Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to electronic circuits, and more specifically to fabrication and structure of field-effect transistors with asymmetrical threshold voltages. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The continuing popularity of portable electronic devices presents manufacturers with significant challenges. Increasing capability of electronic devices is moderated by considerations of cost, size, weight, and battery life. These considerations have increasingly resulted in higher levels of semiconductor integration. Thus, portable electronic devices frequently embed memory, control, signal processors, and other circuit functions on a single integrated circuit. Further optimization of these portable electronic devices dictates even greater reduction in geometric feature sizes and spaces between these geometric features. Shrinking feature sizes require lower supply voltages to limit maximum electric fields. Transistor leakage must be minimized to reduce standby current and prolong battery life. Even with lower supply voltages, however, special considerations are required for reliable device operation. 
     One problem of source/drain resistance was addressed by Yamazaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,888, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Therein, Yamazaki discloses a disadvantage of symmetrical lightly doped drain (LDD) transistors in a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. Yamazaki discloses that hot carrier reliability only depends on the drain structure and not the source structure. Yamazaki also discloses that a source LDD region may limit on current of the transistor and require a greater channel length. Yamazaki discloses a method of masking the source region of the transistor during the LDD implant to produce an asymmetrical transistor with only a drain LDD implant. 
     A problem of punch through with short channel lengths was addressed by Wang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,204, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Punch through occurs when source and drain depletion regions of a field effect transistor extend across the channel. Under these conditions, the overlying control gate can no longer control current flow between the source and drain. Pocket implants were previously used to locally increase bulk concentration in the channel region of the field effect transistor, thereby limiting depletion region width and resulting punch through. Pocket implants in the drain region, however, limited drive current and increased threshold voltage. Wang et al. disclosed that punch through could be effectively curtailed with an asymmetrical pocket implant adjacent the source of the field effect transistor. Wang et al. further disclose a method of blocking the pocket implant at the drain of the field effect transistor with a mask pattern in close proximity to the control gate of the field effect transistor. The close proximity of the mask pattern selectively blocks the angled pocket implant but permits implantation of source/drain zones without the need for additional masking steps. 
     Lien, U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,452, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Lien applied an angled pocket implant to a static random access memory (SRAM) cell to solve a different problem. Referring to  FIG. 1A , there is a schematic diagram of an SRAM cell  100  of the prior art disclosed by Lien as  FIG. 2 . The SRAM cell includes a latch formed by load resistors  101  and  102  and N-channel drive transistors  103  and  104 . The latch is connected between positive supply voltage Vdd  112  and ground or Vss  114 . The supply voltage levels Vdd and Vss are also referred to as high and low levels, respectively, for simplicity. Storage nodes  116  and  118  of the latch are connected to bitlines  108  and  110  by access transistors  105  and  106 , respectively. 
     Lien disclosed two conflicting modes of operation of the SRAM cell. During write-disturb mode the SRAM cell of  FIG. 1A  is not accessed and the wordline  120  is low. Storage nodes  116  and  118  are low and high, respectively, and complementary bitline  110  is low. Under this condition, access transistor  106  has significant subthreshold leakage. Lien discloses a high threshold voltage, therefore, is desirable to limit subthreshold leakage when storage node  118  is high and bitline  110  is low. During read mode bitlines  108  and  110  are both initially high and wordline  120  is high. When the latch storage nodes  116  and  118  are low and high, respectively, Lien discloses an advantage to a low threshold voltage on access transistor  106 . This low threshold voltage of access transistor  106  provides a higher voltage at storage node  118  and, therefore, a greater gate voltage at drive transistor  103 . Thus, Lien discloses an advantage of a low threshold voltage of access transistor  106  when bitline  110  is positive with respect to storage node  118  in read mode. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , there is a cross section of N-channel access transistor  106  of the prior art as disclosed by Lien at  FIG. 3 . The access transistor  106  includes N+ source/drain region  118  connected to storage node  118  and N+ source/drain region  110  connected to bitline  110 . An N-type lightly doped region  132  extends from N+ source/drain region  118  into the channel region under control gate  134 . A P-type pocket implant  130  encloses N+source/drain region  110 . When the N+ drain  118  is positive with respect to N+source  110 , Lien discloses access transistor  106  has a high threshold voltage. Alternatively, when the N+ drain  110  is positive with respect to N+ source  118 , access transistor  106  has a low threshold voltage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method of fabricating an SRAM cell with reduced susceptibility to read and write failures. The method comprises fabricating asymmetrical pass transistors in the SRAM cell. The fabrication of asymmetrical pass transistors comprises forming a dielectric region on a surface of a substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate region having a length and a width is formed on the dielectric region. Source and drain extension regions having a second conductivity type are formed in the substrate on opposite sides of the gate region. A first pocket impurity region having a first concentration and the first conductivity type is formed only on the storage-node side of the gate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing features of the present invention may be more fully understood from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a diagram of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell of the prior art; 
         FIG. 1B  is a cross sectional view of prior art access transistor  106  of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a six-transistor static random access memory cell that may advantageously use the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a layout diagram of an array of four memory cells as in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a layout diagram of the array of four memory cells of  FIG. 2  with an N-channel implant mask; 
         FIG. 4B  is the layout diagram of  FIG. 4A  showing features under the implant mask for clarity; 
         FIG. 5A  is cross section of an N-channel transistor showing a pocket implant of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a drain-to-source surface concentration profile of the transistor of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6  is another embodiment of the layout diagram of  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 7  is yet another embodiment of the layout diagram of  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a layout diagram of a memory cell as in  FIG. 2  in horizontal orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles on N-channel access transistors; 
         FIG. 8B  is a layout diagram of a memory cell as in  FIG. 2  in vertical orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles on N-channel access transistors; 
         FIG. 9A  is a layout diagram of a transistor in horizontal orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles rotated by 45 degrees with respect to  FIG. 10A ; 
         FIG. 9B  is a layout diagram of a transistor in vertical orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles rotated by  45  degrees with respect to  FIG. 10A ; 
         FIG. 10A  is an exemplary cross section diagram showing the effect of implant tilt angle for an edge of a single transistor; 
         FIG. 10B  is an exemplary cross section diagram showing the effect of implant tilt angle for edges of adjacent transistors; 
         FIG. 11  is a graph showing the minimum resist thickness required to block a pocket implant as a function of the resist CD and the pocket angle for a 190 nm opening between gates and with 35 nm overlay error; 
         FIG. 12  is a graph showing the minimum resist thickness required to block a pocket implant as a function of the resist CD and the pocket angle for a 190 nm opening between gates and with 25 nm overlay error; 
         FIG. 13  is a graph showing the minimum resist thickness required to block a pocket implant as a function of the resist CD and the pocket angle for a 220 nm opening between gates and with 25 nm overlay error; 
         FIG. 14  is a graph showing the minimum LDD clearance for various resist CD&#39;s, gate-to-gate opening spaces, and overlay specifications; and 
         FIG. 15  is a block diagram of a wireless telephone as an example of a portable electronic device which could advantageously employ the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , there is a block diagram of a wireless telephone as an example of a portable electronic device which could advantageously employ this invention. The wireless telephone includes antenna  1700 , radio frequency transceiver  1702 , baseband circuits  1710 , microphone  1706 , speaker  1708 , keypad  1720 , and display  1722 . The wireless telephone is preferably powered by a rechargeable battery (not shown) as is well known in the art. Antenna  1700  permits the wireless telephone to interact with the radio frequency environment for wireless telephony in a manner known in the art. Radio frequency transceiver  1702  both transmits and receives radio frequency signals via antenna  1702 . The transmitted signals are modulated by the voice/data output signals received from baseband circuits  1710 . The received signals are demodulated and supplied to baseband circuits  1710  as voice/data input signals. An analog section  1704  includes an analog to digital converter  1724  connected to microphone  1706  to receive analog voice signals. The analog to digital converter  1724  converts these analog voice