain growth process. For example, the method can include forming a plurality of fins on a substrate, where each of the plurality of fins has a first width. The SiGe source/drain regions can be formed on the plurality of fins, where each SiGe source/drain region has a second width in a common direction with the first width and a height. The method can also include selectively etching-e.g., via a lateral etch-the SiGe source/drain regions to decrease the second width of the SiGe source/drain regions. By decreasing the width of the SiGe source/drain regions, electrical shorts between neighboring fins can be prevented or minimized. Further, the method can include growing an epitaxial capping layer over the Si/Ge source/drain regions.