Abstract: A disposable gate structure is formed over the alternating stack of first semiconductor material portions and second semiconductor material portions. The second semiconductor material portions are removed selective to the first semiconductor material portions to form suspended semiconductor nanowires. Isolated gate structures are formed in regions underlying the disposable gate structure by deposition and recessing of a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate conductor layer. After formation of a gate spacer, source regions, and drain regions, raised source and drain regions are formed on the source regions and the drain regions by selective deposition of a semiconductor material. The disposable gate structure is replaced with a replacement gate structure by deposition and patterning of a second gate dielectric layer and a second gate conductor layer. Distortion of the suspended semiconductor nanowires is prevented by the disposable gate structure and the isolated gate structures.

Abstract: A surface of a semiconductor-containing dielectric material/oxynitride/nitride is treated with a basic solution in order to provide hydroxyl group termination of the surface. A dielectric metal oxide is subsequently deposited by atomic layer deposition. The hydroxyl group termination provides a uniform surface condition that facilitates nucleation and deposition of the dielectric metal oxide, and reduces interfacial defects between the oxide and the dielectric metal oxide. Further, treatment with the basic solution removes more oxide from a surface of a silicon germanium alloy with a greater atomic concentration of germanium, thereby reducing a differential in the total thickness of the combination of the oxide and the dielectric metal oxide across surfaces with different germanium concentrations.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided such as, ferroelectric transistors and floating gate transistors, that include an epitaxial perovskite/doped strontium titanate structure formed above a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial perovskite/doped strontium titanate structure includes a stack of, in any order, a doped strontium titanate and a perovskite type oxide.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor circuit includes obtaining a semiconductor structure having a gate stack of material layers including a high-k dielectric layer; oxidizing in a lateral manner the high-k dielectric layer, such that oxygen content of the high-k dielectric layer is increased first at the sidewalls of the high-k dielectric layer; and completing fabrication of a n-type field effect transistor from the gate stack after laterally oxidizing the high-k dielectric layer of the gate stack.

Abstract: A gate structure is provided on a channel portion of a semiconductor substrate. The gate structure may include an electrically conducting layer present on a gate dielectric layer, a semiconductor-containing layer present on the electrically conducting layer, a metal semiconductor alloy layer present on the semiconductor-containing layer, and a dielectric capping layer overlaying the metal semiconductor alloy layer. In some embodiments, carbon and/or nitrogen can be present within the semiconductor-containing layer, the metal semiconductor alloy layer or both the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer. The presence of carbon and/or nitrogen within the semiconductor-containing layer and/or the metal semiconductor alloy layer provides stability to the gate structure. In another embodiment, a layer of carbon and/or nitrogen can be formed between the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer.

Abstract: An example embodiment disclosed is a process for fabricating a phase change memory cell. The method includes forming a bottom electrode, creating a pore in an insulating layer above the bottom electrode, depositing piezoelectric material in the pore, depositing phase change material in the pore proximate the piezoelectric material, and forming a top electrode over the phase change material. Depositing the piezoelectric material in the pore may include conforming the piezoelectric material to at least one wall defining the pore such that the piezoelectric material is deposited between the phase change material and the wall. The conformal deposition may be achieved by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

