Patent ID: 7943479

Claim:
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor body having a surface comprising a first region, a second region and a border region disposed between the first region and second region, wherein the first region has a first crystal orientation associated therewith and the second region has a second crystal orientation associated therewith, wherein the first crystal orientation is different from the second crystal orientation; oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor body therein defining a sacrificial portion, wherein the sacrificial portion extends across the surface of the semiconductor body and has a predetermined thickness extending into the semiconductor body from the surface thereof, the oxidizing of the surface at least partially consuming defects associated with the semiconductor body; removing the sacrificial portion of the semiconductor body from the surface thereof; and forming a high-k metal gate stack on the first region of the semiconductor body, wherein the high-k metal gate stack comprises a high-k dielectric and a first metal layer of a predetermined thickness extending above the semiconductor body; wherein oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor body further comprises forming a step in the semiconductor body between the first region and the second region, wherein forming the step is based, at least in part, on a difference in a rate of oxidation of the surface between the first region and the second region, and wherein the step in the semiconductor body remains after the sacrificial portion is removed.