Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a metal gate layer over the substrate, a channel between a source region and a drain region in the substrate, and a ferroelectric layer, at least a portion of the ferroelectric layer is between the metal gate layer and the substrate, wherein the ferroelectric layer includes hafnium oxide-based material, the hafnium oxide-based material includes a first portion of hafnium oxide with orthorhombic phase, a second portion of hafnium oxide with monoclinic phase, and a third portion of the hafnium oxide with tetragonal phase, wherein a first volume of the first portion is greater than a second volume of the second portion, and the second volume of the second portion is greater than a third volume the third portion.

Abstract: A method for forming a crystalline high-k dielectric layer and controlling the crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the high-k dielectric layer during an anneal process. The crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer may be controlled using seeding sections of the dielectric layer serving as nucleation sites and using a capping layer mask during the anneal process. The location of the nucleation sites and the arrangement of the capping layer allow the orientation and phase of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer to be controlled during the anneal process. Based on the dopants and the process controls used the phase can be modified to increase the permittivity and/or the ferroelectric property of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a first gate dielectric stack over the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric stack includes a first ferroelectric layer, and a first dielectric layer coupled to the first ferroelectric layer, wherein the first ferroelectric layer includes a first portion made of a ferroelectric material in orthorhombic phase, a second portion made of the ferroelectric material in monoclinic phase, and a third portion made of the ferroelectric material in tetragonal phase, wherein a total volume of the second portion is greater than a total volume of the first portion, and the total volume of the first portion is greater than a total volume of the third portion.

Abstract: Negative capacitance field-effect transistor (NCFET) and ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FE-FET) devices and methods of forming are provided. The gate dielectric stack of the NCFET and FE-FET devices includes a non-ferroelectric interfacial layer formed over the semiconductor channel, and a ferroelectric gate dielectric layer formed over the interfacial layer. The ferroelectric gate dielectric layer is formed by inserting dopant-source layers in between amorphous high-k dielectric layers and then converting the alternating sequence of dielectric layers to a ferroelectric gate dielectric layer by a post-deposition anneal (PDA). The ferroelectric gate dielectric layer has adjustable ferroelectric properties that may be varied by altering the precisely-controlled locations of the dopant-source layers using ALD/PEALD techniques. Accordingly, the methods described herein enable fabrication of stable NCFET and FE-FET FinFET devices that exhibit steep subthreshold slopes.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first semiconductor channel region and a second semiconductor channel region, with the second semiconductor channel region overlapping the first semiconductor channel region, forming a first gate dielectric on the first semiconductor channel region, and forming a second gate dielectric on the second semiconductor channel region. A dipole dopant is incorporated into a first one of the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric to a higher atomic percentage, and a second one of the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric has a lower atomic percentage of the dipole dopant. A gate electrode is formed on both of the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric. The gate electrode and the first gate dielectric form parts of a first transistor, and the gate electrode and the second gate dielectric form parts of a second transistor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer conformally over a plurality of fins on a substrate, forming a first high-k layer conformally over the dielectric layer, and forming a flowable oxide over the first high-k layer. Forming the flowable oxide includes filling first trenches adjacent fins of the plurality of fins. The method further includes recessing the flowable oxide to form second trenches between adjacent fins of the plurality of fins, forming a second high-k layer over the first high-k layer and the flowable oxide, performing a planarization that exposes top surfaces of the plurality of fins, and recessing the dielectric layer to form a plurality of dummy fins that include remaining portions of the first and second high-k layers and the flowable oxide.

Abstract: Negative capacitance field-effect transistor (NCFET) and ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FE-FET) devices and methods of forming are provided. The gate dielectric stack includes a ferroelectric gate dielectric layer. An amorphous high-k dielectric layer and a dopant-source layer are deposited sequentially followed by a post-deposition anneal (PDA). The PDA converts the amorphous high-k layer to a polycrystalline high-k film with crystalline grains stabilized by the dopants in a crystal phase in which the high-k dielectric is a ferroelectric high-k dielectric. After the PDA, the remnant dopant-source layer may be removed. A gate electrode is formed over remnant dopant-source layer (if present) and the polycrystalline high-k film.

Abstract: A nano-crystalline high-k film and methods of forming the same in a semiconductor device are disclosed herein. The nano-crystalline high-k film may be initially deposited as an amorphous matrix layer of dielectric material and self-contained nano-crystallite regions may be formed within and suspended in the amorphous matrix layer. As such, the amorphous matrix layer material separates the self-contained nano-crystallite regions from one another preventing grain boundaries from forming as leakage and/or oxidant paths within the dielectric layer. Dopants may be implanted in the dielectric material and crystal phase of the self-contained nano-crystallite regions may be modified to change one or more of the permittivity of the high-k dielectric material and/or a ferroelectric property of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A method for forming a crystalline high-k dielectric layer and controlling the crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the high-k dielectric layer during an anneal process. The crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer may be controlled using seeding sections of the dielectric layer serving as nucleation sites and using a capping layer mask during the anneal process. The location of the nucleation sites and the arrangement of the capping layer allow the orientation and phase of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer to be controlled during the anneal process. Based on the dopants and the process controls used the phase can be modified to increase the permittivity and/or the ferroelectric property of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. An example method includes receiving a workpiece that includes a substrate, first channel members over a first region of the substrate, second channel members over a second region of the substrate, and third channel members over a third region of the substrate, depositing a first gate dielectric layer to wrap around each of the first channel members, each of the second channel members, and each of the third channel members, selectively depositing a first dipole layer to wrap around each of the third channel members, performing a first anneal process to drive a first dopant in the first dipole layer into the first gate dielectric layer around the third channel members, removing the first dipole layer, and after the removing, depositing a second gate dielectric layer to wrap around the first channel members, the second channel members, and the third channel members.