Abstract: A disposable gate structure is formed over the alternating stack of first semiconductor material portions and second semiconductor material portions. The second semiconductor material portions are removed selective to the first semiconductor material portions to form suspended semiconductor nanowires. Isolated gate structures are formed in regions underlying the disposable gate structure by deposition and recessing of a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate conductor layer. After formation of a gate spacer, source regions, and drain regions, raised source and drain regions are formed on the source regions and the drain regions by selective deposition of a semiconductor material. The disposable gate structure is replaced with a replacement gate structure by deposition and patterning of a second gate dielectric layer and a second gate conductor layer. Distortion of the suspended semiconductor nanowires is prevented by the disposable gate structure and the isolated gate structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure has a semiconductor substrate and an nFET and a pFET disposed upon the substrate. The pFET has a semiconductor SiGe channel region formed upon or within a surface of the semiconductor substrate and a gate dielectric having an oxide layer overlying the channel region and a high-k dielectric layer overlying the oxide layer. A gate electrode overlies the gate dielectric and has a lower metal layer abutting the high-k layer, a scavenging metal layer abutting the lower metal layer, and an upper metal layer abutting the scavenging metal layer. The metal layer scavenges oxygen from the substrate (nFET) and SiGe (pFET) interface with the oxide layer resulting in an effective reduction in Tinv and Vt of the pFET, while scaling Tinv and maintaining Vt for the nFET, resulting in the Vt of the pFET becoming closer to the Vt of a similarly constructed nFET with scaled Tinv values.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure has a semiconductor substrate and an nFET and a pFET disposed upon the substrate. The pFET has a semiconductor SiGe channel region formed upon or within a surface of the semiconductor substrate and a gate dielectric having an oxide layer overlying the channel region and a high-k dielectric layer overlying the oxide layer. A gate electrode overlies the gate dielectric and has a lower metal layer abutting the high-k layer, a scavenging metal layer abutting the lower metal layer, and an upper metal layer abutting the scavenging metal layer. The metal layer scavenges oxygen from the substrate (nFET) and SiGe (pFET) interface with the oxide layer resulting in an effective reduction in Tinv and Vt of the pFET, while scaling Tinv and maintaining Vt for the nFET, resulting in the Vt of the pFET becoming closer to the Vt of a similarly constructed nFET with scaled Tinv values.

Abstract: A gate structure is provided on a channel portion of a semiconductor substrate. The gate structure may include an electrically conducting layer present on a gate dielectric layer, a semiconductor-containing layer present on the electrically conducting layer, a metal semiconductor alloy layer present on the semiconductor-containing layer, and a dielectric capping layer overlaying the metal semiconductor alloy layer. In some embodiments, carbon and/or nitrogen can be present within the semiconductor-containing layer, the metal semiconductor alloy layer or both the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer. The presence of carbon and/or nitrogen within the semiconductor-containing layer and/or the metal semiconductor alloy layer provides stability to the gate structure. In another embodiment, a layer of carbon and/or nitrogen can be formed between the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer.

Abstract: A floating gate device is provided. A tunnel oxide layer is formed over the channel. A floating gate is formed over the tunnel oxide layer. A high-k dielectric layer is formed over the floating gate. A control gate is formed over the high-k dielectric layer. At least one of the control gate and/or the floating gate includes an oxygen scavenging element. The oxygen scavenging element is configured to decrease an oxygen density at least one of at a first interface between the control gate and the high-k dielectric layer, at a second interface between the high-k dielectric layer and the floating gate, at a third interface between the floating gate and the tunnel oxide layer, and at a fourth interface between the tunnel oxide layer and the channel responsive to annealing.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a wafer annealing tool and a plurality of electrodes coupled to the wafer annealing tool, wherein the electrodes are configured to be in physical contact with a wafer so that, when the wafer is annealed, a negative electrical bias is formed across one or more gate stacks of the wafer.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate structure for a semiconductor device that includes forming a non-stoichiometric high-k gate dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide containing interfacial layer can be present between the non-stoichiometric high-k gate dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate. At least one gate conductor layer may be formed on the non-stoichiometric high-k gate dielectric layer. The at least one gate conductor layer comprises a boron semiconductor alloy layer. An anneal process is applied, wherein during the anneal process the non-stoichiometric high-k gate dielectric layer removes oxide material from the oxide containing interfacial layer. The oxide containing interfacial layer is thinned by removing the oxide material during the anneal process.

Abstract: A floating gate device is provided. A tunnel oxide layer is formed over the channel. A floating gate is formed over the tunnel oxide layer. A high-k dielectric layer is formed over the floating gate. A control gate is formed over the high-k dielectric layer. At least one of the control gate and/or the floating gate includes an oxygen scavenging element. The oxygen scavenging element is configured to decrease an oxygen density at least one of at a first interface between the control gate and the high-k dielectric layer, at a second interface between the high-k dielectric layer and the floating gate, at a third interface between the floating gate and the tunnel oxide layer, and at a fourth interface between the tunnel oxide layer and the channel responsive to annealing.

