Method of fabricating sidewall spacers for a self-aligned contact hole
 A method for forming a self-aligned contact, (SAC), opening, for a semiconductor device, has been developed. The process features the formation of partial silicon nitride spacers, on the sides of polycide gate structures, via a partial anisotropic RIE procedure, applied to a silicon nitride layer, also resulting in a thin layer of silicon nitride remaining on regions between polycide gate structures. After deposition of an overlying insulator layer, a two step, anisotropic RIE procedure is used to create the SAC opening in the insulator layer, and in the underlying, thin silicon nitride layer. The first step, of the two step, SAC opening procedure, selectively removes first insulator layer, while the second step, of the two step, SAC opening procedure, selectively removes the thin silicon nitride layer. 
Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
H
H01L
inventional
Ming-Horn Yue-Feng Erik S. Hung-Yi
Tsai Chen Jeng Luo