Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a p-type, silicon germanium (SiGe), high-k dielectric-metal gate, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (PFET) having an optimal threshold voltage (Vt), a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device that includes the PFET and methods of forming both the PFET alone and the CMOS device. The embodiments incorporate negatively charged ions (e.g., fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), etc.) into the high-k gate dielectric material of the PFET only so as to selectively adjust the negative Vt of the PFET (i.e., so as to reduce the negative Vt of the PFET).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a CMOS structure is disclosed. The method includes the blanket disposition of a high-k gate insulator layer in an NFET device and in a PFET device, and the implementation of a gate metal layer over the NFET device. This is followed by a blanket disposition of an Al layer over both the NFET device and the PFET device. The method further involves a blanket disposition of a shared gate metal layer over the Al layer. When the PFET device is exposed to a thermal annealing, the high-k dielectric oxidizes the Al layer, thereby turning the Al layer into a PFET interfacial control layer, while in the NFET device the Al becomes a region of the metal gate.

Abstract: A multilayered gate stack having improved reliability (i.e., low charge trapping and gate leakage degradation) is provided. The inventive multilayered gate stack includes, from bottom to top, a metal nitrogen-containing layer located on a surface of a high-k gate dielectric and Si-containing conductor located directly on a surface of the metal nitrogen-containing layer. The improved reliability is achieved by utilizing a metal nitrogen-containing layer having a compositional ratio of metal to nitrogen of less than 1.1. The inventive gate stack can be useful as an element of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The present invention also provides a method of fabricating such a gate stack in which the process conditions of a sputtering process are varied to control the ratio of metal and nitrogen within the sputter deposited layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming high-k/metal gates for an NFET and PFET and a related structure are disclosed. One method includes recessing a PFET region; forming a first high-k dielectric layer and a first metal layer over the substrate; removing the first high-k dielectric layer and the first metal over the NFET region using a mask; forming a forming a second high-k dielectric layer and a second metal layer over the substrate, the first high-k dielectric layer being different then the second high-k dielectric layer and the first metal being different than the second metal; removing the second high-k dielectric layer and the second metal over the PFET region using a mask; depositing a polysilicon over the substrate; and forming a gate over the NFET region and the PFET region by simultaneously etching the polysilicon, the first high-k dielectric layer, the first metal, the second high-k dielectric layer and the second metal.

Abstract: CMOS circuit structures are disclosed with the PFET and NFET devices having high-k dielectric layers consisting of the same gate insulator material, and metal gate layers consisting of the same gate metal material. The PFET device has a “p” interface control layer which is capable of shifting the effective-workfunction of the gate in the p-direction. In a representative embodiment of the invention the “p” interface control layer is aluminum oxide. The NFET device may have an “n” interface control layer. The materials of the “p” and “n” interface control layers are differing materials. The “p” and “n” interface control layers are positioned to the opposite sides of their corresponding high-k dielectric layers. Methods for fabricating the CMOS circuit structures with the oppositely positioned “p” and “n” interface control layers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A transistor has a channel region in a substrate and source and drain regions in the substrate on opposite sides of the channel region. A gate stack is formed on the substrate above the channel region. This gate stack comprises an interface layer contacting the channel region of the substrate, and a high-k dielectric layer (having a dielectric constant above 4.0) contacting (on) the interface layer. A Nitrogen rich first metal Nitride layer contacts (is on) the dielectric layer, and a metal rich second metal Nitride layer contacts (is on) the first metal Nitride layer. Finally, a Polysilicon cap contacts (is on) the second metal Nitride layer.

Abstract: Methods, IC and related transistors using capping layer with high-k/metal gate stacks are disclosed. In one embodiment, the IC includes a first type transistor having a gate electrode including a first metal, a second metal and a first dielectric layer, the first dielectric layer including oxygen; a second type transistor separated from the first type transistor by an isolation region, the second type transistor having a gate electrode including the second metal having a work function appropriate for the second type transistor and the first dielectric layer; and wherein the gate electrode of the first type transistor includes a rare earth metal between the first metal and the second metal and the gate electrode of the second type transistor includes a second dielectric layer made of an oxide of the rare earth metal.

Abstract: A method for forming a dual gate oxide layer, including the steps of: a) forming a gate oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate; and b) increasing a thickness of a part of the gate oxide layer by performing a decoupled plasma treatment. Additional heat processes are not necessary because the dual gate oxide layer is formed with the decoupled plasma. Also, the channel characteristic of the semiconductor device can be ensured because the silicon substrate is not damaged. Furthermore, because the threshold voltage in the cell region is increased without additional channel ion implantation, the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor device can be enhanced.