Abstract: A method includes forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor region, and depositing a first high-k dielectric layer over the oxide layer. The first high-k dielectric layer is formed of a first high-k dielectric material. The method further includes depositing a second high-k dielectric layer over the first high-k dielectric layer, wherein the second high-k dielectric layer is formed of a second high-k dielectric material different from the first high-k dielectric material, depositing a dipole film over and contacting a layer selected from the first high-k dielectric layer and the second high-k dielectric layer, performing an annealing process to drive-in a dipole dopant in the dipole film into the layer, removing the dipole film, and forming a gate electrode over the second high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: Dipole engineering techniques for stacked device structures are disclosed herein. According to various aspects of the present disclosure, an exemplary dipole engineering technique includes (1) forming at least two patterned dipole dopant source layers having different patterns and covering gate dielectric layers of some transistors, but not other transistors, (2) performing a thermal drive-in process (e.g., a dipole drive-in anneal), and (3) after removing the dipole dopant source layer, forming gate electrodes for the transistors, where a same gate electrode material is used for the transistors. Thickness(es) and/or material characteristics (e.g., dipole dopant) of the patterned dipole dopant source layers and/or parameters of the thermal drive-in process may be configured to achieve desired threshold voltages.

Abstract: A method for forming a crystalline high-k dielectric layer and controlling the crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the high-k dielectric layer during an anneal process. The crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer may be controlled using seeding sections of the dielectric layer serving as nucleation sites and using a capping layer mask during the anneal process. The location of the nucleation sites and the arrangement of the capping layer allow the orientation and phase of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer to be controlled during the anneal process. Based on the dopants and the process controls used the phase can be modified to increase the permittivity and/or the ferroelectric property of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method includes forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor region, and depositing a first high-k dielectric layer over the oxide layer. The first high-k dielectric layer is formed of a first high-k dielectric material. The method further includes depositing a second high-k dielectric layer over the first high-k dielectric layer, wherein the second high-k dielectric layer is formed of a second high-k dielectric material different from the first high-k dielectric material, depositing a dipole film over and contacting a layer selected from the first high-k dielectric layer and the second high-k dielectric layer, performing an annealing process to drive-in a dipole dopant in the dipole film into the layer, removing the dipole film, and forming a gate electrode over the second high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method includes providing first and second channel layers in NMOS and PMOS regions respectively of a substrate; depositing a first layer comprising hafnium oxide over the first and second channel layers; forming a first dipole pattern over the second channel layer and not over the first channel layer; driving a first metal from the first dipole pattern into the first layer by annealing; removing the first dipole pattern; depositing a second layer comprising hafnium oxide over the first layer and over the first and second channel layers; forming a second dipole pattern over the second layer and the first channel layer and not over the second channel layer; driving a second metal from the second dipole pattern into the second layer by annealing; removing the second dipole pattern; and depositing a third layer comprising hafnium oxide over the second layer and over the first and the second channel layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a first gate dielectric stack over the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric stack includes a first ferroelectric layer, and a first dielectric layer coupled to the first ferroelectric layer, wherein the first ferroelectric layer includes a first portion made of a ferroelectric material in orthorhombic phase, a second portion made of the ferroelectric material in monoclinic phase, and a third portion made of the ferroelectric material in tetragonal phase, wherein a total volume of the second portion is greater than a total volume of the first portion, and the total volume of the first portion is greater than a total volume of the third portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a first gate dielectric stack over the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric stack includes a first ferroelectric layer, and a first dielectric layer coupled to the first ferroelectric layer, wherein the first ferroelectric layer includes a first portion made of a ferroelectric material in orthorhombic phase, a second portion made of the ferroelectric material in monoclinic phase, and a third portion made of the ferroelectric material in tetragonal phase, wherein a total volume of the second portion is greater than a total volume of the first portion and the total volume of the first portion is greater than a total volume of the third portion.

Abstract: A method for forming a crystalline high-k dielectric layer and controlling the crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the high-k dielectric layer during an anneal process. The crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer may be controlled using seeding sections of the dielectric layer serving as nucleation sites and using a capping layer mask during the anneal process. The location of the nucleation sites and the arrangement of the capping layer allow the orientation and phase of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer to be controlled during the anneal process. Based on the dopants and the process controls used the phase can be modified to increase the permittivity and/or the ferroelectric property of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer conformally over a plurality of fins on a substrate, forming a first high-k layer conformally over the dielectric layer, and forming a flowable oxide over the first high-k layer. Forming the flowable oxide includes filling first trenches adjacent fins of the plurality of fins. The method further includes recessing the flowable oxide to form second trenches between adjacent fins of the plurality of fins, forming a second high-k layer over the first high-k layer and the flowable oxide, performing a planarization that exposes top surfaces of the plurality of fins, and recessing the dielectric layer to form a plurality of dummy fins that include remaining portions of the first and second high-k layers and the flowable oxide.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a metal gate layer over the substrate, a channel between a source region and a drain region in the substrate, and a ferroelectric layer, at least a portion of the ferroelectric layer is between the metal gate layer and the substrate, wherein the ferroelectric layer includes hafnium oxide-based material, the hafnium oxide-based material includes a first portion of hafnium oxide with orthorhombic phase, a second portion of hafnium oxide with monoclinic phase, and a third portion of the hafnium oxide with tetragonal phase, wherein a first volume of the first portion is greater than a second volume of the second portion, and the second volume of the second portion is greater than a third volume the third portion.