Scaling of a Low Capacitance Highly Selective Self Aligned Contact Process

A novel self aligned contact integration manufacturing method with oxide spacer is presented. Two main issues of conventional self aligned contacts are solved: high parasitic capacitive coupling through the nitride spacer and the small process window of the SAC etch. Parasitic coupling was reduced by 34 %. For the first time self aligned contacts with oxide spacer are used in DRAM production on 90 and 75 nm. The technology is seen to be extendible to 40 nm and below.