U.S. patent application number 11/064583 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-24 for semiconductor device having optimized shallow junction geometries and method for fabrication thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Texas Instruments, Incorporated. Invention is credited to Amitava Chatterjee, Brian E. Hornung, Deborah J. Riley, Jong Yoon.
Application Number | 20060189066 11/064583 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36913275 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060189066 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hornung; Brian E. ; et
al. |
August 24, 2006 |
Semiconductor device having optimized shallow junction geometries
and method for fabrication thereof
Abstract
The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a method of
fabricating a semiconductor device (100). In one embodiment, the
method includes growing an oxide layer 120 from a substrate 104,
106 over a first dopant region 122 and a second dopant region 128,
implanting a first dopant through the oxide layer 120, into the
substrate 104 in the first dopant region 122, and adjacent a gate
structure 114, and substantially removing the oxide layer 120 from
the substrate within the second dopant region 128. Subsequent to
the removal of the oxide layer 120 in the second dopant region 128,
a second dopant that is opposite in type to the first dopant is
implanted into the substrate 106 and within the second dopant
region 128 and adjacent a gate structure 114.
Inventors: |
Hornung; Brian E.;
(Richardson, TX) ; Yoon; Jong; (Plano, TX)
; Riley; Deborah J.; (Richardson, TX) ;
Chatterjee; Amitava; (Plano, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
P O BOX 655474, M/S 3999
DALLAS
TX
75265
US
|
Assignee: |
Texas Instruments,
Incorporated
Dallas
TX
|
Family ID: |
36913275 |
Appl. No.: |
11/064583 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
438/229 ;
257/E21.634; 257/E21.64; 438/230; 438/231; 438/232 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/823864 20130101;
H01L 21/823814 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
438/229 ;
438/230; 438/231; 438/232 |
International
Class: |
H01L 21/8238 20060101
H01L021/8238 |
Claims
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
growing an oxide layer from a substrate over a first dopant region
and a second dopant region; implanting a first dopant through the
oxide layer, into the substrate in the first dopant region, and
adjacent a gate structure; forming a protective layer over the
first dopant region; substantially removing the oxide layer from
the substrate within the second dopant region with a buffered
hydrofluoric acid (BHF) solution wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to parts of the hydrofluoric acid is at least
about 300:1 such that the protective layer is not substantially
damaged or removed; implanting a second dopant opposite in type to
the first dopant into the substrate within the second dopant
region, adjacent a gate structure, and subsequent to substantially
removing the oxide layer.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein substantially removing
includes substantially removing the oxide layer.
3. (cancel)
4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to part of hydrofluoric acid ranges to about
1000:1.
5. (cancel)
6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the buffered HF
solution further comprises water, wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to parts of water to parts of hydrofluoric acid
is about 300:300:1.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second dopant is a
P-type dopant and the gate structure within the second dopant type
region is a positive channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) gate
structure.
8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein implanting the P-type
dopant includes implanting boron at a dose ranging from about 4E14
atoms/cm.sup.2 to about 4E15 atoms/cm.sup.2 and at an energy
ranging from about 1 keV to about 5 keV.
9. The method as recited in claim 1, further includes thermally
annealing after implanting the first and second dopants, comprising
heating the substrate to a temperature of between about 900 and
about 1100.degree. C. for up to about 30 seconds to form a first
and second dopant LDD regions in the substrate and respectively
within the first and second dopant regions.
10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein substantially
removing includes removing at least about 50% of a thickness of the
oxide layer.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the oxide layer is
completely removed.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 further including covering the
first dopant region with a etch resistant mask during substantially
removing the oxide layer from the substrate.
13. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising:
forming metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor devices,
including: forming a first gate structure over a first dopant
region and forming a second gate structure over a second dopant
region; growing an oxide layer from a substrate over the first and
second dopant regions; implanting a first dopant through the oxide
layer, into the substrate in the first dopant region, and adjacent
the first gate structure; forming a protective layer over the first
dopant region; substantially removing the oxide layer from the
substrate within the second dopant region with a buffered
hydrofluoric acid (BHF) solution wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to parts of hydrofluoric acid is at least about
300:1 such that a the protective layer is not substantially damaged
or removed; and implanting a second dopant opposite in type to the
first dopant into the substrate within the second dopant region,
adjacent a second gate structure, and subsequent to substantially
removing the oxide layer; and interconnecting the MOS transistor
devices with interconnects located in dielectric layers overlying
the MOS transistor devices.
14-15. (canceled)
16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to part of hydrofluoric acid ranges to about
1000:1.
17. (cancel)
18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the buffered HF
solution further comprises water, wherein a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to parts of water to parts of hydrofluoric acid
is about 300:300:1.
19. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the second dopant is
a P-type dopant and the gate structure within the second dopant
type region is a positive channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS)
gate structure.
20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein implanting the
P-type dopant includes implanting boron at a dose ranging from
about 4E14 atoms/cm.sup.2 to about 4E15 atoms/cm.sup.2 and at an
energy ranging from about 1 keV to about 5 keV.
21. The method as recited in claim 13, further includes thermally
annealing after implanting the first and second dopants, comprising
heating the substrate to a temperature of between about 900 and
about 1100.degree. C. for up to about 30 seconds to form a first
and second dopant LDD regions in the substrate and respectively
within the first and second dopant regions.
22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein growing the oxide
layer includes growing an oxide layer to a thickness ranging from
about 1 nm to about 5 nm and substantially removing includes
removing at least about 50% of the thickness of the oxide
layer.
23. (cancel)
24. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the oxide layer is
completely removed.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed in general to the
manufacture of semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to a
method of fabricating transistor devices having optimized shallow
junctions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The continuing push to produce faster semiconductor devices
with lower power consumption has resulted in the miniaturization of
semiconductor devices. In particular, smaller gate oxide thickness
and channel length are conducive to the low voltage and faster
operation of transistor devices, such as complementary metal oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. With shrinking process
geometries, comes a number of new design problems, however.
[0003] For instance, as gate dimensions are reduced, it has become
necessary to adjust and better control the dimensions of the
channel and doped regions of the substrate that are associated with
the gate. This is necessary to prevent a number of short channel
effects such as, threshold voltage variation, drain induced barrier
lowering (DIBL), punch-through leakage currents, hot carrier
injection and mobility degradation.
[0004] Consider, for instance, the dimensions of shallow junctions
and pocket region structures. Shallow junctions, also referred to
as source drain extensions, or light or medium-doped drain (LDD and
MDD, respectively) regions, are implanted as extensions to the
larger and more heavily doped source and drain regions, to reduce
hot carrier injection-induced damage to gate dielectric layers and
improve short channel effects. Hot carriers, electrons with higher
than average energy, form because of the stronger electric fields
produced in small transistor device geometries. Shallow junctions,
implanted before sidewall formation and source and drain
implantation, provide a doping gradient between the source and
drain regions and the channel. The lowered electric field in the
vicinity of the channel region of such devices reduces the
formation of hot carriers.
[0005] Sub-0.1 micron transistor devices are also highly
susceptible to leakage currents, or punch-through, when the
transistor is off. Leakage currents can be reduced if the shallow
junctions are formed with well-defined boundaries, as exemplified
by an abrupt decrease in dopant concentration, to support
low-voltage operation of the transistor and to define the width of
the channel region of the transistor. The formation of abrupt
shallow junctions can be problematic in certain instances,
however.
[0006] For, instance, to establish p-type doped shallow junctions
in a positive channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor,
a typical p-type dopant is boron (B.sup.+). Small dopants, such as
boron, are subject to undesirable enhanced diffusion into
implantation-caused damage to the lattice structures of silicon
substrates during thermal annealing. This phenomenon, known as
transient enhanced diffusion (TED), is undesirable because it
decreases the abruptness of the change in dopant concentrations
from-the shallow junction to a p-well or n-well where the shallow
junction is formed. TED deters the formation of shallow junctions
having suitably shallow depths (e.g., less than about 40 nm). TED
can also cause dopants, such as boron, to diffuse into the channel
region, thereby causing an unfavorable change in the dopant
concentration in the channel resulting in short channel effects
such as, drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL), punch-through,
threshold voltage variation, which increases transistor
leakage.
[0007] Another approach to reduce leakage currents is to implant a
lightly doped pocket or halo region, containing dopants of the
opposite dopant type of the shallow junction, around the edges of
the shallow junction. The dopants in the pocket region provide
increases resistance in the channel region to reduce or prevent
leakage currents. However, if the pocket regions on the source and
drain sides of the transistor's channel region are too close to
each other, then the pocket regions will overlap. Overlap, in turn,
causes excessively high resistance in the channel region, degrading
mobility thereby undesirably reducing the on-current of the
device.
[0008] One approach to reduce excessively close shallow junctions
or overlapping pockets regions, is to introduce off-set spacers on
the sides of gates prior to dopant implantation. The off-set
spacers act as mask during the implantation of dopants to prevent
dopants of the source and drain shallow junctions or pocket regions
from being too close to each after the transistor is thermally
annealed. This approach is not entirely successful, however,
because the extent of diffusion of p-type and n-type dopants during
thermal annealing are substantially different than each other.
[0009] Heretofore, however, the fabrication processes for PMOS and
NMOS transistors in CMOS devices have resulted in the formation of
shallow junctions having substantially the same geometries. As
such, the geometries of one or both of the NMOS and PMOS shallow
junctions have not been simultaneously optimized in both transistor
types. Because current CMOS devices are constructed with
compromised NMOS and PMOS shallow junction geometries, the
performance of these devices is also compromised.
[0010] Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved method
of manufacturing a PMOS shallow junction that is optimized to
provide more robust electrical characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior
art, the present invention provides a method of fabricating a
semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the method includes
growing an oxide layer from a substrate over a first dopant region
and a second dopant region, implanting a first dopant through the
oxide layer, into the substrate in the first dopant region, and
adjacent a gate structure, and substantially removing the oxide
layer from the substrate within the second dopant region.
Subsequent to the removal of the oxide layer in the second dopant
region, a second dopant that is opposite in type to the first
dopant is implanted into the substrate and within the second dopant
region and adjacent a gate structure.
[0012] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
method of fabricating an integrated circuit. In one embodiment the
method includes forming metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor
devices that includes forming a first gate structure over a first
dopant region and forming a second gate structure over a second
dopant region, growing an oxide layer from a substrate over the
first and second dopant regions, implanting a first dopant through
the oxide layer, into the substrate in the first dopant region, and
adjacent the first gate structure. The oxide layer is substantially
removed from the substrate within the second dopant region.
Subsequent to the removal of the oxide layer in the second dopant
region, a second dopant that is opposite in type to the first
dopant is implanted into the substrate and within the second dopant
region and adjacent a gate structure. The method further includes
interconnecting the MOS transistor devices with interconnects
located in dielectric layers overlying the MOS transistor devices
to form an operative integrated circuit.
[0013] The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative
features of the present invention so that those of ordinary skill
in the art may better understand the detailed description of the
invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will
be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the
invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can
readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a
basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out
the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the
art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not
depart from the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The invention is best understood from the following detailed
description when read with the accompanying FIGUREs. It is
emphasized that in accordance with the standard practice in the
semiconductor industry, various features may not be drawn to scale.
In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily
increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. Reference is now
made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0015] FIGS. 1A to 1I illustrate partial sectional views of
selected steps in a method for fabricating a semiconductor device
according to the principles of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a partial sectional view of metal oxide
semiconductor (MOS) transistor devices constructed according to the
principles of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial sectional view of an integrated
circuit that can be constructed according to the principles of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The present invention recognizes the advantages associated
with removing a protective oxide layer over the PMOS device region
prior to implanting P-type LDD's adjacent the PMOS device gate. It
has been discovered that, by removing the oxide layer prior to the
LDD implant, a more uniform and consistent implant of the P-type
dopant can be achieved. As such, the electrical properties of the
devices made using such processes fall within a narrower range of
deviation, thereby providing for more consistent devices across the
wafer.
