Process for making a MCSFET

A process for making a MCSFET includes providing a first implant through a first side of an elongated stack, and then providing a second implant through a second side of the stack. The first implant has a dose different than the dose of the second implant, so that final dopant concentrations in the first and second sides differ and the transistor has two threshold voltages Vt1, Vt2.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to commonly-owned co-pending patent application Ser. No. 11/969,981 filed on Jan. 7, 2008, entitled “SRAM DEVICE AND SRAM DEVICE DESIGN STRUCTURE, WITH ADAPTABLE ACCESS TRANSISTORS”, by Xu Ouyang, et al. (hereinafter “Related Patent Application”).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memory devices and, more particularly, to processes for making a MCSFETs (Multiple Conduction State Field Effect Transistors) useful, for example, as adaptable access transistors for Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) devices.

Referring toFIGS. 1Aand B, in the known 6 transistor (6T) SRAM cell that is widely used in the industry today, read and write operations have different requirements for access transistors (pass gates N3,N4). During the read operation, a pull-down transistor (e.g., N1) is fighting with the access transistor (e.g., N3) to pull a bitline BL voltage level down. Therefore, a strength of the access transistor N3should be less than that of the pull-down transistor N1. During the write operation, the access transistor (e.g., N3) is fighting with a pull-up transistor P1to pull the internal node down. Therefore, a strength of the access transistor N3should be more than that of the pull-up transistor P1. To satisfy requirements of both the read and write operations, the access transistor N3strength must be suitably between those of the pull-up and the pull-down transistors P1,N1. The same rationale applies to the access transistor N4and the pull-up and pull-down transistors P2,N2. However, as integrated circuit (IC) scaling continues to progress (e.g., shrink), it becomes increasingly challenging for IC designers and manufacturers to control the variations in SRAM circuits. Thus, it is increasingly difficult to control access transistor strength to be suitably between those of the pull-up and the pull-down transistors.

Various 6T and other SRAM devices, their methods of operation and processes for their manufacture are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,061, LOADLESS NMOS FOUR TRANSISTOR DYNAMIC DUAL VT SRAM CELL, filed Aug. 27, 2003, to Bhavnagarwala et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,978, SRAM MEMORIES AND MICROPROCESSORS HAVING LOGIC PORTIONS IMPLEMENTED IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE SILICON SUBSTRATES AND SRAM ARRAY PORTIONS HAVING FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS WITH LINKED BODIES AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME, filed Jan. 19, 2005, to Joshi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,295,458, EIGHT TRANSISTOR SRAM CELL WITH IMPROVED STABILITY REQUIRING ONLY ONE WORD LINE, filed Jan. 18, 2006, to Chan et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,809, STABLE MEMORY WITH HIGH MOBILITY CELL DEVICES, filed May 13, 2005, to Joshi, which are all hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference.

Various other techniques have been proposed in the prior art to address the difficult challenge. See for instance, in “2005Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers”, page 128-129, the paper titled “Stable SRAM Cell Design for the 32 nm Node and Beyond” which describes an 8-transistor SRAM cell to address the problem mentioned previously. However, the 8-transistor SRAM design requires additional transistors, word-lines, and bit-lines, and therefore seems significantly to increase the area of the SRAM and to add process complexity.

Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,127 by Nagahashi et al. which describes a semiconductor memory having different read and write word line voltage levels. However, the choice of word line voltage levels is limited by device reliability and various other circuit and technology concerns. Therefore, its advantage seems to be limited.

Further, multiple conduction state field effect transistors (MCSFETs) are known. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0273393, by Chidambarrao et al., STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR HAVING MULTIPLE CONDUCTION STATES, filed Jun. 7, 2005, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

See also U.S. Pat. No. 7,123,529 by Hanson et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,242,239 by Hanson et al. The '393 Publication, and the '529 and '239 patents are all hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference.

The multiple-conduction state FET (“MCSFET”) is similar to known FETs in that it has an essentially non-conductive state when a gate to source voltage applied to the MCSFET does not exceed a first threshold voltage. The MCSFET also has a fully conductive state when the gate to source voltage is above a second threshold voltage or “final threshold voltage” that enables the MCSFET to be fully conductive. The fully conductive state is defined as a level in which an inversion layer forms in the channel region as a result of the voltage applied between the gate and the source of the MCSFET.

However, unlike ordinary FETs, the first threshold voltage and the final threshold voltage have different values. When the gate to source voltage is between the first threshold voltage and the final threshold voltage the MCSFET has another conductive state in which the MCSFET is turned on, but conducts a relatively low amount of current. At that time, the MCSFET conducts a current having a magnitude which is, for example, ten or more times smaller than the current conducted when the MCSFET exceeds the final threshold voltage level. Here, when the gate to source voltage is at such level, the MCSFET is turned on, in that an inversion layer forms in a part of the channel region as a result of the voltage applied between the gate and the source of the MCSFET. The difference is that when the gate to source voltage is above the final threshold voltage and the MCSFET is in the second conductive state, the inversion layer of the MCSFET extends within a larger part of the channel region so as to turn on a larger part of the transistor. Thus, a predetermined part of the MCSFET smaller than the entire MCSFET becomes fully conductive when the gate to source voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage, and a remaining predetermined part of the MCSFET becomes fully conductive when the gate to source voltage exceeds the second or “final” threshold voltage level.

In particular known embodiments, the MCSFET is fabricated in such way that the transistor has one threshold voltage for a first part of the width of the transistor channel, and has a higher threshold voltage for the remaining part of the transistor channel width. For example, the transistor can have a gate oxide that varies in thickness between the two parts of the transistor channel width, and conditions in which threshold voltage implants are conducted in the two parts of the transistor channel can be varied in order to achieve the desired difference in threshold voltages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors believe that improvements in processes for fabricating a MCSFET can be achieved if, for example, a first implant for a first threshold voltage (Vt1) is provided through the first side of a gate stack facing in a first direction and a second implant for a second threshold voltage (Vt2) is provided through a second side of the gate stack facing in a second direction, the first direction differing from the second direction by approximately 180°. The second implant creates a dopant concentration in the second sidewall which is at least approximately eight to approximately ten times greater than a dopant concentration created by the first implant in the first sidewall. A further preferred embodiment includes providing a Si1-x Cx layers onto the first and second sides of the gate stack. A still further preferred embodiment includes providing a metallic layer onto the first and second sides of the gate stack. The metallic layers (such as LaO layers) assist Vt modulation.

Preferred embodiments of processes for fabricating a MCSFET are disclosed and claimed herein, with references particularly toFIGS. 6-11.

Further preferred embodiments are shown, for example, with reference toFIGS. 12-14, and toFIGS. 15-20.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is principal object of the present invention to provide a process for making or fabricating an MCSFET.

Further and still other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent when the detailed description is taken in conjunction with the following drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE

Hereinafter will be described the details of one or more preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth in the Related Patent Application, and then details of one or more preferred embodiments for making or fabricating a MCSFET according to the present invention.

SRAM Device with MCSFETs as Access Transistors:

Referring now toFIG. 2, a 6T SRAM device10includes a pair of MCSFETs N3′ and N4′ connected as access transistors. Of course, as is understood by those skilled in the art, the SRAM device10per se may exclude voltage sources for generating the biasing voltages VDD and signal and line voltages BL, BLC, WL. Each access transistor N3′,N4′ has dual Vt's (Vt1,Vt2) in this SRAM cell (device): half of the transistor device can be turned on at Vt1, while the other half can be turned on at Vt2. The SRAM10is fabricated by any known MCSFET and MOSFET fabrication processes, which need not be further discussed. For such fabrication processes, see, for example, the textVLSI Technologyby S. M. Sze, second edition (McGraw Hill Pub. Company, 1988, TK7874.V566 1988, ISBN 0-07-062735-5). For several various known MCSFETs and applications, see the patent publication and patents previously incorporated by reference.