signals to digital data and applies them to digital signal processor  1716 . Analog section  1704  also includes a digital to analog converter  1726  connected to speaker  1708 . Speaker  1708  provides the voice output to the user. Digital section  1710  is embodied in one or more integrated circuits and includes a microcontroller unit  1718 , a digital signal processor  1716 , nonvolatile memory circuit  1712 , and volatile memory circuit  1714 . Nonvolatile memory circuit  1712  may include read only memory (ROM), ferroelectric memory (FeRAM), FLASH memory, or other nonvolatile memory as known in the art. Volatile memory circuit  1714  may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), or other volatile memory circuits as known in the art. Microcontroller unit  1718  interacts with keypad  1720  to receive telephone number inputs and control inputs from the user. Microcontroller unit  1718  supplies the drive function to display  1722  to display numbers dialed, the current state of the telephone such as battery life remaining, and received alphanumeric messages. Digital signal processor  1716  provides real time signal processing for transmit encoding, receive decoding, error detection and correction, echo cancellation, voice band filtering, etc. Both microcontroller unit  1718  and digital signal processor  1716  interface with nonvolatile memory circuit  1712  for program instructions and user profile data. Microcontroller unit  1718  and digital signal processor  1716  also interface with volatile memory circuit  1714  for signal processing, voice recognition processing, and other applications. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the electrical circuit corresponding to exemplary memory cell  300  of  FIG. 3  will be explained in detail. Each of the four memory cells  300 - 306  of  FIG. 3  is electrically identical to the schematic diagram of  FIG. 2 . Moreover, the geometric layout of each memory cell of  FIG. 3  is substantially identical except that they may be placed in different views. Memory cell  300  is bounded to the right and below by memory cells  304  and  302 , respectively, as indicated by the solid line cell boundaries. Memory cell  300  includes a latch formed by P-channel transistors  201  and  202  and N-channel transistors  203  and  204 . These transistors are indicated by polycrystalline silicon gate regions crossing an active region. Source terminals of P-channel transistors  201  and  202  are connected to positive Vdd supply voltage in metal (not shown) at metal-to-P+ contact areas  212 . Likewise, source terminals of N-channel transistors  203  and  204  are connected to ground or Vss supply voltage in metal (not shown) at metal-to-N+ contact areas  214 . Each of the metal-to-silicon contact areas  212  and  214  is formed by a half contact in each of two adjacent cells. Storage nodes  216  and  218  are output terminals of the latch as indicated at  FIG. 3  by metal-to-N+ contact areas. The connection of the drain of transistor  203  and drain of transistor  201  comprising storage node  216  is made through metal and is not shown in this figure for clarity. Similarly, the connection of the drain of transistor  204  and drain of transistor  202  comprising storage node  218  is made through metal and is not shown. These storage nodes  216  and  218  are connected to access (sometimes referred to as “pass”) N-channel transistors  205  and  206 , respectively. Gates of the N-channel transistors  205  and  206  are connected to word line  220  indicated by a dashed line. The other terminals of N-channel transistors  205  and  206  are connected to bit line BL A    208  and complementary bit line /BL A    210  indicated by dotted lines, respectively. 
     Decreasing feature sizes of present process technology make the memory cell of  FIGS. 2 and 3  particularly susceptible to read and write failures. These failures are often caused by random doping fluctuation of individual memory cell transistors. Such random doping fluctuations can significantly affect threshold voltage, channel length, and other parameters. The problem is especially significant, because most steps to decrease read failures will increase write failures. Referring to  FIG. 2 , read failures occur, for example, when bitline BL  208  and complementary bitline /BL  210  are initially precharged high and storage nodes  216  and  218  are latched high and low, respectively. Wordline WL  220  goes high, thereby turning on N-channel access transistors  205  and  206 . Current, referred to as read current, flows through transistors  204  and  206 , which are connected in series between /BL  210  and VSS  214 , to discharge /BL  210 . While this current is flowing, the voltage on storage node  218  will rise above VSS, with the amount of the initial rise dependent on the relative conductivity of transistors  204  and  206 . The more conductive  206  is relative to  204 , the higher the voltage on storage node  218 . If the voltage on  218  rises sufficiently to start to turn on transistor  203 , the voltage on storage node  216  will be lowered, which in turn will decrease the conductivity of  204  and cause a further increase in the voltage of storage node  218 . As the voltage of storage node  218  rises and the voltage of storage node  216  falls, an imbalance in the memory cell, for example due to random doping fluctuations, may cause the cell to reverse logic states, thereby producing a read error. 
