Methods of forming contact structures on integrated circuit products

• Main Authors: Basker, Veeraraghavan, Liebmann, Lars W, Xie, Ruilong, Pranatharthi Haran, Balasubramanian
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.12.2019
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

One illustrative method disclosed includes, among other things, forming at least one layer of sacrificial material above an underlying conductive structure, forming a sacrificial contact structure in the at least one layer of sacrificial material and forming at least one layer of insulating material around the sacrificial contact structure. In this example, the method also includes performing at least one process operation to expose an upper surface of the sacrificial contact structure, removing the sacrificial contact structure so as to form a contact opening that exposes the upper surface of the underlying conductive structure and forming a final contact structure in the contact opening, the final contact structure conductively contacting the underlying conductive structure.