[0019] One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1A
to 1H, which illustrate sectional views of selected steps, at
various stages of manufacture, of a method for fabricating a
semiconductor device 100. Turning first to FIG. 1A, illustrated is
a partial sectional view of a conventionally formed semiconductor
substrate 102, such as a silicon wafer. First and second portions
of the substrate 104, 106 can be conventionally formed p-type and
n-type substrates, respectively, separated by a conventional
isolation trench 105. In such embodiments, the p-type substrate 104
is doped with and a p-type dopant, such as boron, while the n-type
substrate 106 is preferably doped with an n-type dopant, such as
arsenic, phosphorus, or both. In some embodiments, the isolation
trench 105 is formed to a depth of about 400 nm, using conventional
procedures, such as lithography and chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
techniques to form shallow trench isolation structures.
[0020] Conventional processes are used to form gate structures,
such as first and second gate structure 110, 112, each comprising a
gate 114 and gate dielectric 116. In certain configurations, the
gate structure includes an NMOS gate structure 110 and a PMOS gate
structure 112. The gate 114 preferably comprises polysilicon, and
the gate dielectric 116 comprises silicon oxide, although other
well-known dielectric materials may also be used. As well known to
those skilled in the art, silicon oxide and polysilicon layers can
be formed over the substrate 102, and then patterned using
lithography techniques to form the gate structures 110, 112
depicted in FIG. 1A.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 1B, there is illustrated the partially
completed transistor device 100 of FIG. 1A after growing an oxide
layer 120 on the gate structure 110, 112 and the substrate 102. The
oxide layer 120 advantageously repairs damage to the gate structure
110, 112, caused by conventional etching processes used to form the
gate structures 110, 112. While its thickness can vary, a thickness
of the oxide layer 120 preferably ranges between about 1 nm and
about 5 nm and is conformally grown on the gate structure 110, 112
and substrate 102. In certain advantageous embodiments, the oxide
layer 120 is a layer of silicon oxide thermally grown by subjecting
the partially completed device to a temperature ranging from about
600 to about 900.degree. C. for a time ranging from about 10 to
about 100 minutes in an oxygen containing environment. In certain
preferred embodiments, oxide layer 120 is grown over both the first
and second gate structures 110, 112 in a single growth step.
[0022] Turning now to FIG. 1C, the partially completed device 100
is depicted, while conventionally implanting a dopant 124 into the
substrate 102 in the NMOS region. In the illustrated embodiment,
the dopant 124 is an n-type dopant, such as phosphorus, arsenic, or
a combination thereof. Implantation can be conducted in such a way
that a portion of the dopant 124 may remain in the oxide layer 120.
During implantation, the NMOS device 110, which is located in first
dopant region 122, is exposed to the dopant 124. During such
implantation, a second dopant region 128, which in this embodiment
is the region in which the PMOS device 112 is located, is protected
from exposure to the n-type dopant 124 by an overlying protective
layer 130, such as conventionally formed photoresist. The gate
structure 110 advantageously acts as a mask to define the portion
of the substrate 102 associated with the NMOS device 110 that is
exposed to the dopant 124.
[0023] Of course, the selection of dopant 124 type depends on the
type of device being fabricated. In the illustrated embodiment,
however, an arsenic dopant 124 is implanted at a dose ranging from
about 2.times.10.sup.14 to about 4.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.2,
and more preferably from about 5.times.10.sup.14 to about
1.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.2. Implanting also preferably
includes applying an acceleration energy of between about 0.5 and
about 5 keV, and more preferably ranging from about 0.5 and about 2
keV. At such energies, a portion of the n-type dopant 124 may
remain in the oxide layer 120, while the remaining dopant 124 is
implanted into the underlying substrate 102 to form the regions as
shown.
