Gate Insulator Structure Constructed Of Diverse Dielectrics (e.g., Mnos, Etc.) Or Of Nonsilicon Compound Patents (Class 438/216)
  • Publication number: 20090050965
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating film; a channel region formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate below the gate electrode; an epitaxial crystal layer containing a conductive impurity, which is formed sandwiching the channel region and has a function as a source region and a drain region, and formed on a recess in the semiconductor substrate; and a growth suppressing portion formed on the recess in the semiconductor substrate, and configured to suppress an epitaxial growth of a crystal in the epitaxial layer from the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Hiroki OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7494879
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method for forming a gate insulating layer, which may include forming a device isolation layer being divided into a device active region and a device isolation region, growing a first oxide layer at an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate as a gate insulating layer, performing a first annealing process to form a diffusion barrier layer an interface between the first oxide layer and the device active region, etching and removing a first oxide layer and a diffusion barrier layer of the core power source wiring region by masking the input/output power source wiring region, growing a second oxide layer on the core power source wiring region, and performing a second annealing process to form an NO gate oxide layer on which an N-rich oxide layer at an interface of the core power source wiring region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Seong Lee
  • Publication number: 20090039434
    Abstract: FET device structures are disclosed with the PFET and NFET devices having high-k dielectric gate insulators and metal containing gates. The metal layers of the gates in both the NFET and PFET devices have been fabricated from a single common metal layer. Due to the single common metal, device fabrication is simplified, requiring a reduced number of masks. Also, as a further consequence of using a single layer of metal for the gates of both type of devices, the terminal electrodes of NFETs and PFETs can be butted to each other in direct physical contact. Device thresholds are adjusted by the choice of the common metal material and oxygen exposure of the high-k dielectric. Threshold values are aimed for low power consumption device operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Eduard Albert Cartier, Barry Paul Linder, Vijay Narayanan, Vamsi Paruchuri
  • Publication number: 20090039433
    Abstract: An apparatus, and method of manufacture thereof, comprising a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first gate electrode having a first metal layer forming a first trench and a second metal layer filling the first trench, wherein the first and second metal layers have substantially different metallic compositions. The second semiconductor device includes a second gate electrode having a third metal layer forming a second trench and a fourth metal layer filling the second trench, wherein the third and fourth metal layers have substantially different metallic compositions, and wherein the first and third metal layers have substantially different metallic compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Chih Yang, Chien-Liang Chen, Chii-Horng Lee, Harry Chuang
  • Patent number: 7488640
    Abstract: A structure (e.g., field effect transistor) and a method for making the structure, include a substrate having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region therebetween, an insulating layer disposed over the channel region, the insulating layer including a layer including aluminum nitride disposed over the channel region, and a gate electrode disposed over the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nestor A. Bojarczuk, Jr., Eduard Cartier, Supratik Guha, Lars-Ake Ragnarsson
  • Patent number: 7482623
    Abstract: An organic semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed directly on the substrate , gate insulating film formed directly on the gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed directly on the gate insulating film, an organic semiconductor layer formed directly on the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a voltage control layer disposed directly between the gate insulating film and the organic semiconductor layer and directly contacting the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the voltage control layer gives an ambipolar characteristic to the organic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Nishikawa, Yoshihiro Iwasa, Shin-ichiro Kobayashi, Taishi Takenobu
  • Patent number: 7482223
    Abstract: A process provides a gate dielectric layer of a first thickness for a memory array and for certain peripheral circuits on the same substrate as the memory array. High-voltage peripheral circuits are provided with a gate dielectric layer of a second thickness. Low-voltage peripheral circuits are provided with a gate dielectric layer of a third thickness. The process provides protection from subsequent process steps for a gate dielectric layer. Shallow trench isolation allows the memory array cells to be extremely small, thus providing high storage density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Higashitani, Tuan Pham
