US 11,901,436 B2
Formation of transistor gates
Yen-Jui Chiu, Hsinchu (TW); Yao-Teng Chuang, Hsinchu (TW); and Kuei-Lun Lin, Keelung (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/340,037.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/157,499, filed on Mar. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0285528 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 29/66 (2006.01); H01L 27/12 (2006.01); H01L 29/40 (2006.01); H01L 29/423 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 29/66545 (2013.01) [H01L 27/127 (2013.01); H01L 27/1288 (2013.01); H01L 29/401 (2013.01); H01L 29/42392 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising,
forming a first fin and a second fin over a substrate, the first and second fins each comprising alternately stacking first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers;
forming dummy gate structures over the first and second fins, and gate spacers on either side of the dummy gate structures;
removing the dummy gate structures to form a first gate trench over the first fin and a second gate trench over the second fin;
removing the first semiconductor layers such that the second semiconductor layers are suspended in the first and second gate trenches;
depositing a first gate dielectric layer around each of the second semiconductor layers and a second gate dielectric layer around the first gate dielectric layer;
performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to form a hard mask layer around the second gate dielectric layer, the ALD process comprising pulsing a first precursor into a deposition chamber for a first pulse time longer than a time within a range of 0.8 seconds to 1.2 seconds;
patterning the hard mask layer; and
with the patterned hard mask layer in place, etching a portion of the second gate dielectric layer in the second gate trench.