Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having vertically discrete source or drain structures

US11527612B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11527612-B2
Application numberUS-201816146778-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateSep 28, 2018
Priority dateSep 28, 2018
Publication dateDec 13, 2022
Grant dateDec 13, 2022

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having vertically discrete source or drain structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having vertically discrete source or drain structures, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A gate stack is around the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the first epitaxial source or drain structure including vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A second epitaxial source or drain structure is at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the second epitaxial source or drain structure including vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. An integrated circuit structure, comprising: a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a gate stack around the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a first epitaxial source or drain structure at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the first epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, wherein the vertically discrete portions of the first epitaxial source or drain structure do not extend vertically beneath the gate stack; a second epitaxial source or drain structure at a second end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the second epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, wherein the vertically discrete portions of the second epitaxial source or drain structure do not extend vertically beneath the gate stack; a sub-fin structure beneath the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires and beneath the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures; a first conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the first epitaxial source or drain structure; and a second conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the second epitaxial source or drain structure, wherein the first and second conductive contact structures are a pair of asymmetric conductive contact structures. 2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising: a sub-fin isolation structure between the sub-fin structure and the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures. 3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second conductive contact structures is a backside contact structure. 4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures are compressive-stressing source or drain structures. 5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures are tensile-stressing source or drain structures. 6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the gate stack comprises a high-k gate dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode. 7. An integrated circuit structure, comprising: a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a gate stack around the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a first epitaxial source or drain structure at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the first epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a second epitaxial source or drain structure at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the second epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a sub-fin structure beneath the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires and beneath the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures; a first conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the first epitaxial source or drain structure; and a second conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the second epitaxial source or drain structure, wherein the first and second conductive contact structures are a pair of asymmetric conductive contact structures. 8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 7 , wherein one of the first and second conductive contact structures is a backside contact structure. 9. A computing device, comprising: a board; and a component coupled to the board, the component including an integrated circuit structure, comprising: a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a gate stack around the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires; a first epitaxial source or drain structure at a first end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the first epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, wherein the vertically discrete portions of the first epitaxial source or drain structure do not extend vertically beneath the gate stack; a second epitaxial source or drain structure at a second end of the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, the second epitaxial source or drain structure comprising vertically discrete portions aligned with the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires, wherein the vertically discrete portions of the second epitaxial source or drain structure do not extend vertically beneath the gate stack; a sub-fin structure beneath the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires and beneath the first and second epitaxial source or drain structures; a first conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the first epitaxial source or drain structure; and a second conductive contact structure surrounding the vertically discrete portions of the second epitaxial source or drain structure, wherein the first and second conductive contact structures are a pair of asymmetric conductive contact structures. 10. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising: a memory coupled to the board. 11. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising: a communication chip coupled to the board. 12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the component is a packaged integrated circuit die. 13. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a processor, a communications chip, and a digital signal processor.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US11527612B2 cover?
Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having vertically discrete source or drain structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having vertically discrete source or drain structures, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A gate stack is around the vertical arrangement of …
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Intel Corp
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01L29/0673. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Dec 13 2022 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 5 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).