  • Patent number: 7482206
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate electrode on the substrate and source and drain electrodes disposed at respective sides of the gate electrode. The device further includes a nano-line passing through the gate electrode and extending into the source and drain electrodes and having semiconductor characteristics. The nano-line may include a nano-wire and/or a nano-tube. A gate insulating layer may be interposed between the nano-line and the gate electrode. The source and drain electrodes may be disposed adjacent respective opposite sidewalls of the gate electrode, and the gate insulating layer may be further interposed between the source and drain electrodes and the gate electrode. Fabrication methods for such devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Jae Baik, In-Seok Yeo, Sang-Sig Kim, Ki-Hyun Kim, Dong-Young Jeong
  • Patent number: 7479425
    Abstract: Structures and methods of fabricating of a floating gate non-volatile memory device. In a first example embodiment, We form a bottom tunnel layer comprised of a lower oxide tunnel layer and a upper hafnium oxide tunnel layer; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide and a top blocking layer preferably comprised of a lower hafnium oxide storage layer and an upper oxide storage layer. We form a gate electrode over the top blocking layer. We pattern the layers to form a gate structure and form source/drain regions to complete the memory device. In a second example embodiment, we form a floating gate non-volatile memory device comprised of: a bottom tunnel layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide; a top blocking layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; and a gate electrode. The embodiments also comprise anneals and nitridation steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Ltd
    Inventors: Chew Hoe Ang, Dong Kyun Sohn, Liang Choo Hsia
  • Publication number: 20090014778
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes bit line diffusion layers extending along the X direction in an upper portion of a semiconductor substrate; and gate structures extending along the Y direction on the semiconductor substrate and each including a charge trapping film and a gate electrode. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device further includes a first interlayer insulating film in which first contacts respectively connected to the bit line diffusion layers are formed; and second contacts that penetrate through a UV blocking film and a second interlayer insulating film formed on the first interlayer insulating film and have bottom faces respectively in contact with the first contacts and top faces respectively in contact with metal interconnections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Koichi Kawashima, Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7473591
    Abstract: Various methods for forming a layer of strained silicon in a channel region of a device and devices constructed according to the disclosed methods. In one embodiment, a strain-inducing layer is formed, a relaxed layer is formed on the strain-inducing layer, a portion of the strain-inducing layer is removed, which allows the strain-inducing layer to relax and strain the relaxed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Cea, Ravindra Soman, Ramune Nagisetty, Sunit Tyagi, Sanjay Natarajan
  • Patent number: 7473640
    Abstract: A method, and corresponding transistor structure are provided for protecting the gate electrode from an underlying gate insulator. The method comprises: forming a gate insulator overlying a channel region; forming a first metal barrier overlying the gate insulator, having a thickness of less than 5 nanometers (nm); forming a second metal gate electrode overlying the first metal barrier, having a thickness of greater than 10 nm; and, establishing a gate electrode work function exclusively responsive to the second metal. The second metal gate electrode can be one of the following materials: elementary metals such as p+ poly, n+ poly. Ta, W, Re, RuO2, Pt, Ti, Hf, Zr, Cu, V, Ir, Ni, Mn, Co, NbO, Pd, Mo, TaSiN, and Nb, and binary metals such as WN, TaN, and TiN. The first metal barrier can be a binary metal, such as TaN, TiN, or WN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Conley, Jr., Yoshi Ono, Wei Gao
  • Publication number: 20080308872
    Abstract: An NFET containing a first high-k dielectric portion and a PFET containing a second high-k gate dielectric portion are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A gate sidewall nitride is formed on the gate of the NFET, while the sidewalls of the PFET remain free of the gate sidewall nitride. An oxide spacer is formed directly on the sidewalls of a PFET gate stack and on the gate sidewall nitride on the NFET. After high temperature processing, the first and second dielectric portions contain a non-stoichiometric oxygen deficient high-k dielectric material. The semiconductor structure is subjected to an anneal in an oxygen environment, during which oxygen diffuses through the oxide spacer into the second high-k dielectric portion. The PFET comprises a more stoichiometric high-k dielectric material and the NFET comprises a less stoichiometric high-k dielectric material. Threshold voltages of the PFET and the NFET are optimized by the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Huiming Bu, Eduard A. Cartier, Bruce B. Doris, Young-Hee Kim, Barry Linder, Vijay Narayanan, Vamsi K. Paruchuri, Michelle L. Steen
