Abstract: Integrated circuit transistor structures and processes are disclosed that reduce n-type dopant diffusion, such as phosphorous or arsenic, from the source region and the drain region of a germanium n-MOS device into adjacent channel regions during fabrication. The n-MOS transistor device may include at least 70% germanium (Ge) by atomic percentage. In an example embodiment, source and drain regions of the transistor are formed using a low temperature, non-selective deposition process of n-type doped material. In some embodiments, the low temperature deposition process is performed in the range of 450 to 600 degrees C. The resulting structure includes a layer of doped mono-crystyalline silicon (Si), or silicon germanium (SiGe), on the source/drain regions. The structure also includes a layer of doped amorphous Si:P (or SiGe:P) on the surfaces of a shallow trench isolation (STI) region and the surfaces of contact trench sidewalls.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are transistor gate-channel arrangements with transistor gate stacks that include dipole layers, and related methods and devices. Transistor gate stacks disclosed herein include a multilayer gate oxide having both a high-k dielectric and a dipole layer. In some embodiments, a thin dipole layer may directly border a channel material of choice and may be between the channel material and the high-k dielectric. In other embodiments, a passivation layer may spontaneously form between the dipole layer and the channel material. In still other embodiments, the high-k dielectric may be between the dipole layer and the channel material. Temporary polarization provided by the dipole layer may increase the effective dielectric constant of the high-k dielectric and may allow to use thinner high-k dielectrics and/or high-k dielectrics of suboptimal quality while maintaining transistor performance in terms of, e.g., gate leakage, carrier mobility, and subthreshold swing.

Abstract: Integrated circuit transistor structures are disclosed that reduce n-type dopant diffusion, such as phosphorous or arsenic, from the source region and the drain region of a germanium n-MOS device into adjacent shallow trench isolation (STI) regions during fabrication. The n-MOS transistor device may include at least 75% germanium by atomic percentage. In an example embodiment, the structure includes an intervening diffusion barrier deposited between the n-MOS transistor and the STI region to provide dopant diffusion reduction. In some embodiments, the diffusion barrier may include silicon dioxide with carbon concentrations between 5 and 50% by atomic percentage. In some embodiments, the diffusion barrier may be deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques to achieve a diffusion barrier thickness in the range of 1 to 5 nanometers.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having source or drain-last structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having source or drain-last structures, are described. For example, a method of fabricating an integrated circuit structure includes forming a vertical arrangement of nanowires. A permanent gate stack is then formed over the vertical arrangements of nanowires. The permanent gate stack includes a high-k gate dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode. Subsequent to forming the permanent gate stack, a first epitaxial source or drain structure is formed at a first end of the vertical arrangement of nanowires, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure is formed at a second end of the vertical arrangement of nanowires.

Abstract: Fin smoothing, and integrated circuit structures resulting therefrom, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor fin having a protruding fin portion above an isolation structure, the protruding fin portion having substantially vertical sidewalls. The semiconductor fin further includes a sub-fin portion within an opening in the isolation structure, the sub-fin portion having a different semiconductor material than the protruding fin portion. The sub-fin portion has a width greater than or less than a width of the protruding portion where the sub-fin portion meets the protruding portion. A gate stack is over and conformal with the protruding fin portion of the semiconductor fin. A first source or drain region at a first side of the gate stack, and a second source or drain region at a second side of the gate stack opposite the first side of the gate stack.

Abstract: Fabrication techniques for NMOS and PMOS nanowires leveraging an isolated process flow for NMOS and PMOS nanowires facilitates independent (decoupled) tuning/variation of the respective geometries (i.e., sizing) and chemical composition of NMOS and PMOS nanowires existing in the same process. These independently tunable degrees of freedom are achieved due to fabrication techniques disclosed herein, which enable the ability to individually adjust the width of NMOS and PMOS nanowires as well as the general composition of the material forming these nanowires independently of one another.

Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a FINFET device having a channel. The channel is composed of a first semiconductor material that is epitaxially grown on a subfin structure beneath the channel. The subfin structure is composed of a second semiconductor material that is different than the first semiconductor material. The subfin structure is epitaxially grown on a substrate composed of a third semiconductor material that is different than the first and second semiconductor materials. The subfin structure has a doped region to substantially impede leakage currents between the channel and the substrate.

Abstract: Techniques and methods related to strained NMOS and PMOS devices without relaxed substrates, systems incorporating such semiconductor devices, and methods therefor may include a semiconductor device that may have both n-type and p-type semiconductor bodies. Both types of semiconductor bodies may be formed from an initially strained semiconductor material such as silicon germanium. A silicon cladding layer may then be provided at least over or on the n-type semiconductor body. In one example, a lower portion of the semiconductor bodies is formed by a Si extension of the wafer or substrate. By one approach, an upper portion of the semiconductor bodies, formed of the strained SiGe, may be formed by blanket depositing the strained SiGe layer on the Si wafer, and then etching through the SiGe layer and into the Si wafer to form the semiconductor bodies or fins with the lower and upper portions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include nanowire and nanoribbon transistors and methods of forming such transistors. According to an embodiment, a method for forming a microelectronic device may include forming a multi-layer stack within a trench formed in a shallow trench isolation (STI) layer. The multi-layer stack may comprise at least a channel layer, a release layer formed below the channel layer, and a buffer layer formed below the channel layer. The STI layer may be recessed so that a top surface of the STI layer is below a top surface of the release layer. The exposed release layer from below the channel layer by selectively etching away the release layer relative to the channel layer.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to impose stress on a transistor which includes a channel region and a source or drain region each in a fin structure. In an embodiment, a gate structure of the transistor extends over the fin structure, wherein a first spacer portion is at a sidewall of the gate structure and a second spacer portion adjoins the first spacer portion. Either or both of two features are present at or under respective bottom edges of the spacer portions. One of the features includes a line of discontinuity on the fin structure. The other feature includes a concentration of a dopant in the second spacer portion being greater than a concentration of the dopant in the source or drain region. In another embodiment, the fin structure is disposed on a buffer layer, wherein stress on the channel region is imposed at least in part with the buffer layer.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having a doped subfin, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having a doped subfin, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a subfin structure having well dopants. A vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires is over the subfin structure. A gate stack is surrounding a channel region of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires, the gate stack overlying the subfin structure. A pair of epitaxial source or drain structures is at first and second ends of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices having self-aligned gate cut structures. In an example, neighboring semiconductor devices each include a semiconductor region extending between a source region and a drain region, and a gate layer extending over the semiconductor regions of the neighboring semiconductor devices. A gate cut structure that includes a dielectric material interrupts the gate layer between the neighboring semiconductor devices. Due to the process of forming the gate cut structure, the distance between the gate cut structure and the semiconductor region of one of the neighboring semiconductor devices is substantially the same as (e.g., within 1.5 nm of) the distance between the gate cut structure and the semiconductor region of the other one of the neighboring semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can include a nanowire channel. The nanowire channel can include nanowires and the nanowires can be about fifteen (15) or less angstroms apart. The nanowire channel can include more than ten (10) nanowires and can be created from a MXene material.

Abstract: Techniques and methods related to strained NMOS and PMOS devices without relaxed substrates, systems incorporating such semiconductor devices, and methods therefor may include a semiconductor device that may have both n-type and p-type semiconductor bodies. Both types of semiconductor bodies may be formed from an initially strained semiconductor material such as silicon germanium. A silicon cladding layer may then be provided at least over or on the n-type semiconductor body. In one example, a lower portion of the semiconductor bodies is formed by a Si extension of the wafer or substrate. By one approach, an upper portion of the semiconductor bodies, formed of the strained SiGe, may be formed by blanket depositing the strained SiGe layer on the Si wafer, and then etching through the SiGe layer and into the Si wafer to form the semiconductor bodies or fins with the lower and upper portions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes: a semiconductor nanowire extending in a length direction and including a body portion; a gate dielectric surrounding the body portion; a gate electrode insulated from the body portion by the gate dielectric; a semiconductor source portion adjacent to a first side of the body portion; and a semiconductor drain portion adjacent to a second side of the body portion opposite the first side, the narrowest dimension of the second side of the body portion being smaller than the narrowest dimension of the first side. In an embodiment, the nanowire has a conical tapering. In an embodiment, the gate electrode extends along the body portion in the length direction to the source portion, but not to the drain portion. In an embodiment, the drain portion at the second side of the body portion has a lower dopant concentration than the source portion at the first side.

Abstract: Transistors having a plurality of channel semiconductor structures, such as fins, over a dielectric material. A source and drain are coupled to opposite ends of the structures and a gate stack intersects the plurality of structures between the source and drain. Lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) may be employed to form a super-lattice of a desired periodicity from a sidewall of a fin template structure that is within a trench and extends from the dielectric material. Following LEO, the super-lattice structure may be planarized with surrounding dielectric material to expose a top of the super-lattice layers. Alternating ones of the super-lattice layers may then be selectively etched away, with the retained layers of the super-lattice then laterally separated from each other by a distance that is a function of the super-lattice periodicity. A gate dielectric and a gate electrode may be formed over the retained super-lattice layers for a channel of a transistor.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to impose stress on a transistor which includes a channel region and a source or drain region each in a fin structure. In an embodiment, a gate structure of the transistor extends over the fin structure, wherein a first spacer portion is at a sidewall of the gate structure and a second spacer portion adjoins the first spacer portion. Either or both of two features are present at or under respective bottom edges of the spacer portions. One of the features includes a line of discontinuity on the fin structure. The other feature includes a concentration of a dopant in the second spacer portion being greater than a concentration of the dopant in the source or drain region. In another embodiment, the fin structure is disposed on a buffer layer, wherein stress on the channel region is imposed at least in part with the buffer layer.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming nanowire transistors employing carbon-based layers. Carbon is added to the sacrificial layers and/or non-sacrificial layers of a multilayer stack forming one or more nanowires in the transistor channel region. Such carbon-based layers reduce or prevent diffusion and intermixing of the sacrificial and non-sacrificial portions of the multilayer stack. The reduction of diffusion/intermixing can allow for the originally formed layers to effectively maintain their original thicknesses, thereby enabling the formation of relatively more nanowires for a given channel region height because of the more accurate processing scheme. The techniques can be used to benefit group IV semiconductor material nanowire devices (e.g., devices including Si, Ge, and/or SiGe) and can also assist with the selective etch processing used to form the nanowires.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming column IV transistor devices having source/drain regions with high concentrations of germanium, and exhibiting reduced parasitic resistance relative to conventional devices. In some example embodiments, the source/drain regions each includes a thin p-type silicon or germanium or SiGe deposition with the remainder of the source/drain material deposition being p-type germanium or a germanium alloy (e.g., germanium:tin or other suitable strain inducer, and having a germanium content of at least 80 atomic % and 20 atomic % or less other components). In some cases, evidence of strain relaxation may be observed in the germanium rich cap layer, including misfit dislocations and/or threading dislocations and/or twins. Numerous transistor configurations can be used, including both planar and non-planar transistor structures (e.g., FinFETs and nanowire transistors), as well as strained and unstrained channel structures.

Abstract: Techniques are described for forming strained fins for co-integrated n-MOS and p-MOS devices that include one or more defect trapping layers that prevent defects from migrating into channel regions of the various co-integrated n-MOS and p-MOS devices. A defect trapping layer can include one or more patterned dielectric layers that define aspect ratio trapping trenches. An alternative defect trapping layer can include a superlattice structure of alternating, epitaxially mismatched materials that provides an energetic barrier to the migration of defect. Regardless, the defect trapping layer can prevent dislocations, stacking faults, and other crystallographic defects present in a relaxed silicon germanium layer from migrating into strained n-MOS and p-MOS channel regions grown thereon.