LOW LEAKAGE CURRENT MOS TRANSISTOR
20250212456 ยท 2025-06-26
Inventors
Cpc classification
H10D30/6734
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
One aspect of the invention relates to a field effect transistor (3) comprising: a channel region (11); a source region (12) and a drain region (13); a gate structure (14) comprising: a gate dielectric layer (14b); a gate electrode (14a) with a first work function (W.sub.1); and a lateral gate conductor (14c) disposed at least against the flank of the gate electrode (14a) located on the side of the drain region (13), the lateral gate conductor (14c) extending to the gate dielectric layer (14b) in direct contact with the gate electrode (14a) and having a second work function (W.sub.2);
the second work function (W.sub.2) being: strictly greater than the first work function (W.sub.1) when the transistor is of type p; strictly lower than the first work function (W.sub.1) when the transistor is of type n.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a field effect transistor comprising a source region, a drain region and a channel region disposed between the source and drain regions, the method comprising: forming a gate stack on a semiconducting layer, the gate stack comprising a gate dielectric layer disposed on the semiconducting layer and a gate electrode separated from the semiconducting layer by the gate dielectric layer, the gate electrode being formed of a doped semiconductor material having a first work function, the gate electrode having a first flank to be on the side of the source region and a second flank to be on the side of the drain region; forming a sacrificial layer covering at least the second flank of the gate electrode; forming a spacer against at least the second flank of the gate electrode, the spacer being separated from the gate electrode by the sacrificial layer; partially etching the sacrificial layer so as to expose a part of the second flank of the gate electrode; depositing a metal layer at least onto the exposed part of the second flank of the gate electrode; performing annealing so as to react the metal with the doped semiconductor material of the gate electrode and transform a portion of the gate electrode into a lateral gate conductor extending to the gate dielectric layer in direct contact with a remaining portion of the gate electrode, the metal being selected such that the lateral gate conductor is formed of a second conductive material having a second work function, the second work function being: strictly greater than the first work function in the case of a p-type transistor; strictly lower than the first work function in the case of an n-type transistor.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial layer is deposited onto the semiconducting layer, the flanks of the gate electrode and an upper face of the gate electrode, the spacer being further separated from the semiconducting layer by the sacrificial layer.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of partially etching the sacrificial layer comprises the following operations of: etching an upper portion of the sacrificial layer disposed on the upper face of the gate electrode; performing over-etching of the sacrificial layer so as to etch a portion of the sacrificial layer located between the gate electrode and the spacer.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before the step of depositing the metal layer, a step of cleaning an exposed surface of the semiconducting layer, an upper face of the gate electrode and the exposed part of the second flank of the gate electrode, the cleaning step being carried out so as to continue etching the sacrificial layer between the gate electrode and the spacer.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer is further deposited onto an upper face of the gate electrode and onto exposed regions of the semiconducting layer located on either side of the gate stack and the spacer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0059] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear clearly from the description given below, by way of indicating and in no way limiting purposes, with reference to the appended figures, among which:
[0060]
[0061]
[0062]
[0063]
[0064]
[0065]
[0066] For greater clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0067] In the following description, the terms front, back, upper, lower, top, bottom, horizontal, vertical, lateral, etc. used to qualify the position or orientation of some elements refer to the orientation in
[0068]
[0069] Like the transistor 1 illustrated in
[0074] In this preferred embodiment, the transistor 3 is manufactured from a multilayer structure successively comprising a support layer, a so-called buried insulating layer and an active layer.
[0075] The support layer is preferably of a semiconductor material, for example silicon.
[0076] The buried insulating layer is preferably a buried oxide layer (or BOX layer), for example of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2). Its thickness is between 5 nm and 145 nm, for example.
[0077] The active layer (also called thin layer, device layer or upper layer) is of a semiconductor material, for example silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy. Its thickness is between 3 nm and 100 nm, for example.
[0078] The multilayer structure can especially be a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The transistor 3 is then referred to as an SOI transistor.