Alternatively, the SRAM10, and more particularly the access transistor N3′ or N4′ is fabricated according to a preferred process embodiment of the present invention. Such process embodiment is shown and described hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 6-11. Alternative preferred process embodiments according to the present invention are shown and described with reference toFIGS. 12-14and toFIGS. 15-20.

During a read operation as shown inFIG. 2, a wordline (WL) voltage is set to a level between Vt1and Vt2, and then only partial of the transistor (e.g., N3′) with Vt1is turned on—which makes the transistor weak. During a write operation, a wordline voltage (WL) is set to a level which is higher than Vt2. Therefore, the entire transistor (e.g., N3′) is turned on which makes the transistor N3′ strong with a large drivability. Because the strength of access transistors N3′,N4′ can be adaptively changed by the applied wordline voltage depending on read or write operations, the soft failures related to both read and write operations are believed significantly reduced. Also, because each of the access transistors is still a “single” transistor, although each has dual threshold voltages Vt1,Vt2, the transistors N3′,N4′ do not occupy significant additional area compared with regular (e.g., non-MCSFETs) access transistors. This is believed to be a significant advantage compared with the known 6-transistor SRAM as shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 3shows an alternative embodiment without MCSFETs. Here, each dual-Vt access transistor is replaced by two separate regular access transistors N3″,N4″ connected in parallel, each having a different Vt (voltage threshold) as shown. This SRAM design has the same advantage of reducing soft failures during read and write operations as the SRAM design inFIG. 2, and it can be fabricated without any additional material process steps because the access transistors here are purely regular (MOSFET) transistors. However, in the embodiment ofFIG. 3, the SRAM cell size is slightly larger than that of a conventional 6-transistor SRAM because it has 8 transistors. However, its size is still smaller than that of a conventional 8-transistor SRAM proposed, for example, by Chang et al. (discussed in the background section) because no additional word-lines or bit-lines are needed.

A circuit design of a word-line voltage control circuit to provide two voltages during read and write cycles (operations) is shown inFIG. 4.FIG. 4shows a schematic circuit diagram illustrating one preferred implementation of the word line voltage control circuit11connected to the SRAM device (cell)10having MCFETs N4′. A switch block is used to select either a Write-WL voltage during a write operation or a Read-WL voltage during a read operation. The corresponding voltage level is fed to the word-line (or WL) via a word-line driver. A decoder is connected as shown. The various elements of the circuit11can be readily realized by those skilled in the art with suitable conventional components tailored to suit the SRAM cell10. Other designs and implementations have also been described in various technical literatures.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention as set forth in the Related Patent Application, which can be fabricated for a 45 nm technology node, Vt1is approximately (±10%) 0.35V, Vt2is approximately 0.8V, and VDD is, for example, approximately 1 volt.

FIG. 5shows a block diagram of an exemplary design flow900used for example, in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and/or test. Design flow900may vary depending on the type of IC being designed. For example, a design flow900for building an application specific IC (ASIC) may differ from a design flow900for designing a standard component. Design structure920is preferably an input to a design process910and may come from an IP provider, a core developer, or other design company or may be generated by the operator of the design flow, or from other sources. Design structure or structures920comprises an embodiment as shown, for example, inFIG. 11Ahereinafter described, in the form of schematics or HDL, a hardware-description language (e.g., Verilog, VHDL, C, etc.). Design structure920may be contained on one or more machine readable medium. For example, design structure920may be a text file or a graphical representation of an embodiment of the invention as shown inFIG. 2. Design process910preferably synthesizes (or translates) an embodiment of the invention as shown inFIG. 2into a netlist980, where netlist980is, for example, a list of wires, transistors, logic gates, control circuits, I/O, models, etc. that describes the connections to other elements and circuits in an integrated circuit design and recorded on at least one of machine readable medium. For example, the medium may be a CD, a compact flash, other flash memory, a packet of data to be sent via the Internet, or other networking suitable means. The synthesis may be an iterative process in which netlist980is resynthesized one or more times depending on design specifications and parameters for the circuit.

Design process910may include using a variety of inputs; for example, inputs from library elements930which may house a set of commonly used elements, circuits, and devices, including models, layouts, and symbolic representations, for a given manufacturing technology (e.g., different technology nodes, 32 nm, 45 nm, 90 nm, etc.), design specifications940, characterization data950, verification data960, design rules970, and test data files985(which may include test patterns and other testing information). Design process910may further include, for example, standard circuit design processes such as timing analysis, verification, design rule checking, place and route operations, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit design can appreciate the extent of possible electronic design automation tools and applications used in design process910without deviating from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Design process910preferably translates an embodiment of the invention as shown in, for example, inFIG. 2or inFIG. 11A, along with any additional integrated circuit design or data (if applicable), into a second design structure990. Design structure990resides on a storage medium in a data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits and/or symbolic data format (e.g. information stored in a GDSII (GDS2), GL1, OASIS, map files, or any other suitable format for storing such design structures). Design structure990may comprise information such as, for example, symbolic data, map files, test data files, design content files, manufacturing data, layout parameters, wires, levels of metal, vias, shapes, data for routing through the manufacturing line, and any other data required by a semiconductor manufacturer to produce an embodiment of the invention as shown inFIG. 2. Design structure990may then proceed to a stage995where, for example, design structure990: proceeds to tape-out, is released to manufacturing, is released to a mask house, is sent to another design house, is sent back to the customer, etc.

Process for Making a MCSFET

A first preferred embodiment of a process according to the present invention is now shown and described with reference toFIGS. 6-11. Second and third preferred embodiments are shown inFIGS. 12-14and15-20, respectively.

In step one as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B, provide a substrate10having formed thereon an elongated stack including a silicon portion12provided with a pad oxide14and a pad nitride16disposed on the pad oxide14. The substrate10is, for example, bulk silicon, but may be a silicon-on-insulator or other suitable substrate. The pad oxide14preferably is formed, for example, by known thermal oxidation techniques and has a substantially uniform thickness or height in a range from approximately (∓10%) 3 nm to approximately 10 nm, while the pad nitride16is conventionally formed by, for example, CVD deposition and has a substantially uniform thickness in a range of approximately of 60 nm to approximately 120 nm. In one preferred embodiment, the Si portion12of the stack has a height H of approximately a depth of a hole H for a shallow trench isolation (STI) region which is approximately 200 nm to approximately 300 nm and has a width W the same as the SRAM access transistor (which is typically NFET). The width is approximately 50 nm to approximately 100 nm.

The substrate10is etched conventionally to form STI holes H. STI techniques are well known by those skilled in the art. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first implant20A is provided through a sidewall12A and then a second implant20B is provided through a sidewall12B. Each implants is effected through know angled implant techniques. Suitable masks (not known) may be used to cover portions of the structure (FIG. 6B) which are not to be implanted. These implants contain suitable dopants such as N+ or P+ dopants. A final concentration of the first dopant from the first implant is different than a final concentration of the second dopant from the second implant. The first and second implants are a appropriately tilted and the species can be arsenic or boron. Each implant angle is dictated by avoiding a shadow effect from implant masks (not shown), and it ranges from approximately 15 deg to approximately 45 deg. The implant energy is controlled to achieve an implant depth of about 10 nm-about 35 nm. The dopant concentration sidewalls in12A,12B is about 1018cm−3and 1019cm−3, respectively. The sidewall12A faces in a direction that is approximately 180° different from a direction in which the sidewall12B faces.

FIG. 6Bis a top schematic view of multiple transistors (cells) showing the direction of the view ofFIG. 6A.

In a step2, the holes H are filled conventionally with, for example, a high density plasma (HDP) oxide18, and then planarized (e.g., CMP) with the pad nitride. SeeFIG. 7AandFIG. 7B.

In a step3, portions of the oxide18are removed (e.g., suitably etched) to form cavities C adjacent to the stack12,14,16. A depth D is determined, for example, by etch time. Preferably, the depth D is approximately 20 nm to approximately 80 nm, and is substantially uniform. SeeFIG. 8AandFIG. 8B.

In a step4, the pad nitride16and the pad oxide14are conventionally removed by, for example, a suitable wet etch. Then, a gate dielectric22such as SiON or a high-k dielectric is formed on the stack12as shown inFIG. 9AandFIG. 9B. The formation of the gate dielectric is effected by conventional deposition techniques well known by those skilled in the art. Preferably the layer22has a substantially uniform thickness of approximately 3 nm. However, the thickness can be in a range of approximately 1.2 nm to approximately 3.5 nm.

In a step5, a polysilicon layer25is deposited preferably onto the entire intermediate structure and then planarized (e.g., CMP) as shown schematically inFIG. 10AandFIG. 10B.

In step6, source (s) and drain (d) regions S, D are conventionally formed and located as shown inFIG. 11B. The source and drain regions are formed, for example, by suitable N+ FOR NFET or P+ implants for PFET as would well understood by those skilled in the art: in view of the instant specification and figures. The intermediate structure is then patterned by conventional techniques to form a final MCSFET structure30shown inFIG. 11AandFIG. 11B. The source (S), drain (D) and gate (g) are shown inFIG. 11B. The present inventive process is readily compatible with existing CMOS manufacturing processes.

The resulting structures is then further processed conventionally (patterning, etc.)

FIGS. 12,13and14show a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Steps1,2and3are the same as those for embodiment one, except for a lesser depth D of the material181; SeeFIG. 12.

In a step four side layers121including Si are provided on to the sidewalls12A,12B as shown inFIG. 13. The layers121are Si1-xGexor Si1-xCxlayers, and are selectively grown on the sidewalls12A,12B epitaxially by known techniques. Preferably, x for the Ge is in a range of approximately 10% to approximately 40%, while x for the C is in a range of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%. Preferably, the layers have a substantially uniform thickness of approximately 2 nm.

In a step five, the layers14,16are removed (e.g., etched) conventionally. In a step six, a high-k dielectric layer (e.g., HfOx) having a substantially uniform thickness in a range of approximately 1.2 nm to approximately 3.5 nm is deposited conventionally over the intermediate structure. In a step seven, a gate electrode layer such as a polysilicon or a metal (e.g., TiN) is deposited onto high-k dielectric layer, to result in the structure shown inFIG. 14. Source and drain regions are formed conventionally after, for example, gate patterning. The structure is then processed conventionally.

FIGS. 15-20show a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Steps one, two and three are the same as those for embodiment one, except for a lesser depth D of the material181. SeeFIG. 15. In a step four remove the layers14,16; SeeFIG. 16. In a step five, deposit a Vt modulation layer such as LaO having a substantially uniform thickening in a range of approximately one angstroms to approximately ten angstroms.

In a step six deposit a sacrificial layer such as a nitride or an oxide having a thickness in a range of approximately 25 nm to approximately 60 nm. SeeFIG. 17.

In a step seven, anisotopically etch the sacrificial layer to form spacer SP on the sides of the Vt modulation layer; SeeFIG. 18.

In a step eight, remove portions of the modulation layer not covered by the spacers SP, by either conventional dry or wet etch, and then remove the spacers SP by for example, etch. SeeFIG. 19.

In a step nine, deposit a high-k dielectric layer such as HfOxhaving a thickness of approximately 1.2 nm to approx 3 nm, and then deposit a gate electrode material such as polysilicon or TiN over the structure, all as shown inFIG. 20. Thereafter, proceed conventionally (patterning, etc.).

While the present invention has been particularly described in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the present description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.