Self-limiting liners for increasing contact trench volume in n-type and p-type transistors

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include semiconductor devices having a first n-type S/D region, a second n-type S/D region, and a first layer of protective material over the second n-type S/D region, wherein the first layer of protective material includes a first type of material and a second type of material. A second layer of protective material is formed over the first layer of protective material, wherein the second layer of protective material includes an oxide of the second type of material. The devices further include a first p-type S/D region, a second p-type S/D region, and the second layer of protective material over the second p-type S/D region, wherein the second p-type S/D region second layer of protective material includes the first type of material and the second type of material, and wherein the second layer of protective material includes the oxide of the second type of material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A set of semiconductor devices formed on a substrate, the devices comprising:
 an n-type region comprising:
 a first n-type source or a drain (S/D) region; 
 a second n-type S/D region; 
 a first layer of protective material over a top surface of the second n-type S/D region, wherein the first layer of protective material comprises a first type of material and a second type of material; and 
 a first segment of a second layer of protective material over the first layer of protective material, wherein the first segment of the second layer of protective material comprises an oxide of a first instance of the second type of material; 
 wherein the first type of material in the first layer of protective material comprises a diffused first type of material that has been diffused into the first layer of protective material from the first segment of the second layer of protective material; and 
 wherein the oxide of the first instance of the second type of material comprises a result of a reaction between oxygen in the first segment of the second layer and a portion of the first instance of the second type of material that originated in the first layer of protective material. 
   
     
     
         2 . The devices of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a p-type region comprising:
 a first p-type S/D region; 
 a second p-type S/D region; and 
 a second segment of the second layer of protective material over a top surface of the second p-type S/D region, wherein the second segment of the second layer of protective material comprises an oxide of a second instance of the second type of material; 
 wherein the oxide of the second instance of the second type of material comprises a result of a reaction between oxygen in the second segment of the second layer and a portion of the second instance of the second type of material that originated in a third protective layer adjacent the second segment of the second layer of protective material. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The devices of  claim 2 , wherein the third protective layer comprises an upper region of the second p-type S/D region. 
     
     
         4 . The devices of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first n-type S/D region and the second n-type S/D region each comprises doped silicon; and   the first p-type S/D region and the second p-type S/D region each comprises doped silicon germanium.   
     
     
         5 . The devices of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first type of material comprises germanium; and   the second type of material comprises silicon.   
     
     
         6 . The devices of  claim 2  further comprising a first contact liner formed over the first n-type S/D region. 
     
     
         7 . The devices of  claim 6  further comprising a second contact liner formed over the first p-type S/D region. 
     
     
         8 . The devices of  claim 7  further comprising a first dummy contact formed over the second layer of protective material in the n-type region. 
     
     
         9 . The devices of  claim 8  further comprising a second dummy contact formed over the second layer of protective material in the p-type region. 
     
     
         10 . The devices of  claim 9  further comprising a first contact formed from a first type of conductive material over the first contact liner. 
     
     
         11 . The devices of  claim 10  further comprising a second contact formed from a second type of conductive material over the second contact liner. 
     
     
         12 . The devices of  claim 11 , wherein the first type of conductive contact material is selected based at least in part on the first type of conductive contact material's ability to reduce contact resistance in an n-type transistor environment. 
     
     
         13 . The devices of  claim 12 , wherein the second type of conductive contact material is selected based at least in part on the second type of conductive contact material's ability to reduce contact resistance in a p-type transistor environment.