[0079] The channel region 11, the source region 12 and the drain region 13 are formed in the active layer of the multilayer structure. They rest on the insulating layer 16 (which corresponds to the buried insulating layer of the multilayer structure). These regions belong to the active zone of the transistor, which can be delimited laterally by electrical insulation trenches (not represented in
[0080] The channel region 11 can extend, in a direction perpendicular to a surface S of the multilayer structure, from the gate structure 14 to the insulating layer 16 and, in a plane parallel to this same surface S, from the source region 12 to the drain region 13. Thus the channel region 11 can have a thickness equal to that of the active layer. The source and drain regions 12-13 can also occupy the entire thickness of the active layer, as illustrated in
[0081] The source and drain regions 12-13 are n-type doped in the case of an n-type field effect transistor (nFET) and p-type doped in the case of a p-type field effect transistor (pFET). Each of the source and drain regions 12-13 comprises a high-doped region, that is, a region whose concentration of doping impurities (of donor type in an nFET and of acceptor type in a pFET) is greater than or equal to 10.sup.18 cm.sup.3, for example equal to 10.sup.20 cm.sup.3.
[0082] Each of the source and drain regions 12-13 may further comprise a low-doped region, commonly called an LDD (Low Doped Drain) extension, located between the channel region 11 and the high-doped region. The concentration of doping impurities in the LDD extensions is strictly lower than the concentration of doping impurities in the high-doped regions. For example, it is equal to 10.sup.19 cm.sup.3 when the concentration of doping impurities in the high-doped regions is equal to 10.sup.20 cm.sup.3.
[0083] The gate structure 14 comprises a gate electrode 14a and a gate dielectric layer 14b separating the gate electrode 14a from the channel region 11. The transistor 3 is therefore a MOSFET. The gate electrode 14a is formed of a first electrically conductive material having a first work function W.sub.1. This first conductive material may be a metal material such as titanium nitride (TiN) or tungsten (W), or doped polycrystalline silicon (equivalent to a metal in the meaning of the designation MOS). The gate dielectric layer 14b may be of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) or of a dielectric material having a higher dielectric constant than that of silicon dioxide (so-called high-k material). It can also comprise several sub-layers formed of different dielectric materials.
[0084] A feature of the transistor 3 is that the gate structure 14 further comprises a lateral gate conductor 14c disposed against at least one of the flanks (or lateral surfaces) of the gate electrode 14a. This lateral gate conductor 14c, also called lateral gate extension, preferably extends over the entire height of the gate electrode 14a. It is formed of a second electrically conductive material having a second work function W.sub.2 different from the first work function W.sub.1. The flank against which the lateral gate conductor 14c rests is located on the side of the drain region 13.
[0085] The lateral gate conductor 14c is preferably annular in shape and disposed around the gate electrode 14a. It is then disposed against all the flanks of the gate electrode 14a. Alternatively, the gate structure 14 can comprise two distinct lateral gate conductors 14c disposed against the two opposite flanks of the gate electrode 14a located on the side of the source region 12 and on the side of the drain region 13.
[0086] The second conductive material (and therefore the second work function W.sub.2) is selected so as to reduce the vertical electric field in proximity to at least the drain region 13, and preferably in proximity to the source and drain regions 12-13, when the transistor 3 is biased at gate-source voltage V.sub.GS values being negative in the case of an nFET and positive in the case of a pFET. Thus the generation of electron-hole pairs by band-to-band tunneling, which causes the GIDL current, is decreased.
[0087] The gate structure 14 comprising the lateral gate conductor (or lateral gate conductors) 14c may overlap the source and drain regions 12-13, that is, partially cover them. The effect of decreasing the GIDL current is then particularly strong.
[0088] The second conductive material is preferably a compound of semiconductor material and one or more metal elements, such as a silicide (compound of silicon and one or more metal elements). Alternatively, the second conductive material may be a metal material (that is, comprising one or more metals) or doped polycrystalline silicon.
[0089]
[0090]
[0091] This figure shows that the drain current I.sub.D at a positive voltage V.sub.GS (in other words, the drain current of the pFET in the off state) decreases as the second work function W.sub.2 increases and becomes lower than that of the reference transistor (Ref curve) when the second work function W.sub.2 exceeds the value of the first work function W.sub.1.
[0092] In other words, when the transistor 3 is of the pFET type, a second work function W.sub.(2) strictly greater than the first work function W.sub.1 enables the GIDL current to be decreased.
[0093] By way of example, when the first conductive material (gate electrode 14a) is selected from titanium nitride (TiN)(W.sub.14.6 eV), tungsten (W) (W.sub.14.7 eV) and n-doped polycrystalline silicon (W.sub.14.0 eV), the second conductive material is advantageously selected from nickel silicides (4.6 eVW.sub.24.8 eV) and platinum silicides (5.16 eVW.sub.25.25 eV).
