Method for forming a double-gated semiconductor device

• US 6,838,322 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Mathew, Leo, Nguyen, Bich-Yen, White, Ted R., Barr, Alexander L., Vandooren, Anne M., Pham, Daniel T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilczewski, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Toniae M.
• Application Number:
  US10/427,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 438/151, 438/152, 438/166, 438/482, 438/486, 438/585, 438/587, 438/157, 438/588
• US Class Current: 438/151
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66795 with a horizontal current flow in a vertical sidewall of a semiconductor body, e.g. FinFET, MuGFET
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/785 having a channel with a horizontal current flow in a vertical sidewall of a semiconductor body, e.g. FinFET, MuGFET

Abstract

A method for forming a polysilicon FinFET (10) or other thin film transistor structure includes forming an insulative layer (12) over a semiconductor substrate (14). An amorphous silicon layer (32) forms over the insulative layer (12). A silicon germanium seed layer (44) forms in association with the amorphous silicon layer (32) for controlling silicon grain growth. The polysilicon layer arises from annealing the amorphous silicon layer (32). During the annealing step, silicon germanium seed layer (44), together with silicon germanium layer (34), catalyzes silicon recrystallization to promote growing larger crystalline grains, as well as fewer grain boundaries within the resulting polysilicon layer. Source (16), drain (18), and channel (20) regions are formed within the polysilicon layer. A double-gated region (24) forms in association with source (16), drain (18), and channel (20) to produce polysilicon FinFET (10).

Claims

1. A method for forming a double-gated transistor, comprising the steps of:

forming an insulative layer over a substrate;

forming an amorphous silicon layer over said insulative layer for producing a polysilicon layer;

forming a silicon germanium seed layer associated with said amorphous silicon layer for controlling silicon grain growth in producing said polysilicon layer;

forming said polysilicon layer using an annealing step applied to said amorphous silicon layer, said annealing step comprising the step of controlling said silicon grain growth using said silicon germanium seed layer; and

forming a source, a drain, and a channel from said polysilicon layer, said channel comprising a double-sided vertical fin structure; and

forming a gate in association with said channel and around said double-sided vertical fin structure for forming said polysilicon double-gated transistor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said insulative layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a SiO₂ insulative layer over said semiconductor substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said insulative layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a nitride insulative layer over said semiconductor substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said amorphous silicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said amorphous silicon layer over said insulative layer at a temperature of approximately less than 500°

C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said silicon germanium seed layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a silicon germanium seed layer comprising a silicon germanium sidewall in association with said amorphous silicon layer for controlling silicon grain growth in producing said polysilicon layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said amorphous silicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said amorphous silicon layer using a process temperature of less than approximately 600°

C. in an RTP-LPCVD process chamber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said amorphous silicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said amorphous silicon layer using a process temperature of less than approximately 500°

C. in an LPCVD process chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said polysilicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said polysilicon layer using an anneal process temperature of less than approximately 600°

C.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said polysilicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said polysilicon layer using a localized laser anneal step.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of forming said self-aligned double-gated transistor as a polysilicon FinFET within a multi-layer integrated circuit.

10. A method for forming a self-aligned double-gated transistor, comprising the steps of:

depositing an insulative layer over a substrate;

depositing an amorphous silicon layer over said insulative layer;

depositing a silicon germanium seed layer in association with said amorphous silicon layer;

annealing said amorphous silicon layer for recrystallizing said amorphous silicon layer into a polysilicon layer, said polysilicon layer having crystalline structure formations controlled by said silicon germanium seed layer;

etching said polysilicon layer for defining a source, a drain, and a channel between said source and said drain; and

forming a double-gate electrode over said channel for forming a double-gated transistor, said double-gated electrode having two self-aligned gates.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of forming said self-aligned double-gated transistor as a thin film transistor FinFET.

13. A method for forming a multi-layer integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:

forming a first layer integrated circuit and a second layer integrated circuit, said first layer integrated circuit formed between a substrate and said second layer integrated circuit,

forming said second layer integrated circuit to include a double-gated polysilicon transistor, said double-gated polysilicon transistor formed according to a method comprising the steps of;

forming an insulative layer for isolating said first layer integrated circuit from said double-gated polysilicon transistor;

forming an amorphous silicon layer over said insulative layer for yielding a polysilicon layer;

forming a silicon germanium seed layer associated with said amorphous silicon layer for controlling silicon grain growth in producing said polysilicon layer;

forming said polysilicon layer using an annealing step applied to said amorphous silicon layer, said annealing step comprising the step of controlling said silicon grain growth using said silicon germanium seed layer; and

forming a source, a drain, and a channel for said double-gated polysilicon transistor from said polysilicon layer, said channel comprising a double-sided vertical fin structure; and

forming a gale in association with said channel and around said double-sided vertical fin structure for forming said double-gated polysilicon transistor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of forming said second layer integrated circuit as a memory circuit.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of forming said first layer integrated circuit as a logic circuit.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said insulative layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a SiO₂ insulative layer over said substrate.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said insulative layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a nitride insulative layer over said substrate.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said amorphous silicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming an amorphous silicon layer over said insulative layer at a temperature of approximately less than 700°

C.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said silicon germanium seed layer forming step further comprises the step of forming a silicon germanium seed layer comprising a silicon germanium sidewall for associating with said amorphous silicon layer and thereby controlling silicon grain growth in producing said polysilicon layer, said silicon germanium seed layer forming step occurring at a temperature of less than approximately 600°

C.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said polysilicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said polysilicon layer using a temperature of less than approximately 600°

C. during said annealing step.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein said polysilicon layer forming step further comprises the step of forming said polysilicon layer using localized laser energy source during said annealing step.