Abstract: A gate structure is provided on a channel portion of a semiconductor substrate. The gate structure may include an electrically conducting layer present on a gate dielectric layer, a semiconductor-containing layer present on the electrically conducting layer, a metal semiconductor alloy layer present on the semiconductor-containing layer, and a dielectric capping layer overlaying the metal semiconductor alloy layer. In some embodiments, carbon and/or nitrogen can be present within the semiconductor-containing layer, the metal semiconductor alloy layer or both the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer. The presence of carbon and/or nitrogen within the semiconductor-containing layer and/or the metal semiconductor alloy layer provides stability to the gate structure. In another embodiment, a layer of carbon and/or nitrogen can be formed between the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer.

Abstract: A gate structure is provided on a channel portion of a semiconductor substrate. The gate structure may include an electrically conducting layer present on a gate dielectric layer, a semiconductor-containing layer present on the electrically conducting layer, a metal semiconductor alloy layer present on the semiconductor-containing layer, and a dielectric capping layer overlaying the metal semiconductor alloy layer. In some embodiments, carbon and/or nitrogen can be present within the semiconductor-containing layer, the metal semiconductor alloy layer or both the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer. The presence of carbon and/or nitrogen within the semiconductor-containing layer and/or the metal semiconductor alloy layer provides stability to the gate structure. In another embodiment, a layer of carbon and/or nitrogen can be formed between the semiconductor-containing layer and the metal semiconductor alloy layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a high-k gate dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide containing interfacial layer can be present between the high-k gate dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate. A scavenging metal stack may be formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer. An annealing process may be applied to the scavenging metal stack during which the scavenging metal stack removes oxide material from the oxide containing interfacial layer, wherein the oxide containing interfacial layer is thinned by removing of the oxide material. A gate conductor layer is formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer. The gate conductor layer and the high-k gate dielectric layer are then patterned to provide a gate structure. A source region and a drain region are then formed on opposing sides of the gate structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a high-k gate dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, wherein an oxide containing interfacial layer can be present between the high-k gate dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate. A scavenging metal stack may be formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer. An annealing process may be applied to the scavenging metal stack during which the scavenging metal stack removes oxide material from the oxide containing interfacial layer, wherein the oxide containing interfacial layer is thinned by removing of the oxide material. A gate conductor layer is formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer. The gate conductor layer and the high-k gate dielectric layer are then patterned to provide a gate structure. A source region and a drain region are then formed on opposing sides of the gate structure.

Abstract: A method of controlling ferroelectric characteristics of integrated circuit device components includes forming a ferroelectrically controllable dielectric layer over a substrate; and forming a stress exerting structure proximate the ferroelectrically controllable dielectric layer such that a substantially uniaxial strain is induced in the ferroelectrically controllable dielectric layer by the stress exerting structure; wherein the ferroelectrically controllable dielectric layer comprises one or more of: a ferroelectric oxide layer and a normally non-ferroelectric material layer that does not exhibit ferroelectric properties in the absence of an applied stress.

Abstract: A high mobility semiconductor layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate. An interfacial oxide layer is formed over the high mobility semiconductor layer. A high dielectric constant (high-k) dielectric layer is formed over the interfacial oxide layer. A stack is formed over the high-k dielectric layer. The stack comprises a lower metal layer, a scavenging metal layer comprising a scavenging metal, and an upper metal layer formed on the scavenging metal layer. A Gibbs free energy change of a chemical reaction, in which an atom constituting the high mobility semiconductor layer that directly contacts the interfacial oxide layer combines with a metal oxide material comprising the scavenging metal and oxygen to form the scavenging metal in elemental form and oxide of the atom constituting the high mobility semiconductor layer that directly contacts the interfacial oxide layer, is positive. A gate electrode and a gate dielectric are formed.