[0094] Similarly,
[0095] This figure shows that the drain current I.sub.D at a negative voltage V.sub.GS (in other words the drain current of the nFET in the off state) decreases as the second work function W.sub.2 decreases and becomes lower than that of the reference transistor (Ref curve) when the second work function W.sub.2 becomes strictly lower than the first work function W.sub.1.
[0096] Thus, when the transistor 3 is of the nFET type, a second work function W.sub.(2) strictly lower than the first work function Wi enables the GIDL current to be decreased.
[0097] By way of example, when the first conductive material (gate electrode 14a) is selected from titanium nitride (TiN)(W.sub.1=4.6 eV), tungsten (W)(W.sub.14.7 eV) and p-doped polycrystalline silicon (W.sub.15.2 eV), the second conductive material is advantageously selected from titanium silicides (for example, W.sub.24.0 eV for TiSi.sub.2) and tantalum silicides (ex. W.sub.24.2 eV for TaSi.sub.2).
[0098] In order to obtain a significant decrease in the GIDL current, the second work function W.sub.2 is advantageously: [0099] greater than or equal to 110% of the first work function W.sub.1 when the transistor is of the pFET type; and [0100] lower than or equal to 90% of the first work function W.sub.1 when the transistor is of the nFET type.
[0101] As illustrated in
[0102] The lateral gate conductor 14c has a cross-section of width I which can be between 1 nm and 30 nm, for example equal to 10 nm or 20 nm. The width I of the lateral gate conductor 14c is measured in parallel to the surface S of the multilayer structure in the section plane of
[0103] Under the gate electrode 14a and the lateral gate conductor 14c, the gate dielectric layer 14b advantageously has a constant thickness, from one flank of the gate structure 14 to the other (or from the source region 12 to the drain region 13). The thickness of the gate dielectric layer 14b is, for example, between 2 nm and 20 nm.
[0104] The transistor 3 may also comprise a back gate 15 separated from the channel region 11 by the insulating layer 16. The back gate 15, also called the ground plane, is located under the insulating layer 16, facing the channel region 11. It acts as a second gate. By varying the electrical potential of the back gate 15, it is possible to (dynamically) modulate the threshold voltage of the transistor 3 and consequently its on-state resistance (RON).
[0105] The back gate 15 is formed of a doped semiconductor material. It preferably belongs to a doped semiconducting region called a well, extending beyond the active region of the transistor 3 (that is, beyond the electrical insulation trenches; see
[0106] This well can be formed by implanting doping impurities into the support layer of the multilayer structure. The well can be n-type or p-type doped. The back gate 15 may have a higher concentration of doping impurities than the remaining part of the well.
[0107] Finally, the transistor 3 may comprise a spacer 17 disposed against one or more flanks of the gate structure 14, and preferably all around the gate structure 14. This spacer 17 may be in direct contact with the gate dielectric layer 14b and the lateral gate conductor 14c, and preferably in direct contact with the source and drain regions 12-13. It is formed of a dielectric material such as silicon nitride (SiN). Alternatively, it can be separated from the lateral gate conductor 14c and the source and drain regions 12-13 by a dielectric material layer.
[0108] In an alternative embodiment not represented by the figures, the transistor 3 is manufactured from a bulk semiconductor substrate, for example of silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy. The transistor 3 then differs from that represented by
[0109] The GIDL current of a MOSFET transistor on a bulk substrate is also decreased by the use of the lateral gate conductor 14c having a different work function (W.sub.2) from that of the gate electrode 14a.
[0110] A preferred mode of implementation of a method for manufacturing the transistor 3 will now be described with reference to
[0111] The first step S1, represented by
[0112] Forming the gate stack 14 may especially comprise depositing a dielectric layer onto the semiconducting layer 30, depositing a layer of doped semiconductor material onto the dielectric layer, etching the layer of doped semiconductor material to delimit the gate electrode 14a and, preferably, etching the dielectric layer through the gate electrode 14a to delimit the gate dielectric layer 14b. As these operations are conventional, they will not be described in greater detail herein.
