Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090090990 | FORMATION OF NITROGEN CONTAINING DIELECTRIC LAYERS HAVING AN IMPROVED NITROGEN DISTRIBUTION - Provided is a method for manufacturing a gate dielectric. This method, without limitation, includes subjecting a silicon substrate to a first plasma nitridation process to incorporate a nitrogen region therein. This method further includes growing a dielectric material layer over the nitrogen region using a nitrogen containing oxidizer gas, and subjecting the dielectric material layer to a second plasma nitridation process, thereby forming a nitrided dielectric material layer over the nitrogen region. | 04-09-2009 |
20090159981 | STRAIN MODULATION IN ACTIVE AREAS BY CONTROLLED INCORPORATION OF NITROGEN AT Si-SiO2 INTERFACE - Adding nitrogen to the Si—SiO2 interface at STI sidewalls increases carrier mobility in MOS transistors, but control of the amount of nitrogen has been problematic due to loss of the nitrogen during liner oxide growth. This invention discloses a method of forming STI regions which have a controllable layer of nitrogen atoms at the STI sidewall interface. Nitridation is performed on the STI sidewalls by exposure to a nitrogen-containing plasma, by exposure to NH3 gas at high temperatures, or by deposition of a nitrogen-containing thin film. Nitrogen is maintained at a level of 1.0·10 | 06-25-2009 |
20090166747 | FORMATION OF METAL GATE ELECTRODE USING RARE EARTH ALLOY INCORPORATED INTO MID GAP METAL - Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided, in which metal transistor gates are provided for MOS transistors. A rare earth-rare earth alloy incorporated metal nitride layer is formed above a gate dielectric. This process provides adjustment of the gate electrode work function, thereby tuning the threshold voltage of the resulting NMOS transistors. | 07-02-2009 |
20100052071 | ENGINEERED OXYGEN PROFILE IN METAL GATE ELECTRODE AND NITRIDED HIGH-K GATE DIELECTRICS STRUCTURE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE PMOS DEVICES - A PMOS transistor is disclosed which includes a nitrogen containing barrier to oxygen diffusion between a gate dielectric layer and a metal gate in the PMOS transistor, in combination with a low oxygen region of the metal gate in direct contact with the nitrogen containing barrier and an oxygen rich region of the metal gate above the low oxygen content metal region. The nitrogen containing barrier may be formed by depositing nitrogen containing barrier material on the gate dielectric layer or by nitridating a top region of the gate dielectric layer. The oxygen rich region of the metal gate may be formed by depositing oxidized metal on the low oxygen region of the metal gate or by oxidizing a top region of the low oxygen region of the metal gate. | 03-04-2010 |
20100078738 | Method to Maximize Nitrogen Concentration at the Top Surface of Gate Dielectrics - An integrated circuit having a gate dielectric layer ( | 04-01-2010 |
20100127335 | Methods to Enhance Effective Work Function of Mid-Gap Metal by Incorporating Oxygen and Hydrogen at a Low Thermal Budget - A process is disclosed of forming metal replacement gates for PMOS transistors with oxygen in the metal gates such that the PMOS gates have effective work functions above 4.85. Metal work function layers in the PMOS gates are oxidized at low temperature to increase their effective work functions to the desired PMOS range. Hydrogen may also be incorporated at an interface between the metal gates and underlying gate dielectrics. Materials for the metal work function layers and processes for the low temperature oxidation are disclosed. | 05-27-2010 |
20100127336 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR METAL GATE STACK OXYGEN CONCENTRATION CONTROL USING AN OXYGEN DIFFUSION BARRIER LAYER AND A SACRIFICIAL OXYGEN GETTERING LAYER - A process is disclosed of forming metal replacement gates for NMOS and PMOS transistors with oxygen in the PMOS metal gates and metal atom enrichment in the NMOS gates such that the PMOS gates have effective work functions above 4.85 eV and the NMOS gates have effective work functions below 4.25 eV. Metal work function layers in both the NMOS and PMOS gates are oxidized to increase their effective work functions to the desired PMOS range. An oxygen diffusion blocking layer is formed over the PMOS gate and an oxygen getter is formed over the NMOS gates. A getter anneal extracts the oxygen from the NMOS work function layers and adds metal atom enrichment to the NMOS work function layers, reducing their effective work functions to the desired NMOS range. Processes and materials for the metal work function layers, the oxidation process and oxygen gettering are disclosed. | 05-27-2010 |
20110204454 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING SION GATE DIELECTRIC WITH PORTIONS HAVING DIFFERENT NITROGEN CONCENTRATIONS - An integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a top semiconductor surface including at least one MOS device including a source and a drain region spaced apart to define a channel region. A SiON gate dielectric layer that has a plurality of different N concentration portions is formed on the top semiconductor surface. A gate electrode is on the SiON layer. The plurality of different N concentration portions include (i) a bottom portion extending to the semiconductor interface having an average N concentration of <2 atomic %, (ii) a bulk portion having an average N concentration >10 atomic %, and (iii) a top portion on the bulk portion extending to a gate electrode interface having an average N concentration that is ≧2 atomic % less than a peak N concentration of the bulk portion. | 08-25-2011 |
20110207314 | Methods to Enhance Effective Work Function of Mid-Gap Metal by Incorporating Oxygen and Hydrogen at a Low Thermal Budget - A process is disclosed of forming metal replacement gates for PMOS transistors with oxygen in the metal gates such that the PMOS gates have effective work functions above 4.85. Metal work function layers in the PMOS gates are oxidized at low temperature to increase their effective work functions to the desired PMOS range. Hydrogen may also be incorporated at an interface between the metal gates and underlying gate dielectrics. Materials for the metal work function layers and processes for the low temperature oxidation are disclosed. | 08-25-2011 |
20120012941 | FORMATION OF METAL GATE ELECTRODE USING RARE EARTH ALLOY INCORPORATED INTO MID GAP METAL - Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided, in which metal transistor gates are provided for MOS transistors. A rare earth-rare earth alloy incorporated metal nitride layer is formed above a gate dielectric. This process provides adjustment of the gate electrode work function, thereby tuning the threshold voltage of the resulting NMOS transistors. | 01-19-2012 |
20120018810 | Structure And Method For Dual Work Function Metal Gate CMOS With Selective Capping - A CMOS device having an NMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid-gap metal with a low work function/high oxygen affinity cap and a PMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid gap metal with a high work function/low oxygen affinity cap and method of forming. | 01-26-2012 |
20120028431 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE USING A NITROGEN CONTAINING OXIDE LAYER - The present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device, as well as a semiconductor device. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, among others, includes providing a gate structure ( | 02-02-2012 |
20120149186 | FORMATION OF GATE DIELECTRICS WITH UNIFORM NITROGEN DISTRIBUTION - The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a gate dielectric ( | 06-14-2012 |
20120228715 | ENGINEERED OXYGEN PROFILE IN METAL GATE ELECTRODE AND NITRIDED HIGH-K GATE DIELECTRICS STRUCTURE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE PMOS DEVICES - A PMOS transistor is disclosed which includes a nitrogen containing barrier to oxygen diffusion between a gate dielectric layer and a metal gate in the PMOS transistor, in combination with a low oxygen region of the metal gate in direct contact with the nitrogen containing barrier and an oxygen rich region of the metal gate above the low oxygen content metal region. The nitrogen containing barrier may be formed by depositing nitrogen containing barrier material on the gate dielectric layer or by nitridating a top region of the gate dielectric layer. The oxygen rich region of the metal gate may be formed by depositing oxidized metal on the low oxygen region of the metal gate or by oxidizing a top region of the low oxygen region of the metal gate. | 09-13-2012 |
20130228879 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING SION GATE DIELECTRIC WITH PORTIONS HAVING DIFFERENT NITROGEN CONCENTRATIONS - An integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a top semiconductor surface including at least one MOS device including a source and a drain region spaced apart to define a channel region. A SiON gate dielectric layer that has a plurality of different N concentration portions is formed on the top semiconductor surface. A gate electrode is on the SiON layer. The plurality of different N concentration portions include (i) a bottom portion extending to the semiconductor interface having an average N concentration of <2 atomic %, (ii) a bulk portion having an average N concentration >10 atomic %, and (iii) a top portion on the bulk portion extending to a gate electrode interface having an average N concentration that is ≧2 atomic % less than a peak N concentration of the bulk portion. | 09-05-2013 |
20130337656 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR DUAL WORK FUNCTION METAL GATE CMOS WITH SELECTIVE CAPPING - A CMOS device having an NMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid-gap metal with a low work function/high oxygen affinity cap and a PMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid gap metal with a high work function/low oxygen affinity cap and method of forming. | 12-19-2013 |
20140017866 | Method of Substantially Reducing the Formation of SiGe Abnormal Growths on Polycrystalline Electrodes for Strained-Channel PMOS Transistors - The likelihood of forming silicon germanium abnormal growths, which can be undesirably formed on the gate electrode of a strained-channel PMOS transistor at the same time that silicon germanium source and drain regions are formed, is substantially reduced by using protection materials that reduce the likelihood that the gate electrode is exposed during the formation of the silicon germanium source and drain regions. | 01-16-2014 |
20140070327 | Replacement Metal Gate Process for CMOS Integrated Circuits - A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit structure, and method of fabricating the same according to a replacement metal gate process. P-channel and n-channel MOS transistors are formed with high-k gate dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness, and with interface dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness. The described replacement gate process enables construction so that neither of the p-channel or n-channel transistor gate structures includes the metal gate material from the other transistor, thus facilitating reliable filling of the gate structures with fill metal. | 03-13-2014 |
20140120668 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR METAL GATE STACK OXYGEN CONCENTRATION CONTROL USING AN OXYGEN DIFFUSION BARRIER LAYER AND A SACRIFICIAL OXYGEN GETTERING LAYER - A process is disclosed of forming metal replacement gates for NMOS and PMOS transistors with oxygen in the PMOS metal gates and metal atom enrichment in the NMOS gates such that the PMOS gates have effective work functions above 4.85 eV and the NMOS gates have effective work functions below 4.25 eV. Metal work function layers in both the NMOS and PMOS gates are oxidized to increase their effective work functions to the desired PMOS range. An oxygen diffusion blocking layer is formed over the PMOS gate and an oxygen getter is formed over the NMOS gates. A getter anneal extracts the oxygen from the NMOS work function layers and adds metal atom enrichment to the NMOS work function layers, reducing their effective work functions to the desired NMOS range. Processes and materials for the metal work function layers, the oxidation process and oxygen gettering are disclosed. | 05-01-2014 |
20140124874 | Metal-Gate MOS Transistor and Method of Forming the Transistor with Reduced Gate-to-Source and Gate-to-Drain Overlap Capacitance - The gate-to-source and gate-to-drain overlap capacitance of a MOS transistor with a metal gate and a high-k gate dielectric are reduced by forming the high-k gate dielectric along the inside of a sidewall structure which has been formed to lie further away from the source and the drain. | 05-08-2014 |
20140183653 | HIGH-K METAL GATE - An integrated circuit containing metal replacement gates may be formed by forming a nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier between a high-k gate dielectric layer and a metal work function layer of a PMOS transistor. The nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier is less than 1 nanometer thick and has an atomic ratio of titanium to nitrogen of less than 43:57. The nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier may be formed by forming a titanium based layer over the gate dielectric layer and subsequently adding nitrogen to the titanium based layer. The metal work function layer is formed over the nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier. | 07-03-2014 |
20140315361 | Replacement Metal Gate Process for CMOS Integrated Circuits - A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit structure, and method of fabricating the same according to a replacement metal gate process. P-channel and n-channel MOS transistors are formed with high-k gate dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness, and with interface dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness. The described replacement gate process enables construction so that neither of the p-channel or n-channel transistor gate structures includes the metal gate material from the other transistor, thus facilitating reliable filling of the gate structures with fill metal. | 10-23-2014 |
20150179783 | Metal-Gate MOS Transistor and Method of Forming the Transistor with Reduced Gate-to-Source and Gate-to-Drain Overlap Capacitance - The gate-to-source and gate-to-drain overlap capacitance of a MOS transistor with a metal gate and a high-k gate dielectric are reduced by forming the high-k gate dielectric along the inside of a sidewall structure which has been formed to lie further away from the source and the drain. | 06-25-2015 |
20150187770 | HIGH MOBILITY TRANSISTORS - An integrated circuit containing an n-channel finFET and a p-channel finFET is formed by forming a first polarity fin epitaxial layer for a first polarity finFET, and subsequently forming a hard mask which exposes an area for a second, opposite, polarity fin epitaxial layer for a second polarity finFET. The second polarity fin epitaxial layer is formed in the area exposed by the hard mask. A fin mask defines the first polarity fin and second polarity fin areas, and a subsequent fin etch forms the respective fins. A layer of isolation dielectric material is formed over the substrate and fins. The layer of isolation dielectric material is planarized down to the fins. The layer of isolation dielectric material is recessed so that the fins extend at least 10 nanometers above the layer of isolation dielectric material. Gate dielectric layers and gates are formed over the fins. | 07-02-2015 |
20150187771 | HYBRID HIGH-K FIRST AND HIGH-K LAST REPLACEMENT GATE PROCESS - An integrated circuit and method with a metal gate NMOS transistor with a high-k first gate dielectric on a high quality thermally grown interface dielectric and with a metal gate PMOS transistor with a high-k last gate dielectric on a chemically grown interface dielectric. | 07-02-2015 |