     Memory cell designs often decrease the ratio of access transistor  206  drive strength with respect to drive transistor  204  drive strength to decrease read errors. This decreased ratio of drive strengths makes access transistor  206  relatively more resistive with respect to drive. transistor  204 . The high level coupling of storage node  218 , therefore, is decreased and a greater voltage difference is maintained between storage nodes  216  and  218 . This decreased ratio, however, may increase write failures. During a write cycle where the data state of the memory cell is reversed, bitline BL  208  and complementary bitline /BL  210  are driven to opposite data states from respective storage nodes  216  and  218 . If storage nodes  216  and  218  are high and low, for example, then bitline BL  208  and complementary bitline /BL  210  are low and high, respectively. The low level of bitline BL  208  is a source, and the high level of storage node  216  is a drain of access transistor  205 . The low level of bitline BL  208  must override the high level of storage node  216  in a brief period of time to complete the write operation. Thus, an increased drive strength ratio of access transistor  208  to load transistor  201  is desirable. 
     The present invention solves these problems of read and write errors by fabricating access transistors  205  and  206  (also called “pass transistors”) with asymmetrical threshold voltages. During a read operation as previously described, complementary bitline terminal /BL  210  is positive with respect to storage node  218 . Therefore, complementary bitline terminal /BL  210  is the drain terminal and storage node  218  is the source terminal of access transistor  206 . In this condition, a higher threshold voltage of access transistor  206  produces the desired decrease in drive strength ratio with respect to drive transistor  204 . This higher threshold voltage is produced by a P-type pocket implant adjacent storage nodes  216  and  218  of the respective sources of N-channel access transistors  205  and  206 . In contrast to a read operation, storage node  216  is positive with respect to bitline BL  208  in a write operation as previously described. Therefore, bitline terminal BL  208  is the source terminal and storage node  216  is the drain terminal of access transistor  205 . In this condition, a lower threshold voltage of access transistor  205  produces the desired increase in drive strength ratio with respect to load transistor  201 . This lower threshold voltage is produced by blocking the P-type pocket implant adjacent bitline BL  208  and complementary bitline /BL  210  terminals of respective N-channel access transistors  205  and  206 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4A , there is a layout diagram of the array of four memory cells of  FIG. 2  with an N-channel implant mask formed by photoresist. The mask includes portion  402 , which covers P-channel load transistors  201  and  202 , and portions  400 ,  404 , and  405 , formed between adjacent N-channel access transistors (also called ‘pass transistors’).  FIG. 4B  is the layout diagram of  FIG. 4A  showing the outline of the implant mask (that is located over the cell geometries shown in  FIG. 3 ) for clarity. Mask portions  400  and  404  are adjacent and spaced apart from access transistor gate edges  406  and  408 , respectively. The space between each mask portion and the respective adjacent gate edge allows a lightly doped N-type ion implant with a small or zero tilt angle to produce lightly doped source and drain extension regions on each access transistor. In subsequent thermal steps, the implanted species diffuse to make an electrical connection to the heavily doped source and drain regions farther away from the gate. The closely spaced photoresist portions  400  and  404  block access transistor gate edges  406  and  408 , respectively, from receiving angled P-type pocket implants as will be explained in detail. Thus, the asymmetrical P-type pocket implant and the lightly doped source and drain extension implants may be performed without an extra photoresist mask step according to the embodiment of  FIG. 4B . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5A , there is a cross section of an N-channel transistor access transistor showing N-type lightly doped source and drain extension implants and a P-type pocket implant of the present invention. The access transistor is formed on a P-substrate within a P-well region. Drain region  504  corresponds to bitline terminal BL  208  and complementary bitline terminal /BL  210  of respective access transistors  205  and  206 . Source region  512  corresponds to storage node terminals  216 . and  218  of respective access transistors  205  and  206 . Gate region  500  corresponds to wordline terminal WL  220 . Each of the drain, source, and gate regions are preferably clad with a metal silicide layer  514  separated by sidewall dielectric regions  502 . A lightly doped drain extension implant  506  is formed adjacent drain region  504 . A lightly doped source extension implant  510  is formed adjacent source region  512 . A P-type pocket implant  508  is formed adjacent the lightly doped source extension implant  510 . The asymmetrical pocket implant advantageously provides a first threshold voltage when the storage node  512  is positive with respect to the bitline terminal  504  and a second threshold voltage of a greater magnitude than the first threshold voltage when the storage node  512  is negative with respect to the bitline terminal  504 . The first threshold voltage provides a low trip voltage for the memory cell during a write operation by increasing the drive strength of the access transistor, for example, access transistor  205  with respect to corresponding load transistor  201 . The second threshold voltage has a greater magnitude than the first threshold voltage and reduces positive coupling to a low storage node, for example, storage node  218  during a read operation. 