[0113] And then, in step S2 of
[0114] As illustrated in
[0115] In S3 (see
[0118] When the sacrificial layer 31 has been deposited onto the semiconducting layer 30, the spacer 17 is further separated from the semiconducting layer 30 by the sacrificial layer 31 (see
[0119] Anisotropic etching is advantageously selective relative to the sacrificial layer 31 (the sacrificial layer 31 therefore serves as an etching stop layer).
[0120] During step S4, represented by
[0121] This etching step S4 may comprise two successive operations: a first operation of etching the upper portion of the sacrificial layer 31, with a stop on the upper face of the gate electrode 14a, and a second operation of over-etching the sacrificial layer 31, to etch a portion located between the gate electrode 14a and the spacer 17. The portion of the sacrificial layer 31 disposed on the semiconducting layer and not covered by the spacer 17 is etched at the same time as the upper portion, during the first operation.
[0122] By way of example, the sacrificial layer 31 is etched anisotropically by means of a fluorocarbon plasma, and then by wet etching in a hydrofluoric acid (HF) bath, with over-etching lower than or equal to 30%. The sacrificial layer 31 can also be etched only by plasma etching.
[0123] With reference to
[0124] Such cleaning is in particular useful when the gate electrode 14a is of polycrystalline silicon. It makes it possible to continue etching the sacrificial layer 31 while limiting the consumption of the gate electrode 14a (and of the semiconducting layer 30, if necessary). Cleaning therefore has etching selectivity (of the sacrificial layer 31 with respect to the gate electrode 14a) greater than etching in the preceding step S4.
[0125] Cleaning further enables impurities or contaminants to be removed from the surface of the semiconducting layer 30 and the gate electrode 14a, in preparation for subsequent steps of the method.
[0126] Cleaning can be carried out wetly (for example by means of a hydrofluoric acid solution in the case of a sacrificial layer 31 of SiO.sub.2) or drily (for example by means of the Siconi method in the case of a sacrificial layer 31 of SiO.sub.2).
[0127] The following steps S6 and S7 of
[0128] In S6 (see
[0129] Finally, in S7 (see
[0130] The metal of the metal layer 32 is selected so that the metal-semiconductor compound of the lateral gate conductor 14c has a work function W.sub.2 different from the work function W.sub.1 of the gate electrode 14a (strictly greater or strictly lower than the work function W.sub.1 according to the type of transistor, pFET or nFET respectively).
[0131] After the step S4 of partially etching the sacrificial layer 31, and the cleaning step S5 if necessary, the exposed part of the flanks of the gate electrode 14a extends over a height h.sub.1 such that the lateral gate conductor 14c obtained at the end of step S7 extends to the gate dielectric layer 14b (see
[0132] When the metal layer 32 has been further deposited in direct contact with the upper face of the gate electrode 14a and regions of the semiconducting layer 30, on either side of the gate stack 14 and the spacer 17, electrically conductive zones 33 are obtained at the same time as the lateral gate conductor 14c, respectively for making electrical contact of the gate electrode 14a and the source and drain regions 12-13.
[0133] A portion of the metal layer 32 may not have reacted during annealing (this is especially the case for the portion of the metal layer 32 disposed on the spacer 17, in the case of a full plate deposit). This remaining portion of the metal layer 32 is then removed after annealing.
[0134] The manufacturing method also comprises a step of forming the source and drain regions 12-13 in two distinct regions of the semiconducting layer 30, preferably by (ion) implantation of doping impurities, the remaining (non-implanted) portion of the semiconducting layer 30 then forming the channel region 11 of the transistor 3 (this step therefore also makes it possible to delimit the channel region 11).
[0135] This step of forming the source and drain regions 12-13 is carried out after the step S3 of forming the spacer 17, preferably before the step S4 of etching the sacrificial layer 31 (ion implantation is therefore performed through the sacrificial layer).
[0136] The manufacturing method may also comprise, in the case of a multilayer structure, a step of forming a back gate 15 under the buried insulating layer 16, preferably by implanting doping impurities (ions) into the support layer of the multilayer structure. This step of forming the back gate 15 is carried out before the step S1 of forming the gate stack 14.
[0137] As these other manufacturing steps are conventional, they will not be described in more detail.
[0138] The manufacturing method described above in relation to
[0139] Numerous alternatives and modifications to the manufacturing method will become apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the sacrificial layer 31 and the spacer 17 can only be formed against a part of the flanks of the gate electrode, and especially against a single flank, that has to be on the side of the drain region (as a result of which the lateral gate conductor 14c is disposed against this single flank).