US 12,218,239 B2
Structure and method for providing line end extensions for fin-type active regions
Shao-Ming Yu, Hsinchu County (TW); Chang-Yun Chang, Taipei (TW); Chih-Hao Chang, Hsinchu (TW); Hsin-Chih Chen, Taipei County (TW); Kai-Tai Chang, Kaohsiung (TW); Ming-Feng Shieh, Tainan County (TW); Kuei-Liang Lu, Hsinchu (TW); and Yi-Tang Lin, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to Mosaid Technologies Incorporated, Ottawa (CA)
Filed by Mosaid Technologies Incorporated, Ottawa (CA)
Filed on May 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/322,745.
Application 15/614,439 is a division of application No. 14/586,602, filed on Dec. 30, 2014, granted, now 9,673,328, issued on Jun. 6, 2017.
Application 18/322,745 is a continuation of application No. 17/649,148, filed on Jan. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,721,761.
Application 17/649,148 is a continuation of application No. 16/726,405, filed on Dec. 24, 2019, granted, now 11,239,365, issued on Feb. 1, 2022.
Application 16/726,405 is a continuation of application No. 15/614,439, filed on Jun. 5, 2017, granted, now 10,573,751, issued on Feb. 25, 2020.
Application 14/586,602 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/356,235, filed on Jan. 23, 2012, granted, now 9,324,866, issued on Apr. 26, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0299203 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 29/78 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/8234 (2006.01); H01L 27/088 (2006.01); H01L 29/66 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 29/785 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67248 (2013.01); H01L 21/823418 (2013.01); H01L 21/823431 (2013.01); H01L 21/823437 (2013.01); H01L 27/0886 (2013.01); H01L 29/66545 (2013.01); H01L 29/66795 (2013.01); H01L 29/7842 (2013.01); H01L 29/7848 (2013.01); H01L 21/823412 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first fin-like active region protruding from a surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending horizontally in a first direction, the first fin-like active region having a first end portion;
a second fin-like active region protruding from the surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending horizontally in the first direction and collinear with the first fin-like active region, the second fin-like active region having a second end portion;
a shallow trench isolation feature disposed at a location between the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region, the shallow trench isolation feature being in direct contact with the first end portion and the second end portion; and
a first functional structure, a second functional structure and a dummy structure, each comprising a main portion and two sidewall spacer elements disposed on opposite sidewalls of the respective main portions;
wherein the main portion of the first functional structure is a transistor gate electrode of a first field-effect transistor, the first field-effect transistor further comprising a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature formed in the first fin-like active region at opposite sides of the first functional structure, the second source/drain feature being adjacent to the first end portion; and
wherein the main portion of the second transistor gate electrode is a transistor gate electrode of a second field-effect transistor, the second field-effect transistor further comprising a third source/drain feature and a fourth source/drain feature formed in the second fin-like active region at opposite sides of the second functional structure, the third source/drain feature being adjacent to the second end portion;
wherein the main portion of the dummy structure overlies the shallow trench isolation, and the two sidewall spacer elements of the dummy structure include a first sidewall spacer element and a second sidewall spacer element, the first sidewall spacer element overlying the first end portion, and the second sidewall spacer element overlying the second end portion;
wherein the first and the second source/drain features comprise epitaxial regions, and the third and the fourth source/drain features comprise epitaxial regions;
wherein the epitaxial regions of the first and second source/drain features are spaced from the shallow trench isolation feature;
wherein the first fin-like active region is one of a first plurality of fin-like active regions, and the second fin-like active region is one of a second plurality of fin-like active regions;
wherein the first plurality of fin-like active regions are parallel to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the second plurality of fin-like active regions are parallel to each other in the second direction;
wherein the shallow trench isolation feature extends in the second direction between the first plurality of fin-like active regions and the second plurality of fin-like active regions;
wherein the first functional structure extends over each of the first plurality of fin-like active regions;
wherein the second functional structure extends over each of the second plurality of fin-like active regions;
wherein the first sidewall spacer extends over end portions of each of the first plurality of fin-like active regions;
and wherein the second sidewall spacer element extends over end portions each of the second plurality of fin-like active regions.