US 12,444,652 B2
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
Wen-Wen Zhang, Changhua County (TW); Ming-Chou Lu, Pingtung County (TW); Kun-Chen Ho, Tainan (TW); Dien-Yang Lu, Kaohsiung (TW); Chun-Lung Chen, Tainan (TW); and Chung-Yi Chiu, Tainan (TW)
Assigned to UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed by UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/868,786.
Claims priority of application No. 111122664 (TW), filed on Jun. 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0411213 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H10D 64/01 (2025.01)
CPC H01L 21/76897 (2013.01) [H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01L 21/7682 (2013.01); H01L 21/76832 (2013.01); H01L 23/528 (2013.01); H10D 64/017 (2025.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a gate structure on a substrate;
forming a contact etch stop layer (CESL) on the gate structure;
forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on the CESL;
forming a contact plug in the ILD layer and adjacent to the gate structure;
forming a first stop layer on the ILD layer; and
removing the first stop layer and the ILD layer directly on top of the gate structure and the ILD layer between the CESL and the contact plug to form an air gap exposing the CESL after forming the contact plug.