  • Patent number: 7462533
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a memory cell includes forming a stacked insulating layer, and a lower conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate, patterning the lower conductive layer and the insulating layer to form a gap region, forming a gate insulating layer on exposed surfaces of the semiconductor substrate and the lower conductive layer in the gap region, forming a gate pattern on the gate insulating layer for filling the gap region, the gate pattern protruded upward to have sidewall portions exposed above the lower conductive layer, forming an upper sidewall pattern on each exposed sidewall portion of the gate pattern, patterning the lower conductive layer and the insulating layer to form a lower sidewall pattern and a charge storage layer under each upper sidewall pattern, wherein the gate pattern and each upper sidewall pattern are used as an etching mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hwang Kim, Hee-Seog Jeon
  • Patent number: 7462532
    Abstract: A high voltage metal oxide semiconductor device comprising a substrate, an N-type epitaxial layer, an isolation structure, a gate dielectric layer, a gate, an N-type drain region, a P-type well, an N-type source region, a first N-type well and a buried N-doped region is provided. The first N-type well is disposed in the N-type epitaxial layer under the isolation structure and on one side of the gate. The first N-type well overlaps with the N-type drain region. The buried N-doped region is disposed in the substrate under the N-type epitaxial layer and connected to the first N-type well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Hua Lee, Ming-I Chen
  • Publication number: 20080290416
    Abstract: A layer of P-metal material having a work function of about 4.3 or 4.4 eV or less is formed over a high-k dielectric layer. Portions of the N-metal layer are converted to P-metal materials by introducing additives such as O, C, N, Si or others to produce a P-metal material having an increased work function of about 4.7 or 4.8 eV or greater. A TaC film may be converted to a material of TaCO, TaCN, or TaCON using this technique. The layer of material including original N-metal portions and converted P-metal portions is then patterned using a single patterning operation to simultaneously form semiconductor devices from both the unconverted N-metal sections and converted P-metal sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Hua Yu, Liang-Gi Yao, Cheng-Tung Lin
  • Patent number: 7452767
    Abstract: A method of forming a CMOS structure, and the device produced therefrom, having improved threshold voltage and flatband voltage stability. The inventive method includes the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having an nFET region and a pFET region; forming a dielectric stack atop the semiconductor substrate comprising an insulating interlayer atop a high k dielectric; removing the insulating interlayer from the nFET region without removing the insulating interlayer from the pFET region; and providing at least one gate stack in the pFET region and at least one gate stack in the nFET region. The insulating interlayer can be AlN or AlOxNy. The high k dielectric can be HfO2, hafnium silicate or hafnium silicon oxynitride. The insulating interlayer can be removed from the nFET region by a wet etch including a HCl/H2O2 peroxide solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nestor A. Bojarczuk, Jr., Cyril Cabral, Jr., Eduard A. Cartier, Matthew W. Copel, Martin M. Frank, Evgeni P. Gousev, Supratik Guha, Rajarao Jammy, Vijay Narayanan, Vamsi K. Paruchuri
  • Publication number: 20080274625
    Abstract: A dielectric film containing Zr—Sn—Ti—O and methods of fabricating such a dielectric film produce a reliable dielectric layer having an equivalent oxide thickness thinner than attainable using SiO2. Films of Zr—Sn—Ti—O may be formed in a self-limiting growth process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Kie Y. Ahn, Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 7435640
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a gate structure is provided. First, a sacrificial oxide layer is formed on a substrate. A nitridation treatment process is performed to redistribute the nitrogen atoms in the sacrificial layer and the substrate and produce a concentration profile such that the concentration of nitrogen progressively increases and then decreases toward the substrate with the maximum concentration of nitrogen in the sacrificial oxide layer. Next, the sacrificial oxide layer is removed. A re-oxidation process is performed to produce an interface layer on the surface of the substrate. A high K (dielectric constant) gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer and a metal layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. The metal layer, the barrier layer, the high K gate dielectric layer and the interface layer are defined to form a stacked gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yun-Ren Wang, Ying-Wei Yen, Shu-Yen Chan, Kuo-Tai Huang
  • Patent number: 7436036
