Abstract: A method of forming threshold voltage controlled semiconductor structures is provided in which a conformal nitride-containing liner is formed on at least exposed sidewalls of a patterned gate dielectric material having a dielectric constant of greater than silicon oxide. The conformal nitride-containing liner is a thin layer that is formed using a low temperature (less than 500° C.) nitridation process.

Abstract: Methods and structures for relieving stresses in stressed semiconductor liners. A stress liner that enhances performance of either an NFET or a PFET is deposited over a semiconductor to cover the NFET and PFET. A disposable layer is deposited to entirely cover the stress liner, NFET and PFET. This disposable layer is selectively recessed to expose only the single stress liner over a gate of the NFET or PFET that is not enhanced by such stress liner, and then this exposed liner is removed to expose a top of such gate. Remaining portions of the disposable layer are removed, thereby enhancing performance of either the NFET or PFET, while avoiding degradation of the NFET or PFET not enhanced by the stress liner. The single stress liner is a tensile stress liner for enhancing performance of the NFET, or it is a compressive stress liner for enhancing performance of the PFET.

Abstract: A method and semiconductor structure that overcome the dual stress liner boundary problem, without significantly increasing the overall size of the integrated circuit, are provided. In accordance with the present invention, the dual stress liner boundary or gap therebetween is forced to land on a neighboring dummy gate region. By forcing the dual stress liner boundary or gap between the liners to land on the dummy gate region, the large stresses associated with the dual stress liner boundary or gap are transferred to the dummy gate region, not the semiconductor substrate. Thus, the impact of the dual stress liner boundary on the nearest neighboring FET is reduced. Additionally, benefits of device variability and packing density are achieved utilizing the present invention.

Abstract: A semiconducting material that has all the advantages of prior art SOI substrates including, for example, low parasitic capacitance and leakage, without having floating body effects is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides a Semiconductor-on-Pores (SOP) material that includes a top semiconductor layer and a bottom semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layers are separated in at least one region by a porous semiconductor material. Semiconductor structures including the SOP material as a substrate as well as a method of fabricating the SOP material are also provided. The method includes forming a p-type region with a first semiconductor layer, converting the p-type region to a porous semiconductor material, sealing the upper surface of the porous semiconductor material by annealing, and forming a second semiconductor layer atop the porous semiconductor material.

Abstract: A method (and system) of reducing contact resistance on a silicon-on-insulator device, including controlling a silicide depth in a source-drain region of the device.

Abstract: Multiple types of gate stacks are formed on a doped semiconductor well. A high dielectric constant (high-k) gate dielectric is formed on the doped semiconductor well. A metal gate layer is formed in one device area, while the high-k gate dielectric is exposed in other device areas. Threshold voltage adjustment oxide layers having different thicknesses are formed in the other device areas. A conductive gate material layer is then formed over the threshold voltage adjustment oxide layers. One type of field effect transistors includes a gate dielectric including a high-k gate dielectric portion. Other types of field effect transistors include a gate dielectric including a high-k gate dielectric portion and a first threshold voltage adjustment oxide portions having different thicknesses. Field effect transistors having different threshold voltages are provided by employing different gate dielectric stacks and doped semiconductor wells having the same dopant concentration.

Abstract: Methods for forming high performance gates in MOSFETs and structures thereof are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method including providing a substrate including a first short channel active region, a second short channel active region and a long channel active region, each active region separated from another by a shallow trench isolation (STI); and forming a field effect transistor (FET) with a polysilicon gate over the long channel active region, a first dual metal gate FET having a first work function adjusting material over the first short channel active region and a second dual metal gate FET having a second work function adjusting material over the second short channel active region, wherein the first and second work function adjusting materials are different.

Abstract: A field effect structure and a method for fabricating the field effect structure include a germanium containing channel interposed between a plurality of source and drain regions. The germanium containing channel is coplanar with the plurality of source and drain regions, and the germanium containing channel includes a germanium containing material having a germanium content greater than the germanium content of the plurality of source and drain regions.

Abstract: A chip is provided which includes an active semiconductor region and a field effect transistor (“FET”) having a channel region, a source region and a drain region all disposed within the active semiconductor region. The FET has a longitudinal direction in a direction of a length of the channel region, and a transverse direction in a direction of a width of the channel region. A dielectric stressor element having a horizontally extending upper surface extends below a portion of the active semiconductor region. The dielectric stressor element shares an edge with the active semiconductor region, the edge extending in a direction away from the upper surface. In particular structures, two or more dielectric stressor elements are provided at locations opposite from each other in the longitudinal and/or transverse directions of the FET.

Abstract: A method (and system) of reducing contact resistance on a silicon-on-insulator device, including controlling a silicide depth in a source-drain region of the device.

Abstract: A first high-k gate dielectric layer and a first metal gate layer are formed on first and second semiconductor fins. A first metal gate ring is formed on the first semiconductor fin. In one embodiment, the first high-k gate dielectric layer remains on the second semiconductor fin. A second metal gate layer and a silicon containing layer are deposited and patterned to form gate electrodes. In another embodiment, a second high-k dielectric layer replaces the first high-k dielectric layer over the second semiconductor fin, followed by formation of a second metal gate layer. A first electrode comprising a first gate dielectric and a first metal gate is formed on the first semiconductor fin, while a second electrode comprising a second gate dielectric and a second metal gate is formed on the second semiconductor fin. Absence of high-k gate dielectric materials on a gate wiring prevents increase in parasitic resistance.

