US Patent 11688736 Multi-gate device and related methods

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a dummy structure having a plurality of channel layers, an inner spacer disposed between adjacent channels of the plurality of channel layers and at a lateral end of the channel layers, and a gate structure including a gate dielectric layer and a metal layer interposing the plurality of channel layers. The dummy structure is disposed at an active edge adjacent to an active region. A metal gate etching process is performed to remove the metal layer from the gate structure while the gate dielectric layer remains disposed at a channel layer-inner spacer interface. After performing the metal gate etching process, a dry etching process is performed to form a cut region along the active edge. The gate dielectric layer disposed at the channel layer-inner spacer interface prevents the dry etching process from damaging a source/drain feature within the adjacent active region.