US-12621985-B2 - Semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, and the method includes the following steps. A substrate with a first barrier layer in an array area and a second barrier layer in the peripheral area is provided. The substrate is etched toward to form recesses in the peripheral area to make a bottom surface of each of the recesses lower than a bottom surface of the second barrier layer. Gate structures are formed in the recesses, respectively. Moreover, a semiconductor structure is also disclosed this disclosure.

Inventors

• Ying-Cheng Chuang

Assignees

• NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231017

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising: providing a substrate, wherein a surface of the substrate is defined with an array area and a peripheral area, and the substrate comprises a first barrier layer in the array area and a second barrier layer in the peripheral area; etching toward the substrate to form a plurality of recesses in the peripheral area to make a bottom surface of each of the plurality of recesses lower than a bottom surface of the second barrier layer; depositing a gate dielectric layer on an inner surface of each of the plurality of recesses; depositing a first gate conductive layer on the gate dielectric layer; etching the first gate conductive layer; forming a second gate conductive layer on the first gate conductive layer; and depositing a cap insulating layer on the gate second conductive layer to form a plurality of gate structures.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the plurality of recesses to in the peripheral area comprises: forming a cap layer over the substrate; forming a pad oxide layer to a second thickness on the cap layer; forming a mask layer on the pad oxide layer to expose first portions of the pad oxide layer and cover second portions of the pad oxide layer; performing a photolithography process; removing the second portions of the pad oxide layer, and portions of the cap layer and portions of the second barrier layer covered by the second portions of the pad oxide layer to form a plurality of first openings; and etching the substrate in the peripheral area to a first depth at a same position of each of the plurality of first openings to form the plurality of recesses.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein forming the plurality of recesses to in the peripheral area comprises: removing the first portions of the pad oxide layer after performing the photolithography process; and forming a blocking layer on the cap layer to a third thickness to completely cover the second portions of the pad oxide layer.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the third thickness is greater than the second thickness.
5. 5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein forming the plurality of recesses to in the peripheral area comprises: removing the blocking layer to form a plurality of second openings at a same position of the plurality of first openings after forming the plurality of first openings, wherein each of the plurality of second openings has a first height; and etching the substrate in the peripheral area to a first depth at a same position of each of the plurality of second openings to form the plurality of recesses.
6. 6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising: forming a plurality of light doped drain regions on opposite sides of each of the plurality of recesses in the substrate by doped through a self-aligned implantation based on positions of the recesses.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising: forming a plurality of contact plugs between the plurality of gate structures in a dielectric layer in the peripheral area to contact each of the plurality of light doped drain regions.
8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein forming the plurality of contact plugs in peripheral area comprises: removing the cap layer and the second barrier layer to expose an upper portion of each of the plurality of gate structures and portions of the substrate in the peripheral area after forming the plurality of gate structures; depositing the dielectric layer on the substrate in the peripheral area to completely cover the plurality of gate structures; forming a plurality of contact openings between the plurality of gate structures in the dielectric layer by passing through the dielectric layer until each of the plurality of light doped drain regions; and forming the plurality of contact plugs in the plurality of contact openings, respectively.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein an interface between the substrate and the dielectric layer in the peripheral area is higher than a bottom surface of each of plurality of contact openings.
10. 10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a bottom surface of each of the plurality of gate structures is lower than an interface between the substrate and the dielectric layer in the peripheral area.
11. 11 . A semiconductor structure, comprising: a substrate, defined with an array area and a peripheral area, wherein a surface of the substrate in the array area comprises a first barrier layer, and the surface of the substrate in the peripheral area comprises a second barrier layer, wherein the substrate in the array area comprises a plurality of active areas and a plurality of insulation areas between the active areas, and a source/drain region is disposed in each of the plurality of active areas and between the plurality of insulation areas; a plurality of word line structures, disposed in the plurality of active areas and the plurality of insulation areas; a first dielectric layer, disposed on the plurality of word line structures in the array area; a second dielectric layer, disposed on the substrate in the peripheral area; and a plurality of gate structures, comprising a bottom portion and an upper portion, wherein the bottom portion is disposed in the substrate in the peripheral area, and the upper portion is disposed in the second dielectric layer in the peripheral area, and wherein each of the plurality of gate structures comprises: a first gate conductive layer; a second gate conductive layer, disposed on the first gate conductive layer; a cap insulating layer, disposed on the second gate conductive layer; and a gate dielectric layer, disposed surrounding the first gate conductive layer, the second gate conductive layer and the cap insulating layer, wherein a bottom surface of each of the gate structures is curved or tapered.
12. 12 . The semiconductor structure of claim 11 , wherein a top surface of the first gate conductive layer is concave.
13. 13 . The semiconductor structure of claim 11 , wherein a bottom surface of the second gate conductive layer is curved or tapered.
14. 14 . The semiconductor structure of claim 11 , further comprising: a first contact plug, disposed between the plurality of word line structures in the first dielectric layer, wherein the first contact plug contacts the source/drain region.
15. 15 . The semiconductor structure of claim 14 , wherein a first interface between the first barrier layer and the source/drain region is higher that a first contact interface between the first contact plug and the source/drain region.
16. 16 . The semiconductor structure of claim 11 , further comprising: a plurality of light doped drain regions, disposed on opposite sides of each of the plurality of gate structures in the substrate.
17. 17 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein a portion of an outer surface of the upper portion of each of the plurality of gate structures contacts each of the plurality of light doped drain regions.
18. 18 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the upper portion of each of the plurality of gate structures contacts each of the plurality of light doped drain regions.
19. 19 . The semiconductor structure of claim 16 , further comprising: a second contact plug, disposed between the plurality of gate structures in the second dielectric layer, wherein the second contact plug contacts each of the plurality of light doped drain regions.
20. 20 . The semiconductor structure of claim 19 , wherein a second contact surface of the second contact plug is higher than a bottom surface of each of the gate structures.

Description

BACKGROUND Field of Invention The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure with recessed gate structures in a peripheral area and a method of manufacturing the same. Description of Related Art As electronic devices become lighter and thinner, semiconductor devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) become more highly integrated. Further, the performance of the DRAM is improved via shortening the pitch between the semiconductor structures in the DRAM. Due to shrinking the size of the semiconductor structure, in addition to increasing the difficulty of the manufacturing process, the components in the semiconductor structures are also prone to leakage resulting from too close distances. As a result, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, how to reduce the leakage to improve the process yield of the semiconductor structure has become an important issue. SUMMARY Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, and the method includes the following steps. A substrate is provided. Moreover, a surface of the substrate is defined with an array area and a peripheral area, the substrate comprises a first barrier layer in the array area and a second barrier layer in the peripheral area. The substrate is etched toward to form recesses in the peripheral area to make a bottom surface of each of the recesses lower than a bottom surface of the second barrier layer. A gate dielectric layer is deposited on an inner surface of each of the recesses. A first gate conductive layer is deposited on the gate dielectric layer. A second gate conductive layer is deposited on the first gate conductive layer. A cap insulating layer is deposited on the gate second conductive layer to form gate structures. In some embodiments, the step of forming the recesses to in the peripheral area includes the following steps. A cap layer is formed on the substrate. A pad oxide layer is formed to a second thickness on the cap layer. A mask layer is formed on the pad oxide layer to expose first portions of the pad oxide layer and cover second portions of the pad oxide layer. A photolithography process is performed. The second portions of the pad oxide layer, and portions of the cap layer and the second barrier layer covered by the second portions of the pad oxide layer are removed to form first openings. The substrate in the peripheral area is etched to a first depth at a same position of each of the first openings to form the recesses. In some embodiments, the step of forming the recesses to in the peripheral area includes the following steps. The first portions of the pad oxide layer are removed after performing the photolithography process. A blocking layer is formed on the cap layer to a third thickness to completely cover the second portions of the pad oxide layer. In some embodiments, the third thickness is greater than the second thickness. In some embodiments, the step of forming the recesses to in the peripheral area includes the following steps. The blocking layer is removed to form second openings at a same position of the first openings after forming the first openings. Also, each of the second openings has a first height. The substrate in the peripheral area is etched to a first depth at a same position of each of the second openings to form the recesses. In some embodiments, the method also includes that a light doped drain region on opposite sides of each of the recesses is formed in the substrate by doped through a self-aligned implantation based on positions of the recesses. In some embodiments, the method also includes that contact plugs area formed between the gate structures in the second dielectric layer in the peripheral area to contact the light doped drain region. In some embodiments, the step for forming the contact plugs in peripheral area includes the following steps. The cap layer and the second barrier layer are removed to expose an upper portion of each of the gate structures and portions of the substrate in the peripheral area after forming the gate structures. The second dielectric layer is deposited on the substrate in the peripheral area to completely cover the gate structures. Contact openings are formed between the gate structures in the second dielectric layer by passing through the second dielectric layer until the light doped drain region. The contact plugs are formed in the contact openings, respectively. In some embodiments, an interface between the substrate in the peripheral area and the second dielectric layer is higher than a bottom surface of each of the contact openings. In some embodiments, a bottom surface of each of the plurality of gate structures is lower than an interface between the substrate and the dielectric layer in the peripheral area. Embodiments of this disclosure also provide a semiconductor structure. T