       FIG. 5B  is a surface concentration profile of the access transistor of  FIG. 5A  and includes the same reference numerals for the same features. The center of the channel region is taken as the origin for the horizontal axis. The vertical axis is the net dopant concentration at the semiconductor surface of the access transistor of  FIG. 5A . Drain and source regions  504  and  512  and lightly doped extension regions  506  and  510  are preferably formed from implanted Arsenic, Phosphorus, or other suitable N-type impurities. The P-type pocket implant  508  is preferably formed from implanted Boron or other suitable P-type impurity. The P-type pocket implant  508  extends from the storage node or lightly doped source region  510  to the bitline or lightly doped drain region  506 . However, the net P+ concentration adjacent the lightly doped source region  510  is approximately an order of magnitude greater than the P concentration adjacent the lightly doped drain region  506 . The asymmetrical P+ pocket implant adjacent lightly doped source region  510  requires a greater gate voltage to produce an inversion layer under gate region  500  when drain region  506  is positive with respect to source region  510  than source region  510  is positive with respect to drain region  506 . In one embodiment of the present invention, this difference in threshold voltages may be approximately 100 mV. This asymmetrical threshold voltage of the N-channel access transistor advantageously improves read and write operations as previously discussed. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 6 , there is another embodiment of the layout diagram of  FIG. 4B . The photoresist mask outline is shown over the memory cell geometries for clarity. Photoresist mask portion  402  covers P-channel transistors  201  and  202  ( FIGS. 2-3 ) as previously discussed. The widths of photoresist mask portions  600 ,  602 , and  604  have been increased relative to  FIG. 4B . Thus, access transistor gate edges  406  and  408  are coincident with photoresist mask edges  600  and  602 , respectively. This embodiment completely blocks a P-type pocket implant from the bitline terminal side of an access transistor at edges  406  and  408  while permitting the implant at the opposite edges. However, due to the absence of any clearance between the resist edge and the gate edge, if this photoresist mask is used for the lightly doped source and drain extension implant, the light doped extension implant will also be blocked. As a result, this embodiment requires that the pocket implant be performed with the photoresist mask of  FIG. 6 , and the lightly doped source and drain extension implants be performed with another photoresist mask wherein portions  400 ,  402 , and  406  are either narrow as in  FIG. 4B  or not present at all. This embodiment may be advantageously used in a fabrication process where a threshold voltage adjust photoresist mask that is not common to the lightly doped source and drain implant is available. Thus, the asymmetrical P-type pocket implant may be performed using the threshold voltage adjust mask and without an extra photoresist mask step. 
