Patent ID: 7759205

Claim:
A method for producing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: fabricating a partially-completed semiconductor device including a substrate, a source/drain region in the substrate, a gate stack overlaying the substrate, and a sidewall spacer adjacent the gate stack; utilizing an anisotropic etch to remove an upper portion of the sidewall spacer while leaving intact a lower portion of the sidewall spacer overlaying the substrate; implanting ions in the source/drain region; implanting ions into the substrate to form a source/drain extension; and epitaxially growing a raised source/drain region adjacent the sidewall spacer, the step of epitaxially growing a raised source/drain region performed after the step of implanting ions into the substrate; and annealing the semiconductor device to activate the implanted ions, the step of annealing performed with the lower portion of the sidewall spacer intact to deter the ingress of oxygen into the substrate and minimize under-oxide regrowth proximate the gate stack.