CMOS Fabrication Process

CMOS Inverter

Cross-sectional view
Metal 2

Metal 1 Gate
n+
p+ N-well p+ n+

n+

p+

p+ substrate

General IC fabrication processes

1. Wafer Technology
Crystal Growth

Sand (SiO2)

Ingot

Wafer

Slicing

2. Oxidation
Why Oxide layer?
As Gate Oxide Isolation Passivation

Techniques:
Wet oxidation Dry oxidation LOCOS

3. Photolithography and Etching

4. Ion Implantation and Annealing

CMOS Fabrication Process Flow

Step 1: Formation of N-Well Region
Grow oxide Deposit photo-resist
NWELL mask

Front End Design

oxide

photoresist

p+ substrate

Cross section view

NWELL mask

Layout view

Step 1
Form N-Well regions Grow oxide Deposit photo resist Pattern photo resist
NWELL Mask expose only n-well areas
NWELL mask

oxide

photoresist

p+ substrate

Cross section view

NWELL mask

Layout view

Step 1
Form N-Well regions Grow oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
NWELL Mask expose only n-well areas

oxide

Etch oxide Remove photo-resist

p+ substrate

Cross section view

Layout view

Step 1
Form N-Well regions Grow oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
NWELL Mask expose only n-well areas

n-well

p+ substrate

Etch oxide Remove photo-resist Diffuse n-type dopants through oxide mask layer.

Cross section view

Layout view

Step 2: Form Active regions

Deposit SiN over wafer Deposit photo-resist over SiN layer
ACTIVE mask

n-well

SiN

photoresist

p+ substrate

ACTIVE mask

Step 2
Form Active Regions Deposit SiN over wafer Deposit photo-resist over SiN layer Pattern photo-resist
ACTIVE MASK
ACTIVE mask

n-well

SiN

photoresist

p+ substrate

ACTIVE mask

Step 2
Form Active Regions Deposit SiN over wafer Deposit photoresist over SiN layer Pattern photoresist
ACTIVE MASK

n-well

SiN

photoresist

Etch SiN in exposed areas

leaves SiN mask which blocks oxide growth

p+ substrate

ACTIVE mask

Step 2
Form Active Regions Deposit SiN over wafer Deposit photo-resist over SiN layer Pattern photo-resist
*ACTIVE MASK

n-well FOX

Etch SiN in exposed areas

leaves SiN mask which blocks oxide growth

Remove photo-resist Grow Field Oxide (FOX)

thermal oxidation
ACTIVE mask

Step 2
Form Active Regions Deposit SiN over wafer Deposit photo-resist over SiN layer Pattern photo-resist
ACTIVE MASK

n-well FOX

Etch SiN in exposed areas

leaves SiN mask which blocks oxide growth

Remove photo-resist Grow Field Oxide (FOX)

thermal oxidation

ACTIVE mask

Remove SiN

Step 3: Form Gate

Form Gate (Poly layer) Grow thin Gate Oxide
over entire wafer negligible effect on FOX regions
gate oxide

Step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer) Grow thin Gate Oxide
over entire wafer negligible effect on FOX regions
POLY mask

gate oxide

polysilicon

Deposit Polysilicon Deposit Photo-resist

POLY mask

Step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer) Grow thin Gate Oxide
over entire wafer negligible effect on FOX regions
POLY mask

gate oxide

Deposit Polysilicon Deposit Photo-resist Pattern Photo-resist

POLY MASK

Etch Poly in exposed areas Etch/remove Oxide

gate protected by poly
POLY mask

Step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer) Grow thin Gate Oxide
over entire wafer negligible effect on FOX regions
gate oxide

Deposit Polysilicon Deposit Photo-resist Pattern Photo-resist

POLY MASK

Etch Poly in exposed areas Etch/remove Oxide

gate protected by poly

Step 4: Form S/D Regions

Cover with photoresist
PSELECT mask

PSELECT mask

Step 4
Form PMOS S/D Cover with photoresist Pattern photo-resist
*PSELECT MASK
PSELECT mask

POLY mask

Step 4
Form PMOS S/D Cover with photoresist Pattern photo-resist
*PSELECT MASK

Implant p-type dopants Remove photo-resist

p+ dopant

p+ dopant

POLY mask

Step 5
Form NMOS S/D Cover with photoresist
NSELECT mask
p+ N-well p+ p+

POLY mask

Step 5
Form NMOS S/D Cover with photoresist Pattern photo-resist
*NSELECT MASK
NSELECT mask
p+ p+ p+

POLY mask

Step 5
Form NMOS S/D Cover with photoresist Pattern photo-resist
*NSELECT MASK
n+ n p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Implant n-type dopants Remove photo-resist

n+ dopant

n+ dopant

POLY mask

Back End Design Metal Deposition

Step 6: Form Contacts

Deposit oxide Deposit photo-resist
CONTACT mask

n+

p+

p+

n+

n+

p+

CONTACT mask

Step 6
Form Contacts Deposit oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*CONTACT Mask One mask for both active and poly contact shown
CONTACT mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

CONTACT mask

Step 6
Form Contacts Deposit oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*CONTACT Mask One mask for both active and poly contact shown
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch oxide

Step 6
Form Contacts Deposit oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*CONTACT Mask One mask for both active and poly contact shown
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch oxide Remove photo-resist Deposit metal1

immediately after opening contacts so no native oxide grows in contacts

Planarize
make top level

Step 7: Form Metal1 layer

Form Metal 1 Traces Deposit photo-resist
METAL1 mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

METAL1 mask

Step 7
Form Metal 1 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL1 Mask
METAL1 mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

METAL1 mask

Step 7
Form Metal 1 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL1 Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch metal

metal over poly outside of cross section

Step 7
Form Metal 1 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL1 Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch metal Remove photo-resist

Step 8: Form Vias

Form Vias to Metal1 Deposit oxide Planarize oxide Deposit photo-resist
VIA mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

VIA mask

Step 8
Form Vias to Metal1 Deposit oxide Planarize Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*VIA Mask
VIA mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

VIA mask

Step 8
Form Vias to Metal1 Deposit oxide Planarize Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*VIA Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch oxide Remove photo-resist

Step 8
Form Vias to Metal1 Deposit oxide Planarize Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*VIA Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch oxide Remove photo-resist Deposit Metal2

Step 9: Form Metal2 layer

Form Metal2 Traces Deposit photo-resist
METAL2 mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

METAL2 mask

Step 9
Form Metal2 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL2 Mask
METAL2 mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

METAL2 mask

Step 9
Form Metal2 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL2 Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch metal

Step 9
Form Metal2 Traces Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist
*METAL2 Mask
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+

Etch metal Remove photo-resist

Summary
Metal 2

To Form Additional Traces Deposit oxide Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist Etch oxide Deposit metal Deposit photo-resist Pattern photo-resist Etch metal Repeat for each additional metal

Gate n+ N-well p+ p+

Metal 1 n+ n+ p+

p-type substrate