       FIG. 7  is yet another embodiment of the layout diagram of  FIG. 4B . Photoresist mask portion  402  covers P-channel transistors  201  and  202  ( FIG. 2 ) as previously discussed. The widths of photoresist mask portions  606 ,  608 , and  610  have been decreased relative to  FIG. 4B . This decrease in photoresist mask width provides greater space between the access transistor edges  406  and  408  and photoresist mask regions  606  and  608 , respectively. This embodiment advantageously produces a larger clearance for the lightly doped source and drain extension implants to enter the substrate adjacent both sides of the access transistor gate. The narrow photoresist mask regions are limited by manufacturing capability. However, relatively narrower photoresist mask regions  606  and  608  are possible when connected to wider photoresist mask regions such as region  402 . Thus, the asymmetrical P-type pocket implant and the lightly doped source and drain implants may be performed without an extra photoresist mask step according to the present embodiment. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 8A , there is a layout diagram of a memory cell as in  FIG. 3  in horizontal orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles on N-channel access transistors  1000  and  1002 . N-channel access transistor  1000  is adjacent photoresist mask edge  1001 . N-channel access transistor  1002  is adjacent photoresist mask edge  1003 . In one embodiment of the present invention, pocket implants are applied at four azimuth angles of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. In this embodiment 90° and 270° azimuth pocket implants will enter the substrate on both sides of the access transistors  1000  and  1002 , and will therefore not create any asymmetry. The 0° and 180° azimuths create the asymmetry as follows. The 0° implant enters the storage-node side  216  of the access transistor  1000  and is blocked from the bitline side  210  of the access transistor  1002 . Likewise, the 180° implant enters the storage node side  218  of the pass transistor  1002  and is blocked from the bitline side  208  of the access transistor  1000 . Thus, both N-channel access transistors  1000  and  1002  advantageously receive asymmetrical P-type pocket implants. This four-azimuth embodiment also creates asymmetrical access transistors for memory cells placed in the orientation shown in  FIG. 8B , where the 0° and 180° azimuth implants enter both sides of the pass transistors and the 90° and 270° azimuth implants generate the asymmetry. In this embodiment, the lightly doped source and drain extension implants are applied either at zero tilt or at a small tilt angle preferably smaller than 7°, thus entering the substrate on all sides of the access transistors. Alternatively, they can be implanted using a separate photoresist mask as described before. If none of these alternatives is adopted, some asymmetry in lightly doped source and drain extensions will also occur, which may be acceptable in certain conditions. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, pocket implants are applied at only two azimuth angles. Referring to  FIG. 8A , pocket implants are applied only at the 0° and 180° azimuths. The advantage of this embodiment is that greater asymmetry is achieved since the pocket implants at 90° and 270°, which would enter the substrate on both sides of the access transistors, are no longer present. If the SRAM cells follow the orientation of  FIG. 8B , however, the pocket implants must be applied at the 90° and 270° azimuths. As a result, the disadvantage of this embodiment is that all SRAM cells must be placed in the same orientation on the chip. In this embodiment, lightly doped source and drain extension implants are applied either at zero tilt, or at a small tilt angle preferably smaller than 7°, or applied at any tilt angle at the 90° and 270° azimuths, thus entering the substrate on all sides of the access transistors. Alternatively, they can be implanted using a separate photoresist mask as described before. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the pocket implants are applied at four azimuths of 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315°. Referring now to  FIG. 9A , there is a layout diagram of transistor  1100  in horizontal orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles rotated by 45 degrees with respect to  FIG. 8A . For this cell orientation, the gate of transistor  1100  blocks the P-type pocket implant between the gate and photoresist mask  1101  for 135° and 225° azimuth angles. Likewise, the photoresist mask edge  1101  blocks the P-type pocket implant between the gate and photoresist mask  1101  for 45° and 315° azimuth angles. The P-type pocket implant, however, is applied to the opposite side of transistor  1100  by 45° and 315° azimuth angles.  