Abstract: After formation of gate structures over semiconductor fins and prior to formation of raised active regions, a directional ion beam is employed to form a dielectric material portion on end walls of semiconductor fins that are perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins. The angle of the directional ion beam is selected to be with a vertical plane including the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins, thereby avoiding formation of the dielectric material portion on lengthwise sidewalls of the semiconductor fins. Selective epitaxy of semiconductor material is performed to grow raised active regions from sidewall surfaces of the semiconductor fins. Optionally, horizontal portions of the dielectric material portion may be removed prior to the selective epitaxy process. Further, the dielectric material portion may optionally be removed after the selective epitaxy process.

Abstract: A plurality of sacrificial gate structures is formed on substrate. A first set of sacrificial gate structures of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures contains a sacrificial spacer on sidewall surfaces thereof, and a second set of sacrificial gate structures of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures has bare sidewall surfaces. A dielectric spacer is provided to the first and second sets of sacrificial gate structures. Each sacrificial gate structure of the first and second sets is removed together with the sacrificial spacers providing first gate cavities in the area previously occupied by a sacrificial gate structure of the first set of sacrificial gate structures and the sacrificial spacer and second gate cavities in the area previously occupied by a sacrificial gate structure of the second set of sacrificial gate structures. A functional gate is formed in each of the first and second gate cavities.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises a transistor having a source/drain region within a substrate, an extension region within the substrate adjoining the source/drain region and extending toward a gate on the substrate, and a dielectric spacer against the gate wherein the dielectric spacer covers at least part of the extension region. A silicide intermix layer is formed over both the source/drain region and a portion of the extension region. A silicide contact is formed through the silicide intermix layer over the source/drain region.

Abstract: A replacement metal gate structure and methods of manufacturing the same is provided. The method includes forming at least one trench structure and forming a liner of high-k dielectric material in the at least one trench structure. The method further includes adjusting a height of the liner of high-k dielectric material. The method further includes forming at least one workfunction metal over the liner, and forming a metal gate structure in the at least one trench structure, over the at least one workfunction metal and the liner of high-k dielectric material.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises a transistor having a source/drain region within a substrate, an extension region within the substrate adjoining the source/drain region and extending toward a gate on the substrate, and a dielectric spacer against the gate wherein the dielectric spacer covers at least part of the extension region. A silicide intermix layer is formed over both the source/drain region and a portion of the extension region. A silicide contact is formed through the silicide intermix layer over the source/drain region.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises a transistor having a source/drain region within a substrate, an extension region within the substrate adjoining the source/drain region and extending toward a gate on the substrate, and a dielectric spacer against the gate wherein the dielectric spacer covers at least part of the extension region. A silicide intermix layer is formed over both the source/drain region and a portion of the extension region. A silicide contact is formed through the silicide intermix layer over the source/drain region.

Abstract: A replacement gate field effect transistor includes at least one self-aligned contact that overlies a portion of a dielectric gate cap. A replacement gate stack is formed in a cavity formed by removal of a disposable gate stack. The replacement gate stack is subsequently recessed, and a dielectric gate cap having sidewalls that are vertically coincident with outer sidewalls of the gate spacer is formed by filling the recess over the replacement gate stack. An anisotropic etch removes the dielectric material of the planarization layer selective to the material of the dielectric gate cap, thereby forming at least one via cavity having sidewalls that coincide with a portion of the sidewalls of the gate spacer. A portion of each diffusion contact formed by filling the at least one via cavity overlies a portion of the gate spacer and protrudes into the dielectric gate cap.

Abstract: A replacement metal gate structure and methods of manufacturing the same is provided. The method includes forming at least one trench structure and forming a liner of high-k dielectric material in the at least one trench structure. The method further includes adjusting a height of the liner of high-k dielectric material. The method further includes forming at least one workfunction metal over the liner, and forming a metal gate structure in the at least one trench structure, over the at least one workfunction metal and the liner of high-k dielectric material.

Abstract: A replacement gate field effect transistor includes at least one self-aligned contact that overlies a portion of a dielectric gate cap. A replacement gate stack is formed in a cavity formed by removal of a disposable gate stack. The replacement gate stack is subsequently recessed, and a dielectric gate cap having sidewalls that are vertically coincident with outer sidewalls of the gate spacer is formed by filling the recess over the replacement gate stack. An anisotropic etch removes the dielectric material of the planarization layer selective to the material of the dielectric gate cap, thereby forming at least one via cavity having sidewalls that coincide with a portion of the sidewalls of the gate spacer. A portion of each diffusion contact formed by filling the at least one via cavity overlies a portion of the gate spacer and protrudes into the dielectric gate cap.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a gate electrode for a gate of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), where the transistor has a structure incorporating a gate disposed on a substrate. The substrate comprises a source-drain region. The gate includes a gate electrode disposed on a gate dielectric and surrounded by a spacer. The gate electrode includes a capping layer of polysilicon (poly-Si) and a thin polycrystalline intermixed silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer superposed on the gate dielectric. The thin polycrystalline intermixed silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer may be formed by a high-temperature ultrafast melt-crystalization annealing process. The melt-crystallization process of the intermixed silicon-germanium provides an active dopant concentration that reduces the width of a depletion region formed at an interface of the polycrystalline intermixed silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer and the gate dielectric.

Abstract: A method removes the spacers from the sides of a transistor gate stack, and after the spacers are removed, the method implants an additional impurity into surface regions of the substrate not protected by the gate conductor (or alternatively just amorphizes these surface regions, without adding more impurity). The method then performs a laser anneal on the additional impurity (to activate the additional impurity) or amorphized regions (to recrystallize the amorphized regions). After this, permanent spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the gate conductor. Then, the surface regions of the substrate not protected by the gate conductor and the permanent spacers are silicided, to create silicide source/drain regions. This forms the silicide regions in the additional impurity or in the recrystallized amorphized regions to reduce the source/drain resistance by improving the active dopant concentration at the silicon-silicide interface.

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 CMOS FET device having an enhanced performance is described by taking advantage of known dual-stress-liner effects and by making use of compressive nitride in an appropriate geometric configuration to induce compressive stress in the n-FET channel, and a tensile stress in the p-FET. The stress enhancement is designed to be insensitive to PC pitch, and to increase by reducing the height of the polysilicon stack, such that scalability contributes to the stated performance improvement. The n-FET leverages higher stress values that are obtainable in the compressive liners to be greater than 3 GPa, compared to less than 1.5 GPa for tensile liners.