Abstract: A planar pass gate NFET is designed with the same width as a planar pull-down NFET. To optimize a beta ratio between the planar pull-down NFET and an adjoined planar pass gate NFET, the threshold voltage of the planar pass gate NFET is increased by providing a different high-k metal gate stack to the planar pass gate NFET than to the planar pull-down NFET. Particularly, a threshold voltage adjustment dielectric layer, which is formed over a high-k dielectric layer, is preserved in the planar pass gate NFET and removed in the planar pull-down NFET. The combined NFET active area for the planar pass gate NFET and the planar pull-down NFET is substantially rectangular, which enables a high fidelity printing of the image of the combined NFET active area by lithographic means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for depositing a dielectric stack comprising forming a dielectric layer atop a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least oxygen and silicon atoms; forming a layer of metal atoms atop the dielectric layer within a non-oxidizing atmosphere, wherein the layer of metal atoms has a thickness of less than about 15 ?; forming an oxygen diffusion barrier atop the layer of metal atoms, wherein the non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained; forming a gate conductor atop the oxygen diffusion barrier; and annealing the layer of metal atoms and the dielectric layer, wherein the layer of metal atoms reacts with the dielectric layer to provide a continuous metal oxide layer having a dielectric constant ranging from about 25 to about 30 and a thickness less than about 15 ?.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for depositing a dielectric stack comprising forming a dielectric layer atop a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least oxygen and silicon atoms; forming a layer of metal atoms atop the dielectric layer within a non-oxidizing atmosphere, wherein the layer of metal atoms has a thickness of less than about 15 ?; forming an oxygen diffusion barrier atop the layer of metal atoms, wherein the non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained; forming a gate conductor atop the oxygen diffusion barrier; and annealing the layer of metal atoms and the dielectric layer, wherein the layer of metal atoms reacts with the dielectric layer to provide a continuous metal oxide layer having a dielectric constant ranging from about 25 to about 30 and a thickness less than about 15 ?.

Abstract: Embodiments herein present a structure and method to make a CMOS with dual metal gates. Specifically, the CMOS comprises a first gate comprising a first metal and a second gate comprising a second metal. The first gate comprises a portion of a first transistor that is complementary to a second transistor that includes the second gate, wherein the first gate and the second gate are situated on the same substrate. Furthermore, the first metal produces a first threshold voltage characteristic, wherein the first metal comprises tantalum. The second metal produces a second threshold voltage characteristic that differs from the first threshold voltage characteristic, wherein the second metal comprises tungsten.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of forming the same, comprising forming a uniform buffer layer of diffusion-controlling stable material on top of a base gate dielectric layer, and then forming a uniform layer which contains a source of transitional metal atoms, and then annealing the structure to diffuse the transitional metal atoms from their source through the diffusion-controlling material and into the base gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure that includes an active wordline located above a semiconductor memory device and a passive wordline located adjacent to said active wordline and above an active area of a substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the passive wordline is separated from the active area by a pad nitride. The present invention also provides methods that are capable of forming the inventive semiconductor structure.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method including the steps of providing a substrate; forming a trench in the substrate; forming a buried plate in the substrate about the trench; depositing a dielectric layer within the trench; and then depositing a P-type metal atop the dielectric layer, where the dielectric layer is positioned between the P-type metal and the buried plate. Another aspect of the present invention provides a trench capacitor where said trench capacitor comprises a trench formed in a substrate, a buried plate formed in the substrate about the trench; a node dielectric; and a P-type metal liner deposited within the trench, where the P-type metal liner is separated from the buried plate by the node dielectric. A P-type metal is defined as a metal having a work function close to the Si valence band, approximately equal to 5.1 eV.

Abstract: A gate structure for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices includes a first gate stack having a first gate dielectric layer formed over a substrate, and a first metal layer formed over the first gate dielectric layer. A second gate stack includes a second gate dielectric layer formed over the substrate and a second metal layer formed over the second gate dielectric layer. The first metal layer is formed in manner so as to impart a tensile stress on the substrate, and the second metal layer is formed in a manner so as to impart a compressive stress on the substrate.

Abstract: A multilayered gate stack having improved reliability (i.e., low charge trapping and gate leakage degradation) is provided. The inventive multilayered gate stack includes, from bottom to top, a metal nitrogen-containing layer located on a surface of a high-k gate dielectric and Si-containing conductor located directly on a surface of the metal nitrogen-containing layer. The improved reliability is achieved by utilizing a metal nitrogen-containing layer having a compositional ratio of metal to nitrogen of less than 1.1. The inventive gate stack can be useful as an element of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The present invention also provides a method of fabricating such a gate stack in which the process conditions of a sputtering process are varied to control the ratio of metal and nitrogen within the sputter deposited layer.

Abstract: A CMOS structure and a method for fabricating the CMOS structure include a first transistor located within a first semiconductor substrate region having a first polarity. The first transistor includes a first gate electrode that includes a first metal containing material layer and a first silicon containing material layer located upon the first metal containing material layer. The CMOS structure also includes a second transistor located within a laterally separated second semiconductor substrate region having a second polarity that is different than the first polarity The second transistor includes a second gate electrode comprising a second metal containing material layer of a composition that is different than the first metal containing material layer, and a second silicon containing material layer located upon the second metal containing material layer. The first silicon containing material layer and the first semiconductor substrate region comprise different materials.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of improved MOSFET and CMOS structures that provides for increased control over short channel effects. Also disclosed are embodiments of associated methods of forming these structures. The embodiments suppress short channel effects by incorporating buried isolation regions into a transistor below source/drain extension regions and between deep source/drain regions and the channel region and, particularly, between deep source/drain regions and the halo regions. Buried isolation regions between the deep source/drain regions and the channel region minimize drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) as well as punch through. Additionally, because the deep source/drain regions and halo regions are separated by the buried isolation regions, side-wall junction capacitance and junction leakage are also minimized.

Abstract: Embodiments herein present a structure and method to make a CMOS with dual metal gates. Specifically, the CMOS comprises a first gate comprising a first metal and a second gate comprising a second metal. The first gate comprises a portion of a first transistor that is complementary to a second transistor that includes the second gate, wherein the first gate and the second gate are situated on the same substrate. Furthermore, the first metal produces a first threshold voltage characteristic, wherein the first metal comprises tantalum. The second metal produces a second threshold voltage characteristic that differs from the first threshold voltage characteristic, wherein the second metal comprises tungsten.