[0024] FIG. 1D shows the partially completed transistor device 100,
after removal of the protective layer 130 and blanket deposition of
a protective oxide layer 132 over the grown oxide layer 120. The
protective oxide layer 132 advantageously serves as an etch stop
during formation of an off-set layer as discussed below. The
protective oxide layer 132 also can prevent the removal of the
oxide layer 120, during wet or dry etching, which is further
described below. Additionally, the protective oxide layer 132
inhibits out-diffusion of the dopant 124 during a thermal
anneal.
[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 1D, the protective oxide layer 132
conforms to the surface of the oxide layer 120 and therefore, forms
adjacent sidewalls on the gate structures 110, 112. The protective
oxide layer 132 can be deposited by CVD as a silicon dioxide, using
a precursor, such as tetraethyl ortho-silicate (TEOS). The
thickness of the protective layer 132 may vary. However, in an
advantageous embodiment, the protective oxide layer 132 has a
thickness of ranging from about 2.5 nm to about 10 nm.
[0026] Turning now to FIG. 1E, illustrated is the partially
completed transistor device 100, after conventionally forming
etch-resistant off-set spacers 134 adjacent sidewalls of the gate
structure 110, 112 and on the protective oxide layer 132. In
certain preferred embodiments, the etch-resistant off-set spacers
134 are formed adjacent sidewalls of both the first and second gate
structures 110, 112, as shown. The offset spacers 134 serve as a
mask layer to separate regions that will form LDD regions after
thermal annealing, as discussed below. In addition, the
etch-resistant offset spacers 134 advantageously serve as an etch
stop to prevent the removal of the oxide layer 120.
[0027] In some advantageous configurations, the etch-resistant
off-set spacer is an oxide etch-resistant off-set spacer 134. That
is, the oxide etch-resistant off-set spacer 134 has a higher
resistance to wet etchants, such aqueous hydrofluoric acid, than
the protective oxide layer 132. The oxide etch-resistant off-set
spacer 134 facilitates removal of portions of the protective oxide
layer. Suitable materials comprising the etch-resistant off-set
spacers 134 include silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride.
[0028] In certain preferred embodiments, the etch-resistant off-set
spacer 134 is formed by blanket deposition of a layer of
etch-resistant material, such as silicon nitride, over the
protective oxide layer 132 by chemical vapor deposition. Portions
of the etch-resistant material are then removed by an anisotropic
etch, such as a reactive ion etch (RIE), which results in the
configuration shown in the illustrated embodiment. The
etch-resistant off-set spacer 134 can have a horizontal thickness
ranging from about 2.5 nm to about 10 nm. However, the thickness
can vary, depending on the design.
[0029] FIG. 1F shows the partially completed transistor device 100
after removing portions of the protective oxide layer 132, shown in
FIG. 1E, lying outside of the outer perimeter of the etch-resistant
off-set spacers 136. The portions of the protective oxide layer 132
that are removed lay over portions of the substrate that are
separated from the gate structures 110, 112 by the off-set spacers
134. Portions of the protective oxide layer 132 can be removed by
exposing the partially completed transistor device 100 to a wet
etchant, such an aqueous solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF), in a
wet-etch chamber.
[0030] Turning now to FIG. 1G, the partially completed transistor
device 100 is illustrated in preparation for a second implantation
in the second dopant region 128, which includes the PMOS device
112. In this aspect of the invention, a protective layer 140, such
as a photoresist, is conventionally deposited and patterned to
expose the oxide layer 120 within the second dopant region 128.
With the present invention, it has been realized that it is highly
advantageous to substantially remove the oxide layer 120 from the
substrate within the second dopant region 128 prior to conducting a
PLDD implant with respect to the PMOS device 112. Preferably, it is
desirable to remove at least about 50% of the thickness of the
oxide layer 120, and it is even more preferable to remove all of it
without significantly over etching the underlying silicon surface.
However, it should be understood, of course, that in such instances
some over etch into the underlying silicon might occur given the
variations that exist across the wafer. Variation across the wafer
also causes variation, including thickness, within the grown oxide
layer 120. With the present invention, it has been discovered that
this variation negatively influences the implant in the second
dopant region 128. For example, the variation can cause the implant
depth to vary. This variability in the implants can change the
abruptness, the profile, and the overlap, all or any of which, can
affect the electrical properties of the device, such as drive
current or off current.
[0031] In one embodiment, the present invention provides
substantially removing the oxide layer 120 within the second dopant
region 128 with a buffered hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution. While
the constituents of the buffered HF solution may vary, in one
embodiment the, buffered HF solution comprises ammonium fluoride
and hydrofluoric acid. In such embodiments, a ratio of parts of
ammonium fluoride to parts of hydrofluoric acid ranges from about
100:1 to about 1000:1, and in one exemplary embodiment, the ratio
is about 300:1. In yet another embodiment, the buffered HF solution
further comprises water, wherein a ratio of parts of ammonium
fluoride to parts of water to parts of hydrofluoric acid is about
300:300:1. It should be understood that other methods known to
those skilled in the art can be used to substantially or completely
remove the oxide layer 120 prior to the second implant. However, it
is highly advantageous that, whatever method is used to remove the
oxide layer 120, it does not damage or remove a significant portion
of the protective layer 142. Damage to the protective layer 142 can
negatively affect the second implant and significant removal of the
protective layer 142 may allow implantation of the second dopant
into the first dopant region 122.
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 1H, shown is the transistor device 100,
during the implantation of a second dopant 142 into the substrate
102. Preferably, the second dopant 142 is of the opposite dopant
type as the first implanted dopant 124. As an example, where the
first dopant 124 is an n-type dopant, the second dopant 142 is a
p-type dopant, such as boron, and is implanted into the second
dopant region 128, which may be doped with an n-type dopant.
Analogous to that described above, the second gate structure 112,
advantageously serves as a mask to define the portion of the
substrate 102 that is exposed to the second dopant 142. In one
embodiment, the dopant used during the implant is a P-type dopant,
such as boron and the implant dose ranges from about 4E14
atoms/cm.sup.2 to about 4E15 atoms/cm.sup.2 and at an energy
ranging from about 1 keV to about 5 kev.
[0033] Turning now to FIG. 1I, illustrated is an embodiment of the
partially completed transistor device 100 after performing a
thermal anneal to form first and second dopant-type LDD or MDD
regions 144, 146. In this embodiment, the first and second
dopant-type LDD regions 144, 146 are n-type and p-type LDD regions,
respectively. The thermal anneal is performed at a sufficient
temperature and duration so as cause the first and second dopants
124, 142 to diffuse from the implanted oxide layer 126 and surface
regions of the substrate 102, to deeper levels in the substrate.
The thermal anneal also advantageously serves to activate the
dopants, 124, 142, as well understood by those skilled in the
art.
[0034] Preferably, only one thermal anneal is performed to form the
LDD regions 144, 146 in both the first and second dopant regions
122, 128. That is, the thermal anneal is done after implanting both
the first and second dopants 124, 142, as described above. The
thermal anneal can comprise heating to a temperature ranging from
about 900 to about 1100.degree. C. for up to about 30 seconds,
although other conditions may be used to suit the particular
dopants 124, 140 being used.
[0035] In alternative aspects, however, two thermal anneals are
performed. In such embodiments, a first thermal anneal is done
after implanting the dopant 124 into the first portion of the
substrate 122 and oxide layer 126, such as depicted in FIG. 1C. A
second thermal anneal is then done after implanting the second
dopant 142 in the second portion of the substrate 128, such as
illustrated in FIG. 1G. Preferably, the first thermal anneal
comprises heating to a temperature ranging from about 800.degree.
C. to about 1000.degree. C. for up to about 30 seconds, and the
second thermal anneal comprises heating to a temperature ranging
from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1100.degree. C. for up to about
5 seconds.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates another aspect of the present invention,
a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor device 200. Any of the
above-described embodiments of the methods for manufacturing the
semiconductor device 100 depicted in FIGS. 1A-1H may be used to
fabricate the MOS devices 200 depicted in FIG. 2. The MOS
transistor device 200 includes gate structures 202, 204 on a
substrate 206. In submicron applications, the gate structures 202,
204 preferably have a length of less than about 50 nm, and in many
application will be complementary NMOS and PMOS structures.
[0037] The device 200 also includes an oxide layer 208 on a
sidewall of each of the gate structures 210 and on a portion of the
substrate 206 adjacent the gate structures 210. The oxide layer 208
can be from about 1 nm to about 8 nm thick, although other
thicknesses can be used to suit particular device applications. The
device 200 further includes a protective oxide layer 212 on the
oxide layer 208. The thickness of the protective oxide layer 212
may range from about 2.5 nm to about 10 nm, and more preferably,
from about 5 nm to about 10 nm. In such embodiments, the protective
oxide layer 212 thereby forms an L-, or horizontally inverted-L-,
structure.
[0038] The device 200 further includes an oxide etch-resistant
off-set spacer 218 adjacent and located on the protective oxide
layer 212. The etch-resistant off-set spacer can have a thickness
ranging from about 2.5 nm and to about 10 nm, and more preferably,
from about 5 nm to about 8 nm. In desirable configurations, the
NMOS and PMOS transistors 202, 204 include n-type and p-type LDD or
MDD regions 236, 238, respectively. Any of the above-described
methods can be used to form n-type and p-type LDD regions 236, 238
within the p-type substrates and n-type substrates 240, 242 of the
NMOS and PMOS transistors 202, 204, respectively. A depth of the
n-type LDD regions 236 are preferably about 30 to about 50 percent
shallower than a depth of the p-type LDD regions. For instance, in
certain embodiments, the n-type LDD regions 236 have a
substantially constant arsenic concentration of greater than about
1.times.1020 atoms/cm.sup.3 until a depth of from about 20 nm to
about 25 nm. In other embodiments, the p-type LDD regions 238 have
a substantially constant boron concentration of greater than about
1.times.10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3 until a depth ranging from about
35 nm to about 40 nm. Of course, the depths and dopant
concentrations in the n-type and p-type LDD regions 236, 238 can be
varied according to particular device application requirements.
[0039] In certain advantageous embodiments of the transistor device
200, the n-type and p-type LDD regions 236, 238 formed according to
the above-described methods of the present invention are separated
by different amounts. For instance, the two n-type LDD regions 236
can be closer together than the two p-type LDD regions 238, as
illustrated. As an example, the two n-type LDD regions 236 on
either side of the first gate structure 232 are separated by a
distance that is about 20 percent closer than the distance
separating the two p-type LDD regions 238 on either side of the
second gate structure 234. Consequently, channel region between the
n-type LDD regions 236 has a width that ranges from about 10 nm to
about 50 nm, and a width of the channel region between the p-type
LDD regions 238 ranges from about 10 nm to about 50 nm.
[0040] FIG. 2 also depicts other conventionally formed device
structures, including gate sidewall spacers 256, 258, and shallow
trench isolation structure 260, included in preferred embodiments
to form an active transistor device 200. Not shown, but is
understood by those who are skilled in the art, deep source/drain
implants may also be conducted to complete the source/drain regions
of the MOS transistors.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial view of an integrated circuit
300. FIG. 3, briefly illustrates a partial completed integrated
circuit 300, after interconnecting the MOS transistor device 328,
330 with interconnects 370 to form an operative integrated circuit
300. Certain preferred embodiments, of the method of manufacturing
the integrated circuit 300 further includes using conventional
method to form interlevel dielectric levels 380. Those who are
skilled in the art would understand how to build the completed
integrated circuit, given the teachings of the present
invention.
[0042] Although the present invention has been described in detail,
one of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can
make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without
departing from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *