Method for modulating work function of semiconductor device having metal gate structure by gas treatment

• US 9,728,467 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Yun-Tzu, Chou, Shih-Min, Yen, Hsiang-Chieh, Lu, Yang-Ju, Ho, Nien-Ting, Hsu, Chi-Mao, Chang, Ching-Yun, Lai, Kuo-Chih, Chen, Yen-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandvik, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILLMAN, DAMON A
• Application Number:
  US14/880,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20170076995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/823842 gate conductors with different gate conductor materials or different gate conductor implants, e.g. dual gate structures

Abstract

A method for modulating a work function of a semiconductor device having a metal gate structure including the following steps is provided. A first stacked gate structure and a second stacked gate structure having an identical structure are provided on a substrate. The first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively include a first work function metal layer of a first type. A patterned hard mask layer is formed. The patterned hard mask layer exposes the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure and covers the first work function metal layer of the second stacked gate structure. A first gas treatment is performed to the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure exposed by the patterned hard mask layer. A gas used in the first gas treatment includes nitrogen-containing gas or oxygen-containing gas.

Claims

1. A method for modulating a work function of a semiconductor device having a metal gate structure, comprising:

providing a first stacked gate structure and a second stacked gate structure having an identical structure on a substrate, wherein the first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively comprise a first work function metal layer of a first type;

forming a patterned hard mask layer, wherein the patterned hard mask layer exposes the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure and covers the first work function metal layer of the second stacked gate structure;

performing a first gas treatment to the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure exposed by the patterned hard mask layer, wherein a gas used in the first gas treatment comprises nitrogen-containing gas or oxygen-containing gas;

providing a third stacked gate structure on the substrate, wherein the third stacked gate structure comprises a second work function metal layer of the first type, and the second work function metal layer and the first work function metal layer have different thicknesses; and

providing a fourth stacked gate structure on the substrate, wherein the fourth stacked gate structure and the third stacked gate structure have an identical structure, and the patterned hard mask layer exposes the second work function metal layer of the third stacked gate structure and covers the second work function metal layer of the fourth stacked gate structure.

2. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, wherein a method for forming the first work function metal layer comprises atomic layer deposition (ALD).

3. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, wherein the first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively further comprise a gate dielectric layer disposed between the first work function metal layer and the substrate respectively.

4. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 3, wherein a method for forming the gate dielectric layer comprises ALD.

5. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 3, wherein the first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively further comprise an interfacial layer disposed between the gate dielectric layer and the substrate respectively.

6. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 5, wherein a method for forming the interfacial layer comprises a thermal oxidization process or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

7. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 3, wherein the first stacked gate structure and the second stacked gate structure respectively further comprise a barrier layer disposed between the first work function metal layer and the gate dielectric layer respectively.

8. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 7, wherein the barrier layer comprises a single-layer structure or a multiple-layer structure.

9. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 7, wherein a method for forming the barrier layer comprises ALD.

10. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, further comprising performing the first gas treatment to the second work function metal layer of the third stacked gate structure exposed by the patterned hard mask layer.

11. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, further comprising providing a fifth stacked gate structure on the substrate, wherein the fifth stacked gate structure and the first stacked gate structure are different in that the fifth stacked gate structure does not have the first work function metal layer.

12. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 11, after removing the patterned hard mask layer, further comprising forming a third work function metal layer of a second type of the fifth stacked gate structure.

13. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, wherein the nitrogen-containing gas comprises N₂ or NH₃.

14. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises O₂ or O₃.

15. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, further comprising removing the patterned hard mask layer after performing the first gas treatment.

16. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming a fourth work function metal layer of a second type on the first work function metal layer of the first stacked gate structure; and

forming a fifth work function metal layer of the second type on the first work function metal layer of the second stacked gate structure.

17. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 16, further comprising performing a second gas treatment to one of the fourth work function metal layer and the fifth work function metal layer, wherein a gas used in the second gas treatment comprises nitrogen-containing gas or oxygen-containing gas.

18. The method for modulating the work function of the semiconductor device having the metal gate structure according to claim 16, wherein the fourth work function metal layer and the fifth work function metal layer have an identical thickness or different thicknesses.