FIG. 9B  is a layout diagram of transistor  1102  in vertical orientation showing the effect of implant azimuth angles rotated by 45 degrees with respect to  FIG. 8A . For the vertical cell orientation, the gate of transistor  1102  blocks the P-type pocket implant between the gate and photoresist mask  1103  for 45° and 135° azimuth angles. Likewise, the photoresist mask edge of photoresist mask  1103  blocks the P-type pocket implant between the gate and photoresist mask  1103  for 225° and 315° azimuth angles. The P-type pocket implant, however, is applied to the opposite side of transistor  1102  by 225° and 315° azimuth angles. Thus, a rotation of azimuth implant angles by 45° degrees with respect to  FIG. 8A  advantageously eliminates cell orientation dependence. In this embodiment, the lightly doped source and drain extension implants are applied either at zero tilt or at a small tilt angle preferably smaller than 7°, thus entering the substrate on all sides of the pass transistors. If they are tilted, they can be implanted at any set of azimuth angles, including 0, 90, 180, and 270, or 45, 135, 225, and 215. Alternatively, they can be implanted using a separate photoresist mask as described before. If none of these alternatives is adopted, some asymmetry in lightly doped source and drain extensions may occur in this case, which may be acceptable in certain conditions. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10A , there is an exemplary cross section diagram showing the effect of implant tilt angle for an edge of a single transistor. The transistor includes gate region  1200  formed over gate dielectric  1240 . A photoresist mask  1202  is closely spaced from the gate region  1200  to block a P-type pocket implant in the area there between. An LDD implant, indicated by dashed arrows  1210 - 1218 , is applied with vertical or 0° tilt angle. Alternatively, the LDD implant may be applied at a substantially vertical tilt angle of preferably less than 7° with the same result. In this manner, the LDD implant is applied equally to both source and drain edges of the transistor, as long as there is enough clearance between the gate and the photoresist to allow the LDD implant to enter the substrate. A P-type pocket implant, indicated by solid arrows  1220 - 1230 , is applied with tilt angle of plus or minus β with respect to vertical as shown. In this manner, the P-type pocket implant  1220 - 1224  is applied to the left side of the transistor but blocked from the right side by transistor gate  1200 . The P-type pocket implant  1226 - 1230  is also blocked from the right side of the transistor by photoresist mask  1202 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10B , there is an exemplary cross section diagram showing the effect of implant tilt angle for edges of adjacent transistors. The adjacent transistors include gate regions  1200  and  1201  each formed over the substrate. A photoresist mask  1202  is placed between the two gates. The photoresist is shown with some misalignment  1212 ,  1216  toward the gate  1201 . Because of this misalignment, relatively less photoresist exists to block the P-type pocket implant  1250  compared to the implant  1252 . For a given opening  1262  between the two gates, a given photoresist CD  1261 , a given misalignment or overlay error, and a given pocket implant tilt angle, there is a minimum photoresist height that must exist to ensure successful blocking of both pocket implants  1250  and  1252 . In those embodiments of the present invention in which the LDD implants are not are applied with the photoresist mask described in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 , or  6 , successful application of the LDD implant is not a consideration in designing the photoresist mask. 
       FIGS. 11-13  show graphs of the minimum photoresist height required to block the pocket implants for various misalignment conditions.  FIG. 11  is a graph showing minimum photoresist height required to block pocket implants for a 190 nm opening between the gates and with 35 nm misalignment.  FIG. 12  is a graph showing minimum photoresist height required to block pocket implants for the same 190 nm opening but with only 25 nm misalignment.  FIG. 13  is a graph showing minimum photoresist height required to block the pocket implants for a 220 nm opening between the gates and with 25 nm misalignment. 
     In those embodiments of the present invention where LDD implants are applied using the same photoresist mask as the pocket implants, the photoresist mask must not only block the pocket implants but also permit the LDD implants to reach the substrate on both source and drain sides of the gates. Returning to  FIG. 10B , because of the misalignment, the clearance for the LDD implant is smaller near the gate  1201  compared to near the gate  1200 . For a given opening between the gates, the photoresist CD and the misalignment specification must be set such that the necessary clearance exists for the LDD implant near both gates. The value of the necessary clearance will depend on process details such as the LDD implant dose, the amount of diffusion occurring in subsequent thermal steps, and the design of the heavily-doped source and drain regions in any specific manufacturing process.  FIG. 14  shows a graph of the LDD implant clearance as a function of the photoresist CD, the opening between the gates, and the overlay specification. For example, with a resist CD of 110 nm, an overlay specification of 25 nm, and a gate to gate opening of 220 nm, a satisfactory minimum clearance of 30 nm is obtained. 
     While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. In view of the foregoing discussion, it is intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.

Technology Category: h