Abstract: A compressive stress is applied to a channel region of a PFET by structure including a discrete dielectric stressor element that fully underlies the bottom surface of an active semiconductor region in which the source, drain and channel region of the PFET is disposed. In particular, the dielectric stressor element includes a region of collapsed oxide which fully contacts the bottom surface of the active semiconductor region such that it has an area coextensive with an area of the bottom surface. Bird's beak oxide regions at edges of the dielectric stressor element apply an upward force at edges of the dielectric stressor element to impart a compressive stress to the channel region of the PFET.

Abstract: Methods for forming high performance gates in MOSFETs and structures thereof are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method including providing a substrate including a first short channel active region, a second short channel active region and a long channel active region, each active region separated from another by a shallow trench isolation (STI); and forming a field effect transistor (FET) with a polysilicon gate over the long channel active region, a first dual metal gate FET having a first work function adjusting material over the first short channel active region and a second dual metal gate FET having a second work function adjusting material over the second short channel active region, wherein the first and second work function adjusting materials are different.

Abstract: The present invention in one embodiment provides a method of producing a device including providing a semiconducting device including a gate structure including a silicon containing gate conductor atop a substrate; forming a metal layer on at least the silicon containing gate conductor; and directing chemically inert ions to impact the metal layer, wherein momentum transfer from of the chemically inert ions force metal atoms from the metal layer into the silicon containing gate conductor to provide a silicide gate conductor.

Abstract: Methods and structures for relieving stresses in stressed semiconductor liners. A stress liner that enhances performance of either an NFET or a PFET is deposited over a semiconductor to cover the NFET and PFET. A disposable layer is deposited to entirely cover the stress liner, NFET and PFET. This disposable layer is selectively recessed to expose only the single stress liner over a gate of the NFET or PFET that is not enhanced by such stress liner, and then this exposed liner is removed to expose a top of such gate. Remaining portions of the disposable layer are removed, thereby enhancing performance of either the NFET or PFET, while avoiding degradation of the NFET or PFET not enhanced by the stress liner. The single stress liner is a tensile stress liner for enhancing performance of the NFET, or it is a compressive stress liner for enhancing performance of the PFET.

Abstract: Methods and structures for relieving stresses in stressed semiconductor liners. A stress liner that enhances performance of either an NFET or a PFET is deposited over a semiconductor to cover the NFET and PFET. A disposable layer is deposited to entirely cover the stress liner, NFET and PFET. This disposable layer is selectively recessed to expose only the single stress liner over a gate of the NFET or PFET that is not enhanced by such stress liner, and then this exposed liner is removed to expose a top of such gate. Remaining portions of the disposable layer are removed, thereby enhancing performance of either the NFET or PFET, while avoiding degradation of the NFET or PFET not enhanced by the stress liner. The single stress liner is a tensile stress liner for enhancing performance of the NFET, or it is a compressive stress liner for enhancing performance of the PFET.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconducting device is provided that in one embodiment includes providing a semiconducting device including a gate structure atop a substrate, the gate structure including a dual gate conductor including an upper gate conductor and a lower gate conductor, wherein at least the lower gate conductor includes a silicon containing material; removing the upper gate conductor selective to the lower gate conductor; depositing a metal on at least the lower gate conductor; and producing a silicide from the metal and the lower gate conductor. In another embodiment, the inventive method includes a metal as the lower gate conductor.

Abstract: A method embodiment deposits a first dielectric layer over a transistor and then implants a gettering agent into the first dielectric layer. After this first dielectric layer is formed, the method forms a second (thicker) dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. After this, the standard contacts are formed through the insulating layer to the source, drain, gate, etc. of the transistor. Additionally, reactive ion etching, chemical mechanical processing, and other back-end-of-line processing are performed. The back-end-of-line processes can introduce mobile ions into the dielectric over a transistor; however, the gettering agent traps the mobile ions and prevents the mobile ions from contaminating the transistor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including pairs of strained complementary CMOS field-effect devices consisting of n-FET and p-FET transistors on a substrate. The n-FET is provided with a compressive dielectric stressor, while the p-FET is provided with a tensile stressed dielectric. Each dielectric stressor includes a discrete horizontal segment on a surface overlying and contacting the gate of the respective FET. The stress enhancement is insensitive to PC pitch, and by reducing the height of the polysilicon stack, the scalability which is achieved contributes to a performance improvement. The n-FET leverages higher stress values that are obtainable in the compressive liners are greater than 3 GPa compared to less than 1.5 GPa for tensile liners.

Abstract: A structure and method for fabricating a transistor structure is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a substrate including a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) layer separated from a bulk region of the substrate by a buried dielectric layer. (b) first implanting the SOI layer to achieve a predetermined dopant concentration at an interface of the SOI layer to the buried dielectric layer. and (c) second implanting said SOI layer to achieve predetermined dopant concentrations in a polycrystalline semiconductor gate conductor (“poly gate”) and in source and drain regions disposed adjacent to the poly gate, wherein a maximum depth of the first implanting is greater than a maximum depth of the second implanting.