Method and apparatus for fabricating a high dielectric constant transistor gate using a low energy plasma system
First Claim
1. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer having a desired thickness on a surface of a substrate;
disposing an amount of a first metal material within the dielectric layer to form a first concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed dielectric layer;
disposing an amount of a second metal material different than the first metal material within the dielectric layer to form a second concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed dielectric layer; and
depositing a third material over the dielectric layer, wherein the first material is disposed within the dielectric layer using a low energy sputtering process, wherein the low energy sputtering process comprises providing an RE energy at a first RE frequency and a first RF power to a processing region of a low energy sputtering chamber so that a first material of a target can be disposed within the dielectric layer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally provides methods and apparatuses that are adapted to form a high quality dielectric gate layer on a substrate. Embodiments contemplate a method wherein a metal plasma treatment process is used in lieu of a standard nitridization process to form a high dielectric constant layer on a substrate. Embodiments further contemplate an apparatus adapted to “implant” metal ions of relatively low energy in order to reduce ion bombardment damage to the gate dielectric layer, such as a silicon dioxide layer and to avoid incorporation of the metal atoms into the underlying silicon. In general, the process includes the steps of forming a high-k dielectric and then terminating the surface of the deposited high-k material to form a good interface between the gate electrode and the high-k dielectric material.
306 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
-
forming a dielectric layer having a desired thickness on a surface of a substrate; disposing an amount of a first metal material within the dielectric layer to form a first concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed dielectric layer; disposing an amount of a second metal material different than the first metal material within the dielectric layer to form a second concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed dielectric layer; and depositing a third material over the dielectric layer, wherein the first material is disposed within the dielectric layer using a low energy sputtering process, wherein the low energy sputtering process comprises providing an RE energy at a first RE frequency and a first RF power to a processing region of a low energy sputtering chamber so that a first material of a target can be disposed within the dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
-
forming a silicon containing dielectric layer having a desired thickness on a surface of a substrate; forming a high-k dielectric layer having a desired thickness over the silicon containing dielectric layer; disposing an amount of a first material within the high-k dielectric layer to form a concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed high-k dielectric layer, wherein the second material is selected from a group of materials comprising hafnium, lanthanum, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, strontium, lead, yttrium, and barium; disposing an amount of a second material within the dielectric layer to form a second concentration gradient through at least a portion of the thickness of the formed high-k dielectric layer, wherein the second material is selected from a group of materials comprising hafnium, lanthanum, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, strontium, lead, yttrium, and barium; and depositing a gate electrode material over the high-k dielectric layer, the first material, and the second material. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification