Abstract: Methods of manufacturing and processing semiconductor devices (i.e., electronic devices) are described. Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide electronic devices which comprise a dipole region and meet reduced thickness and lower thermal budget requirements. The electronic devices described herein comprise a source region, a drain region, and a channel separating the source region and the drain region, an interfacial layer on a top surface of the channel, a high-? dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, a dipole layer on the high-? dielectric layer, and optionally, a capping layer on the dipole layer. In some embodiments, the methods comprise annealing the substrate to drive atoms from the dipole layer into one or more of the interfacial layer or the high-? dielectric layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to methods of preventing aluminum diffusion in a metal gate stack (e.g., high-? metal gate (HKMG) stacks and nMOS FET metal gate stacks). Some embodiments relate to a barrier layer for preventing aluminum diffusion into high-? metal oxide layers. The barrier layer described herein is configured to reduce threshold voltage (Vt) shift and reduce leakage in the metal gate stacks. Additional embodiments relate to methods of forming a metal gate stack having the barrier layer described herein. The barrier layer may include one or more of amorphous silicon (a-Si), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), tantalum nitride (TaN), or titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to functionally graded thermoelectric materials including an organic conducting polymer. In particular, the material includes a molecular dopant that can be spatially distributed in a controlled pattern within the material. Methods of making such materials and devices including such materials are also described herein.