Abstract: Methods and resulting structure of forming a transistor having a high mobility channel are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a gate electrode including a gate material area and a gate dielectric, the gate electrode being positioned over a channel in a silicon substrate. A dielectric layer is formed about the gate electrode, and the gate material area and the gate dielectric are removed from the gate electrode to form an opening into a portion of the silicon substrate that exposes source/drain extensions. A high mobility semiconductor material, i.e., one having a carrier mobility greater than doped silicon, is then formed in the opening such that it laterally contacts the source/drain extensions. The gate dielectric and the gate material area may then be re-formed. This invention eliminates the high temperature steps after the formation of high mobility channel material used in related art methods.

Abstract: Methods and resulting structure of implementing a compensating implant that creates more compensation doping as the gate length is increased are disclosed. In particular, the invention performs an angled compensation implant through a gate opening during the damascene process such that the compensating dopant concentration increases as the gate length increases. In this fashion, the threshold voltage of a longer device is reduced much more than the threshold voltage of a shorter device, thereby reducing the threshold voltage of the longer device to acceptable levels without affecting the threshold voltage of the shorter device. The invention is especially advantageous relative to super-steep retrograde wells.

Abstract: A method of producing a backgated FinFET having different dielectric layer thickness on the front and back gate sides includes steps of introducing impurities into at least one side of a fin of a FinFET to enable formation of dielectric layers with different thicknesses. The impurity, which may be introduced by implantation, either enhances or retards dielectric formation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices including an n-type field effect transistor and a p-type field effect transistor by covering the p-type field effect transistor with a mask, and oxidizing a portion of a gate polysilicon of the n-type field effect transistor, such that tensile mechanical stresses are formed within a channel of the n-type field effect transistor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a strained-Si structure, in which the nFET regions of the structure are strained in tension and the pFET regions of the structure are strained in compression. Broadly the strained-Si structure comprises a substrate; a first layered stack atop the substrate, the first layered stack comprising a compressive dielectric layer atop the substrate and a first semiconducting layer atop the compressive dielectric layer, wherein the compressive dielectric layer transfers tensile stresses to the first semiconducting layer; and a second layered stack atop the substrate, the second layered stack comprising an tensile dielectric layer atop the substrate and a second semiconducting layer atop the tensile dielectric layer, wherein the tensile dielectric layer transfers compressive stresses to the second semiconducting layer. The tensile dielectric layer and the compressive dielectric layer preferably comprise nitride, such as Si3N4.

Abstract: A novel transistor structure and method for fabricating the same. The transistor structure comprises (a) a substrate and (b) a semiconductor region, a gate dielectric region, and a gate region on the substrate, wherein the gate dielectric region is sandwiched between the semiconductor region and the gate region, wherein the semiconductor region is electrically insulated from the gate region by the gate dielectric region, wherein the semiconductor region comprises a channel region and first and second source/drain regions, wherein the channel region is sandwiched between the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the first and second source/drain regions are aligned with the gate region, wherein the channel region and the gate dielectric region (i) share an interface surface which is essentially perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, and (ii) do not share any interface surface that is essentially parallel to a top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An FET device with a source island and a drain island is formed on a horizontal surface of a substrate comprising an insulating material. A channel structure formed over the horizontal surface of the substrate, which connects between the drain and the source, comprises a planar semiconductor channel fin formed above a vertical fin. The planar and vertical fins form a T-shaped cross-section. The bottom of the vertical fin contacts the horizontal surface of the substrate and the planar fin contacts the top of the vertical fin. A gate dielectric layer covers exposed surfaces of the channel structure. A gate electrode straddles the channel gate dielectric and the channel structure. A sacrificial layer, e.g. SiGe, deposited upon the substrate before forming the vertical fin, may be a semiconductor or dielectric material. The planar fin comprises a semiconductor material such as Si, SiGe or Ge.

Abstract: A self-correcting etching (SCORE) process for fabricating microstructure is provided. The SCORE process of the present invention is particularly useful for reducing preselected features of a hard mask without degrading the variation of the critical dimension (CD) within each wafer. Alternatively; the CD variation of the hard mask features' produced during printing can be substantially reduced by applying SCORE. Hence, ultra-sub-lithographic features (e.g., nanostructures) can be reliably fabricated. Consequently, the method of the present invention can be used to increase the circuit performance, while improving the manufacturing yield.

Abstract: A novel transistor structure and method for fabrication the same. The novel transistor structure comprises first and second source/drain (S/D) regions whose top surfaces are lower than a top surface of the channel region of the transistor structure. The method for fabricating the transistor structure starts out with a planar semiconductor layer and a gate stack on top of the semiconductor layer. Then, top regions of the semiconductor layer on opposing sides of the gate stack are removed.

Abstract: A method of planarization allows for the use of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) in starting structures having films not generally suitable for CMP processes. Two material layers are formed over a starting structure, and the upper layer is planarized in a CMP process. A nonselective etch is then used to transfer the planar topography to the lower level.

Abstract: A method of forming a field effect transistor creates shallower and sharper junctions, while maximizing dopant activation in processes that are consistent with current manufacturing techniques. More specifically, the invention increases the oxygen content of the top surface of a silicon substrate. The top surface of the silicon substrate is preferably cleaned before increasing the oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate. The oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate is higher than other portions of the silicon substrate, but below an amount that would prevent epitaxial growth. This allows the invention to epitaxially grow a silicon layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate. Further, the increased oxygen content substantially limits dopants within the epitaxial silicon layer from moving into the silicon substrate.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes forming source and drain extension regions in an upper surface of a SiGe-based substrate. The source and drain extension regions contain an N type impurity. Reducing vacancy concentration in the source and drain extension regions to decrease diffusion of the N type impurity contained in the first source and drain extension regions.

Abstract: A structure, apparatus and method for improving the performance of semiconductor devices is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a raised source/drain region above a planar source/drain. The raised source/drain has at least a first step and a second step with a variety of transitions therebetween. The first step is of a prescribed height configured to optimize performance of the semiconductor device and is arranged next to a gate. The first step has a top surface above a lower surface of the gate. The second step is arranged next to the first step and has an upper surface raised above the upper surface of the first step. The raised source/drain is configured to reduce resistance with a minimal increase of gate capacitance. The raised source/drain may be fabricated in one deposition step.

Abstract: Very low resistance, scaled in MOSFET devices are formed by employing thin silicidation-stop extension that act both as a silicidation “stop” barriers and as thin interface layers between source/drain silicide regions and channel region of the MOSFET. By acting as silicidation stops, the silicidation-stop extensions confine silicidation, and are not breached by source/drain silicide. This permits extremely thin, highly-doped silicidation-stop extensions to be formed between the silicide and the channel, providing an essentially ideal, low series resistance interface between the silicide and the channel.

Abstract: A substrate under tension and/or compression improves performance of devices fabricated therein. Tension and/or compression can be imposed on a substrate through selection of appropriate STI fill material. The STI regions are formed in the substrate layer and impose forces on adjacent substrate areas. The substrate areas under compression or tension exhibit charge mobility characteristics different from those of a non-stressed substrate. By controllably varying these stresses within NFET and PFET devices formed on a substrate, improvements in IC performance are achieved.

Abstract: In producing complementary sets of metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors, including nFET and pFET), carrier mobility is enhanced or otherwise regulated through the reacting the material of the gate electrode with a metal to produce a stressed alloy (preferably CoSi2, NiSi, or PdSi) within a transistor gate. In the case of both the nFET and pFET, the inherent stress of the respective alloy results in an opposite stress on the channel of respective transistor. By maintaining opposite stresses in the nFET and pFET alloys or silicides, both types of transistors on a single chip or substrate can achieve an enhanced carrier mobility, thereby improving the performance of CMOS devices and integrated circuits.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of protecting a semiconductor shallow trench isolation (STI) oxide from etching, the method comprising lowering, if necessary, the upper surface of said STI oxide to a level below that of adjacent silicon active areas, depositing a nitride liner upon said STI oxide and adjacent silicon active areas in a manner effective in defining a depression above said STI oxide, filling said depression with a protective film, and removing said nitride layer from said adjacent active areas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a strained-Si structure, in which the nFET regions of the structure are strained in tension and the pFET regions of the structure are strained in compression. Broadly the strained-Si structure comprises a substrate, a first layered stack atop the substrate, the first layered stack comprising a first Si-containing portion of the substrate, a compressive layer atop the Si-containing portion of the substrate, and a semiconducting silicon layer atop the compressive layer; and a second layered stack atop the substrate, the second layered stack comprising a second-silicon containing layer portion of the substrate, a tensile layer atop the second Si-containing portion of the substrate, and a second semiconducting silicon-layer atop the tensile layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconducting device including a gate region positioned on a mesa portion of a substrate; and a nitride liner positioned on the gate region and recessed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gate region, the nitride liner providing a stress to a device channel underlying the gate region. The stress produced on the device channel is a longitudinal stress on the order of about 275 MPa to about 450 MPa.

Abstract: In producing complementary sets of metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors, including nFET and pFET), carrier mobility is enhanced or otherwise regulated through the reacting the material of the gate electrode with a metal to produce a stressed alloy (preferably CoSi2, NiSi, or PdSi) within a transistor gate. In the case of both the nFET and pFET, the inherent stress of the respective alloy results in an opposite stress on the channel of respective transistor. By maintaining opposite stresses in the nFET and pFET alloys or silicides, both types of transistors on a single chip or substrate can achieve an enhanced carrier mobility, thereby improving the performance of CMOS devices and integrated circuits.