    Abstract: A PMOS transistor of a semiconductor device exhibiting improved characteristics, a semiconductor device incorporating the same, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The PMOS transistor incorporates a first gate insulation film formed in a predetermined region on a semiconductor substrate and comprising a hafnium-based oxide, a second gate insulation film formed on the first gate insulation film for shielding reaction between hafnium and silicon, and a gate conductive film formed on the second gate insulation film and comprising polysilicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jung Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 7432216
    Abstract: The technique capable of reducing the power consumption in the MISFET by suppressing the scattering of the carriers due to the fixed charges is provided. A silicon oxynitride film with a physical thickness of 1.5 nm or more and the relative dielectric constant of 4.1 or higher is formed at the interface between a semiconductor substrate and an alumina film. By so doing, a gate insulator composed of the silicon oxynitride film and the alumina film is constituted. The silicon oxynitride film is formed by performing a thermal treatment of a silicon oxide film formed on the semiconductor substrate in a NO or N2O atmosphere. In this manner, the fixed charges in the silicon oxynitride film are set to 5×1012 cm?2 or less, and the fixed charges in the interface between the silicon oxynitride film and the alumina film are set to 5×1012 cm?2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamoto, Shinichi Saito, Shimpei Tsujikawa
  • Patent number: 7432147
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises: forming a device isolation, a first conductivity type region, and a second conductivity type region on a semiconductor substrate; depositing a gate insulating film on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a first metal film on the gate insulating film; forming a region of a second metal film so as to cover a region that forms a gate electrode of the first conductivity type region; removing the first metal film exposed outside the region of the second metal film by wet etching to expose the gate insulating film; forming a third metal film on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate; depositing a protecting film on the third metal film; and patterning the first metal film, the second metal film, the third metal film, and the protecting film to form the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasushi Akasaka
  • Patent number: 7432139
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure, the method including forming in a processing chamber a dielectric layer over a substrate; and subsequently forming, in the same processing chamber and without removing the substrate therefrom, an electrode layer directly over and in contact with the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: AmberWave Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew T. Currie
  • Publication number: 20080237604
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are CMOS devices and semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating them. The CMOS device can include a substrate including a first active region and a second active region and a first transistor device over the first active region, wherein the first transistor device includes a high-K layer over the first active region, a first dielectric capping layer on the high-K layer, and a first metal gate layer over the first dielectric capping layer. The CMOS device can also include a second transistor device over the second active region, wherein the second transistor device includes a high-K layer over the second active region, a second dielectric capping layer on the second high-K layer, and a second metal gate layer over the second dielectric capping layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Husam Niman Alshareef, Manuel Quevedo-Lopez
  • Patent number: 7429506
    Abstract: A method of forming a compound semiconductor device comprises forming a gate insulator layer overlying a compound semiconductor substrate, defining an active device region within the compound semiconductor substrate, forming ohmic contacts to the compound semiconductor substrate proximate opposite sides of the active device region, and forming a gate metal contact electrode on the gate insulator layer in a region between the ohmic contacts. The ohmic contacts having portions thereof that overlap with portions of the gate insulator layer within the active device region. The overlapping portions ensure an avoidance of an undesirable gap formation between an edge of the ohmic contact and a corresponding edge of the gate insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Passlack
  • Publication number: 20080230842
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a high-K gate dielectric layer includes a p-type well that is formed in an upper layer of a silicon substrate. Arsenic ions are implanted into an extreme surface layer of the p-type well and a heat treatment is performed to form a p-type low-concentration layer. A HfAlOx film and a polycrystalline silicon layer are laminated on the substrate. A gate electrode is formed by patterning the polycrystalline silicon layer. After a n-type extension region is formed by implanting arsenic ions by using the gate electrode as a mask, sidewall spacers are formed on sides of the gate electrode. Arsenic ions are implanted by using the sidewall spacers and the gate electrode as masks, whereby n-type source/drain regions are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Hiroshi Oji
  • Publication number: 20080233694
    Abstract: A CMOS device includes high k gate dielectric materials. A PMOS device includes a gate that is implanted with an n-type dopant. The NMOS device may be doped with either an n-type or a p-type dopant. The work function of the CMOS device is set by the material selection of the gate dielectric materials. A polysilicon depletion effect is reduced or avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Hong-Jyh Li
  • Publication number: 20080233693
    Abstract: A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device includes an NMOS thin body channel including a silicon epitaxial layer. An NMOS insulating layer is formed on a surface of the NMOS thin body channel and surrounds the NMOS thin body channel. An NMOS metal gate is formed on the NMOS insulating layer. The CMOS device further includes a p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor including a PMOS thin body channel including a silicon epitaxial layer. A PMOS insulating layer is formed on a surface of and surrounds the PMOS thin body channel. A PMOS metal gate is formed on the PMOS insulating layer. The NMOS insulating layer includes a silicon oxide layer and the PMOS insulating layer includes an electron-trapping layer, the NMOS insulating layer includes a hole trapping dielectric layer and the PMOS insulating layer includes a silicon oxide layer, or the NMOS insulating layer includes a hole-trapping dielectric layer and the PMOS insulating layer includes an electron-trapping dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Sung-young Lee, Sung-min Kim, Sung-dae Suk, Eun-jung Yun
  • Patent number: 7427537
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a system-on-chip structure in which a DRAM and a logic integrated circuit are mixedly mounted on a chip, a silicide layer is formed on the surfaces of the source and the drain of a MISFET of a direct peripheral circuit of the DRAM, the surfaces of the source and the drain of a MISFET of an indirect peripheral circuit of the DRAM, and the surfaces of the source and the drain of a MISFET of the logic integrated circuit, and the silicide layer is not formed on the surfaces of the source and the drain of a memory cell selective MISFET of the memory cell of the DRAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Takafumi Tokunaga, Makoto Yoshida, Fumio Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 7422944
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a first circuit formed on the substrate, and a second circuit connected to the first circuit as an input/output portion thereof and powered by a voltage higher than that for the first circuit, the first circuit including a first and a second field-effect transistor, the first drain region of the first transistor accompanying a first load capacitance, the second drain region of the second transistor accompanying a second load capacitance smaller than the first load capacitance, and the first gate insulation film of the first transistor having an average relative dielectric constant higher than that of the second gate insulation film of the second transistor, thereby realizing a high operation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mizuki Ono, Akira Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7416933
    Abstract: Complementary transistors and methods of forming the complementary transistors on a semiconductor assembly are described. The transistors are formed with an optional interfacial oxide, such as SiO2 or oxy-nitride, to overlay a semiconductor substrate which will be conductively doped for PMOS and NMOS regions. Then a dielectric possessing a high dielectric constant of least seven or greater (also referred to as a high-k dielectric) is deposited on the interfacial oxide. The high-k dielectric is covered with a thin monolayer of metal oxide (i.e., aluminum oxide, Al2O3) that is removed from the NMOS regions, but remains in the PMOS regions. The resulting NMOS transistor diffusion regions contain predominately metal to silicon bonds that create predominately Fermi level pinning near the valence band while the resulting PMOS transistor diffusion regions contain metal to silicon bonds that create predominately Fermi level pinning near the conduction band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald A. Weimer
  • Patent number: 7410857
    Abstract: After an ONO film in which a silicon nitride film (22) formed by a plasma nitriding method using a plasma processor having a radial line slot antenna is sandwiched by silicon oxide films (21), (23), a bit line diffusion layer (17) is formed in a memory cell array region (11) by an ion implantation as a resist pattern (16) taken as a mask, then lattice defects are given to the silicon nitride film (22) by a further ion implantation. Accordingly, a highly reliable semiconductor memory device can be realized, in which a high quality nitride film is formed in a low temperature condition, in addition, the nitride film can be used as a charge trap film having a charge capture function sufficiently adaptable for a miniaturization and a high integration which are recent demands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC.
    Inventors: Masahiko Higashi, Manabu Nakamura, Kentaro Sera, Hiroyuki Nansei, Yukihiro Utsuno, Hideo Takagi, Tatsuya Kajita
  • Patent number: 7411305
    Abstract: A structure for improving the electrostatic discharge robustness of an integrated circuit having an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and a receiver network connected to a pad by interconnects. The interconnect between the pad and the ESD device has a high-k material placed adjacent to at least one surface of the interconnect and extending over the thermal diffusion distance of the interconnect. The high-k material improves the critical current density of the interconnect by increasing the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the interconnect. The high-k material can be placed on the sides, top and/or bottom of the interconnect. In multiple wire interconnects, the high-k material is placed between the wires of the interconnect. A low-k material is placed beyond the high-k material to reduce the capacitance of the interconnect. The combination of low-k and high-k materials provides an interconnect structure with improved ESD robustness and low capacitance that is well suited for an ESD device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 7407850
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates semiconductor fabrication by providing methods of fabrication that employ high-k dielectric layers. An n-type well region (304) is formed within a semiconductor body (302). A threshold voltage adjustment implant is performed by implanting a p-type dopant into the n-type well region to form a counter doped region (307). A high-k dielectric layer (308) is formed over the device (300). A polysilicon layer (310) is formed on the high-k dielectric layer and doped n-type. The high-k dielectric layer (308) and the polysilicon layer (310) are patterned to form polysilicon gate structures. P-type source/drain regions (306) are formed within the n-type well region (304).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ramesh Venugopal, Christoph Wasshuber, David Barry Scott
  • Patent number: 7405120
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a gate insulator and a thin film transistor (“TFT”) incorporating the gate insulator, including forming an oxygen-containing, conductive gate on a substrate; forming a gate insulator material layer on the substrate so as to cover the gate; and applying a heat treatment so as to diffuse oxygen from the oxygen-containing gate layer into the gate insulating material layer thereby forming the gate insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-nyeon Lee, Ick-hwan Ko
  • Patent number: 7405119
    Abstract: A system and method for a sidewall SONOS memory device is provided. An electronic device includes a non-volatile memory. A substrate includes source/drain regions. A gate stack is directly over the substrate and between the source/drain regions. The gate stack has a sidewall. A nitride spacer is formed adjacent to the gate stack. A first oxide material is formed directly adjacent the spacer. An oxide-nitride-oxide structure is formed between the spacer and the gate stack. The oxide-nitride-oxide structure has a generally L-shaped cross-section on at least one side of the gate stack. The oxide-nitride-oxide structure includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The vertical portion is substantially aligned with the sidewall and located between the first oxide material and the gate sidewall. The horizontal portion is substantially aligned with the substrate and located between the first oxide and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tzyh-Cheang Lee, Fu-Liang Yang, Jiunn-Ren Hwang, Tsung-Lin Lee
  • Publication number: 20080176368
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an nMISFET formed on the substrate, the nMISFET including a first dielectric formed on the substrate and a first metal gate electrode formed on the first dielectric and formed of one metal element selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, Sc, Y, a lanthanoide and actinide series and of one selected from boride, silicide and germanide compounds of the one metal element, and a pMISFET formed on the substrate, the pMISFET including a second dielectric formed on the substrate and a second metal gate electrode formed on the second dielectric and made of the same material as that of the first metal gate electrode, at least a portion of the second dielectric facing the second metal gate electrode being made of an insulating material different from that of at least a portion of the first dielectric facing the first metal gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Reika Ichihara, Yoshinori Tsuchiya, Masato Koyama, Akira Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7402490
    Abstract: To manufacture a memory device, a gate dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor body and a gate electrode layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer is structured to form a gate electrode with sidewalls. An etching process is performed to remove parts of the gate dielectric layer from beneath the gate electrode on opposite sides of the gate electrode. Boundary layers, e.g., oxide layers, are formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor body and a lower surface of the gate electrode adjacent where the gate dielectric has been removed thereby leaving spaces. Charge-trapping layer material can then be deposited to fill the spaces. Source and drain regions are then formed in the semiconductor body adjacent the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Mikolajick, Hans Reisinger, Josef Willer, Corvin Liaw
  • Publication number: 20080169512
    Abstract: A non-planar tri-gate p-MOS transistor structure with a strained channel region and a non-planar tri-gate integrated strained complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) structure are described. A relaxed Si1-x Gex layer is formed on the silicon-on-isolator (SOI) substrate. The relaxed Si1-x Gex layer is patterned and subsequently etched to form a fin on the oxide. The compressively stressed Si1-y Gey layer, having the Ge content y higher than the Ge content x in the relaxed Si1-x Gex layer, is epitaxially grown on the fin. The Si1-y Gey layer covers the top and two sidewalls of the fin. The compressive stress in the Si1-y Gey layer substantially increases the hole mobility in a channel of the non-planar tri-gate p-MOS transistor structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Brian S. Doyle, Suman Datta, Been-Yih Jin, Nancy M. Zelick, Robert Chau
  • Patent number: 7399668
    Abstract: A method of making an electronic device by (a) depositing a substantially nonfluorinated polymeric layer onto a dielectric layer using a plasma-based deposition technique selected from the group consisting of (i) plasma polymerizing a precursor comprising monomers, and (ii) sputtering from a target comprising one or more polymers of interpolymerized units of monomers, the monomers being selected from the group consisting of aromatic monomers, substantially hydrocarbon monomers, and combinations thereof; and (b) depositing an organic semiconductor layer adjacent to said polymeric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Dunbar, Tommie W. Kelley
  • Patent number: 7396748
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate and a MOSFET provided on the semiconductor substrate, the MOSFET including a gate insulating film and a gate electrode provided on the gate insulating film, wherein the gate insulating film has a higher dielectric constant in a side contacting the semiconductor substrate than in a side contacting the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mariko Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 7390719
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a dual gate is formed on a substrate having a dielectric layer. A first metallic conductive layer is formed on the dielectric layer to a first thickness, and annealed to have a reduced etching rate. A second metallic conductive layer is formed on the first metallic conductive layer to a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. A portion of the second metallic conductive layer formed in a second area of the substrate is removed using an etching selectivity. A first gate structure having a first metallic gate including the first and the second metallic conductive layers is formed in a first area of the substrate. A second gate structure having a second metallic gate is formed in the second area. A gate dielectric layer is not exposed to an etching chemical due to the first metallic conductive layer, so its dielectric characteristics are not degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taek-Soo Jeon, Yu-Gyun Shin, Sang-Bom Kang, Hag-Ju Cho, Hye-Lan Lee, Sang-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 7387927
    Abstract: A metal layer is formed on a dielectric layer, which is formed on a substrate. After forming a masking layer on the metal layer, the exposed sides of the dielectric layer are covered with a polymer diffusion barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Turkot, Jr., Justin K. Brask, Jack Kavalieros, Mark L. Doczy, Matthew V. Metz, Uday Shah, Suman Datta, Robert S. Chau
  • Patent number: 7381619
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having dual work-function structures, such as dual work-function gate electrodes of transistors. In the preferred embodiment in which NMOS and PMOS transistors are formed on a semiconductor device, the transistors are initially formed with a dummy gate electrode and a dummy dielectric layer. The dummy gate electrode and dummy dielectric layers are removed. A gate dielectric layer and a first electrode layer are formed. A nitridation process is performed on the NMOS transistor to reduce the work function of the gate electrode. A second electrode layer is then formed on the first electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Wang, Yu-Shen Lai
  • Patent number: 7381608
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is described. That method comprises adding nitrogen to a silicon dioxide layer to form a nitrided silicon dioxide layer on a substrate. After forming a sacrificial layer on the nitrided silicon dioxide layer, the sacrificial layer is removed to generate a trench. A high-k gate dielectric layer is formed on the nitrided silicon dioxide layer within the trench, and a metal gate electrode is formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Justin K. Brask, Sangwoo Pae, Jack Kavalieros, Matthew V. Metz, Mark L. Doczy, Suman Datta, Robert S. Chau, Jose A. Maiz
  • Publication number: 20080124857
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for forming it are described. The semoiconductor device comprises a metal NMOS gate electrode that is formed on a first part of a substrate, and a silicide PMOS gate electrode that is formed on a second part of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Justin K. Brask, Mark L. Doczy, Jack Kavalieros, Matthew V. Metz, Chris E. Barns, Uday Shah, Suman Datta, Christopher D. Thomas, Robert S. Chau
  • Publication number: 20080116530
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate and first and second transistors. The first transistor may have a first gate structure on the semiconductor substrate, and the first gate structure may include a first gate insulating layer between a first gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate. The first gate insulating layer may include first and second dielectric materials with the second dielectric material having a greater dielectric constant than the first dielectric material. Moreover, the first gate electrode may be in contact with the second dielectric material. The second transistor may have a second gate structure on the semiconductor substrate, with the second gate structure including a second gate insulating layer between a second gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate. Related methods are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Sang-jin Hyun, Si-young Choi, In-sang Jeon, Sang-bom Kang, Hye-min Kim
  • Patent number: 7374635
    Abstract: A gate insulation film (104) of a MISFET (100) is constituted of a silicon oxide film (106), silicon nitride film (107), and high-permittivity film (108). The silicon oxide film (106) and silicon nitride film (107) are formed by microwave plasma processing with a radial line slot antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigemi Murakawa, Toshikazu Kumai, Toshio Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7374991
    Abstract: In a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory device and a method of manufacturing the same, a SONOS memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer deposited on the semiconductor substrate, an active layer formed on a predetermined region of the insulating layer and divided into a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, a first side gate stack formed at a first side of the channel region, and a second side gate stack formed at a second side of the channel region opposite the first side of the channel region. In the SONOS memory device, at least two bits of data may be stored in each SONOS memory device, thereby allowing the integration density of the semiconductor memory device to be increased without increasing an area thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-il Ryu, Jo-won Lee, Se-wook Yoon, Chung-woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7374998
    Abstract: A device and method for selective placement of charge into a gate stack includes forming gate stacks including a gate dielectric adjacent to a transistor channel and a gate conductor and forming doped regions for transistor operation. A layer rich in a passivating element is deposited over the doped regions and the gate stack, and the layer rich the passivating element is removed from selected transistors. The layer rich in the passivating element is than annealed to drive-in the passivating element to increase a concentration of charge at or near transistor channels on transistors where the layer rich in the passivating element is present. The layer rich in the passivating element is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Michael Hergenrother, Zhibin Ren, Dinkar Virendra Singh, Jeffrey William Sleight