Patent ID: 9466492
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor circuit, the method comprising: obtaining a semiconductor structure having a first gate stack and a second gate stack, each containing material layers that include a high-k dielectric layer, the first gate stack including a work-function conductor layer, and the second gate stack including a work-function conductor layer; oxidizing in a lateral manner (i) the high-k dielectric layer of the first gate stack, such that an oxygen content of the high-k dielectric layer of the first gate stack increases first at sidewalls of the high-k dielectric layer of the first gate stack, and (ii) the high-k dielectric layer of the second gate stack, such that an oxygen content of the high-k dielectric layer of the second gate stack increases first at sidewalls of the high-k dielectric layer of the second gate stack; and fabricating (i) a n-type field effect transistor from the first gate stack after laterally oxidizing at least the high-k dielectric layer of the first gate stack, and (ii) a p-type field effect transistor from the second gate stack after laterally oxidizing at least the high-k dielectric layer of the second gate stack; wherein the oxidizing comprises: