U.S. patent application number 11/966734 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-02 for mos device structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.. Invention is credited to Tzyy-Ming Cheng, Shih-Chieh Hsu, Cheng-Tung Huang, Wen-Han Hung, Li-Shian Jeng, Kun-Hsien Lee, Chung-Min Shih, Shyh-Fann Ting, Chih-Chiang Wu, Meng-Yi Wu.
Application Number | 20090166625 11/966734 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40796998 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090166625 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ting; Shyh-Fann ; et
al. |
July 2, 2009 |
MOS DEVICE STRUCTURE
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for forming a
metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device and the structure thereof.
The method includes at least the steps of forming a silicon
germanium layer by the first selective epitaxy growth process and
forming a cap layer on the silicon germanium layer by the second
selective epitaxy growth process. Hence, the undesirable effects
caused by ion implantation can be mitigated.
Inventors: |
Ting; Shyh-Fann; (Tainan
City, TW) ; Hsu; Shih-Chieh; (Hsinchu City, TW)
; Huang; Cheng-Tung; (Kaohsiung City, TW) ; Wu;
Chih-Chiang; (Taichung County, TW) ; Hung;
Wen-Han; (Kaohsiung City, TW) ; Wu; Meng-Yi;
(Kaohsiung Hsien, TW) ; Jeng; Li-Shian; (Taitung
City, TW) ; Shih; Chung-Min; (Tainan City, TW)
; Lee; Kun-Hsien; (Tainan City, TW) ; Cheng;
Tzyy-Ming; (Hsinchu, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
J C PATENTS, INC.
4 VENTURE, SUITE 250
IRVINE
CA
92618
US
|
Assignee: |
UNITED MICROELECTRONICS
CORP.
Hsinchu
TW
|
Family ID: |
40796998 |
Appl. No.: |
11/966734 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
257/51 ;
257/E21.403; 257/E29.003; 438/285 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 29/6659 20130101;
H01L 29/7834 20130101; H01L 29/665 20130101; H01L 29/66636
20130101; H01L 29/7848 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
257/51 ; 438/285;
257/E29.003; 257/E21.403 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/04 20060101
H01L029/04; H01L 21/336 20060101 H01L021/336 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A semiconductor device structure, comprising: a substrate
having at least an isolation structure to define an active region;
at least a gate structure disposed on the substrate in the active
region, wherein a pair of spacers is disposed on both sidewalls of
the gate structure, a pair of source/drain extension regions is
disposed in the substrate and below the spacers, and a pair of
trenches is disposed in the substrate at both sides of the gate
structure; a pair of source/drain region formed by a doped silicon
germanium (SiGe) layer disposed in the trenches filling up the
trenches, wherein an upper surface of the doped silicon germanium
layer at least substantially levels with the substrate surface; an
amorphous silicon layer covering the upper surface of the doped
silicon germanium layer in the trenches; and a metal silicide layer
disposed on the gate structure and on the amorphous silicon
layer.
14. The structure of claim 13, wherein the amorphous silicon layer
has a thickness of about 20 angstroms to about 300 angstroms.
15. The structure of claim 13, wherein the source/drain region
further comprises an undoped silicon germanium layer disposed
between the trench and the doped silicon germanium layer.
16. The structure of claim 13, wherein a material of the metal
silicide layer is selected from the group consisting of nickel
silicide, nickel platinum silicide, a combination of both and an
alloy of both.
17. The structure of claim 13, wherein the spacer is a double
spacer structure.
18. The structure of claim 13, wherein the doped silicon germanium
layer is a boron doped silicon germanium layer formed by in-situ
boron doping selective SiGe epitaxy growth process.
19. The structure of claim 13, wherein the amorphous silicon layer
is a amorphous silicon epitaxy layer formed by selective silicon
epitaxy growth process.
20. The structure of claim 13, wherein the upper surface of the
doped silicon germanium layer is higher than the substrate surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and
manufacture method thereof. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a manufacture method of forming semiconductor
device with improved characteristics, and the semiconductor device
structure thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor is one of the
most important devices widely applied for
very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) circuits, including logic
circuits, microprocessors and memories. In addition to a gate oxide
layer and a conductive gate structure, the MOS transistor further
includes a source/drain region having dopants with a conductivity
type opposite to that of the substrate.
[0005] With the rapid developments of electronic products e.g.
telecommunication products, operating speed of transistors is bound
to increase. However, due to the limitations in mobility of
electrons and holes in silicon, the applications of the transistors
are confined.
[0006] The prior art has proposed using silicon germanium (SiGe)
epitaxy material as a major component of the source/drain region of
the transistor. As compared with silicon, germanium has larger
atomic volume and applies lateral compressive stress toward the
channel region. Thus, mobility of electrons and holes can be
enhanced with the source/drain region formed by SiGe, and the
device performance can be improved.
[0007] At present, selective epitaxy growth (SEG) process is
commonly used to form a SiGe layer for the semiconductor
manufacturing processes. However, certain issues still exist in the
manufacturing processes involving using SEG process, which may
downgrade the device performances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention provides a method of forming a
metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device, which can restrain boron
channeling effects and alleviating possible damages caused by ion
implantation.
[0009] Accordingly, the present invention provides a semiconductor
device with the metal silicide layer higher than the substrate
surface, so as to mitigate possible counteracting effects of the
metal silicide layer and enhance the device performance.
[0010] As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention
provides a method for forming a semiconductor device structure,
comprising providing a substrate having at least an isolation
structure and forming a gate structure having a pair of spacers on
both sidewalls of the gate structure. After forming a pair of
trenches in the substrate at both sides of the gate structure, a
first selective epitaxy growth process is performed to form a
silicon germanium (SiGe) layer filling the trenches and then a
second selective epitaxy growth process is performed to form a cap
layer on the silicon germanium layer. Later, a pair of source/drain
regions is formed by performing an ion implantation process and a
metal silicide layer is formed on the gate structure and the cap
layer in the source/drain regions.
[0011] Based on the preferred embodiment, the cap layer includes an
amorphous silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer covers a
whole upper surface of the silicon germanium layer. For example,
the amorphous silicon layer has a thickness of about 20 angstroms
to about 300 angstroms.
[0012] Based on the preferred embodiment, the first selective
epitaxy growth process is in-situ boron doping selective SiGe
epitaxy growth process. Moreover, the first and second selective
epitaxy growth processes are performed in-situ in the same chamber
or performed in the different chambers of the same platform in
clusters.
[0013] Based on the preferred embodiment, the upper surface of the
silicon germanium layer at least substantially levels with or can
be slightly higher than the substrate surface.
[0014] According to the preferred embodiment, the ion implantation
process comprises implanting boron or BF.sub.2.sup.+ ions to the
silicon germanium layer. Additionally, an annealing process can be
further performed after the ion implantation process to active the
implanted ions, and the annealing process comprises performing
rapid thermal processing or laser-spike annealing.
[0015] According to the preferred embodiment, a pair of
source/drain extension regions is formed in the substrate at both
sides of the gate structure before forming the first spacers.
Alternatively, the source/drain extension regions are formed in the
substrate at both sides of the gate structure after removing the
first spacers and before forming the second spacers.
[0016] As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention
provides a semiconductor device structure, comprising a substrate,
at least a gate structure, spacers and at least a pair of
source/drain regions. A pair of trenches is disposed in the
substrate at both sides of the gate structure, and a pair of
source/drain region formed by a doped silicon germanium (SiGe)
layer disposed in the trenches and filling up the trenches. The
upper surface of the doped silicon germanium layer at least
substantially levels with the substrate surface. The device
structure includes an amorphous silicon layer covering the upper
surface of the doped silicon germanium layer in the trenches and a
metal silicide layer disposed on the gate structure and on the
amorphous silicon layer. The device structure further includes a
pair of source/drain extension regions disposed in the substrate
between the gate structure and the source/drain regions.
[0017] Based on the preferred embodiment, the amorphous silicon
layer has a thickness of about 20 angstroms to about 300 angstroms.
The source/drain region further comprises an undoped silicon
germanium layer disposed between the trench and the doped silicon
germanium layer.
[0018] Based on the preferred embodiment, a material of the metal
silicide layer can be nickel silicide, nickel platinum silicide, a
combination of both or an alloy of both.
[0019] For the semiconductor device of the present invention and
the manufacture method thereof, because the SiGe layer is covered
by the amorphous silicon layer, the upper surface of the
source/drain region is higher than the substrate surface and the
subsequently formed metal silicide layer thereon is relatively
raised. Hence, possible counteracting effect of the tensile stress
of the metal silicide toward the compressive stress of the silicon
germanium layer is mitigated and the device performance is
enhanced.
[0020] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary,
and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0022] FIGS. 1A-1F are cross-sectional views of the manufacture
processes for forming a semiconductor device structure according to
one preferred embodiment of this invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device
structure according to one preferred embodiment of this
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIGS. 1A-1F are cross-sectional views of the manufacture
processes for forming a semiconductor device structure according to
one preferred embodiment of this invention.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1A, a substrate 100 e.g. a monocrystalline
silicon substrate is provided. A trench 104a is formed in the
substrate 100, and an isolation structure 104 is formed in the
trench 104a so as to define an active region 101. The isolation
structure 104 is made of an insulating material e.g. silicon oxide
and is formed by performing a chemical vapor deposition process,
for example.
[0026] Then, a gate structure 106 is formed on the substrate 100
within the active region 101. The gate structure 106 is composed of
a gate dielectric layer 108 and a conductive layer 110. Here, the
gate structure 106 is formed by forming a dielectric material layer
(not shown) on the substrate 100 within the active region 101. The
dielectric material layer is made of silicon oxide, for example.
Next, a conductive material layer (not shown) is formed on the
dielectric material layer to completely cover the substrate 100.
The conductive material layer is made of polysilicon or doped
polysilicon, for example. Thereafter, a photolithography and
etching process is performed to pattern the conductive material
layer and the dielectric material layer, so as to form the
conductive layer 110 and the gate dielectric layer 108. Afterwards,
using the gate structure 106 as the mask, at least a pair of
source/drain extension regions 102 is formed in the substrate 100
by performing an ion implantation process. For the P-MOS transistor
device, boron or BF.sub.2.sup.+ ions are doped into the
source/drain extension region 102, for example.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1B, a pair of spacers 111 is formed on the
sidewalls of the gate structure 106. Using the gate structure 106
and the spacers 111 as the mask, a pair of trenches 112 and 114 is
formed in the substrate 100 at both sides of the gate structure 106
and beside spacers 111. The depth of the trenches 112/114 is about
200-1500 Angstroms, for example.
[0028] According to the above embodiment, the source/drain
extension regions 102 are formed before forming the trenches
112/114. Nevertheless, the order of the process steps can be
re-arranged or switched based on the requirements of the
manufacturing processes. Alternatively, the trenches are formed and
the source/drain extension regions 102 are formed in the subsequent
steps.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1C, the first selective epitaxy growth
(SEG) process is performed, by using the silicon containing gas
source, to form a silicon germanium (Si.sub.1-xGe.sub.x; SiGe)
epitaxy layer 120. The SiGe layer 120 fills up the trenches 112 and
114. In this embodiment, first selective epitaxy growth process is
the selective SiGe epitaxy growth process, for example, performed
under a pressure ranging from 5-50 torrs and a temperature ranging
from 550.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. Preferably, the SEG process
is, for example, performed at 660.degree. C. in the chemical vapor
deposition reaction chamber. The gas source flowed into the
reaction chamber includes at least a silicon-containing gas
(SiH.sub.4, SiH.sub.3Cl or SiH.sub.2Cl.sub.2), GeH.sub.4 and HCl.
For example, a flow rate of silicon-containing gas ranges from 30
sccm to 200 sccm, a flow rate of GeH.sub.4 ranges from 50 sccm to
250 sccm, and a flow rate of HCl ranges from 80 sccm to 260
sccm.
[0030] According to the preferred embodiment, the SiGe epitaxy
layer 120 has a thickness filling up the whole trench 112/114,
until the top surface 120a of the SiGe layer 120 substantially
levels with the top surface of the substrate 100. Preferably, the
top surface 120a of the SiGe layer 120 substantially levels with
the top surface of the substrate 100. Depending on the process
requirements or performance consideration, the top surface 120a of
the SiGe layer 120 may be slightly higher than the top surface of
the substrate 100, for example.
[0031] For the P-MOS transistor device, the SiGe layer 120 is the
strained layer that provides compressive stress along the channel
direction for enhancing the mobility of electrons or holes in the
channel, thus increasing the driving current and improving the
device performance.
[0032] Additionally, for the P-MOS transistor device, the first
selective epitaxy growth process can be, for example, in-situ boron
doping selective SiGe epitaxy growth process to directly form boron
doping SiGe epitaxy layer. Alternatively, after forming the SiGe
epitaxy layer, P.sup.+ grade implantation is further performed by
implanting e.g. boron ions to about the junction depth for reducing
junction resistance. Moreover, the step of P.sup.+ grade
implantation may be used to dope the polysilicon gate
simultaneously.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1D, the second selective epitaxy growth
process is performed, by using the silicon containing gas source,
to form an amorphous silicon epitaxy layer 122 on the top surface
120a of the SiGe epitaxy layer 120. The amorphous silicon layer 122
covers the whole surface 120a of the SiGe layer 120 and functions
as the cap layer. For example, the amorphous silicon layer 122 has
a thickness of at least about 20 angstroms, preferably, ranging
about 20-300 angstroms.
[0034] In this embodiment, second selective epitaxy growth (SEG)
process is the selective Si epitaxy growth process, for example,
performed under a pressure ranging from 5-80 torrs and a
temperature ranging from 650.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C.
Preferably, the SEG process is, for example, performed at
800.degree. C. in the chemical vapor deposition reaction chamber.
The gas source flowed into the reaction chamber includes at least a
silicon-containing gas (SiH.sub.4, SiH.sub.3Cl, SiH.sub.2Cl.sub.2
or SiCl.sub.4) and HCl (or Cl.sub.2). For example, a flow rate of
silicon-containing gas ranges from 50 sccm to 250 sccm, and a flow
rate of HCl or Cl.sub.2 ranges from 100 sccm to 300 sccm.
[0035] Depending on the throughput or process considerations, the
first SEG process and the second SEG process can be performed
in-situ in the same chamber or performed as cluster in different
chamber of the same platform.
[0036] Thereafter, referring to FIG. 1E, the spacers 111 are
removed and a pair of spacers 124 is formed on the sidewalls of the
gate structure 106. The spacer 124 can be a single spacer structure
or double spacer structure, for example. Then, an ion implantation
process 150 is performed to form a pair of source/drain regions 126
in the SiGe epitaxy layer 120 within the trenches 112/114 of the
substrate 100. For the P-MOS transistor device, boron or
BF.sub.2.sup.+ ions are doped into the source/drain regions 126,
for example. The ion implantation process 150, for example, is
performed using boron ions with an energy of about 1 keV and
implant dose of 1.times.10.sup.15-5.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.2;
or using BF.sub.2.sup.+ ions with an energy of about 4 keV and
implant dose of 1.times.10.sup.15-5.times.10.sup.15
atoms/cm.sup.2.
[0037] Afterwards, the annealing process is performed to activate
the diffusion of dopants to form proper dopant distribution
profile. The annealing process can be rapid thermal processing
(RTP) or laser-spike annealing (LSA), for example.
[0038] According to the above embodiment, the source/drain
extension regions 102 are formed before forming the trenches
112/114. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the source/drain
extension regions are formed after the formation of the SiGe layer
and removal of spacers 111 but before the formation of spacers
124.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 1F, a metal silicide layer 128 is formed
on the gate conductive layer 110 and a metal silicide layer 130 is
formed on the amorphous silicon layer 122 in the source/drain
regions 126 by depositing a metal layer (not shown) over the
substrate 100, performing the annealing process allowing the
reaction between the metal and silicon, and then selectively
removing the un-reacted metal layer. For example, the material of
the metal layer can be nickel, platinum or its alloy, while the
annealing process can be rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The
reaction temperature and time of the annealing process depend on
the choice in the material of the metal layer.
[0040] Since the amorphous silicon layer 122 covers the SiGe layer
120 as the cap layer, the implanted dopants will collide with the
atoms arranged in random in the amorphous silicon layer, thus help
relieving the damage to the SiGe layer caused by ion implantation
and mininizing the channeling effects of the boron dopants.
[0041] According to the preferred embodiment of this invention,
because the commonly performed germanium ion implantation (or
so-called pre-amorphism implantation; PAI) is omitted and the
amorphous silicon layer 122 (as cap layer) is formed to cover the
SiGe layer 120, the strain of the SiGe layer 120 will be retained
and will not be lessened by germanium ion implantation.
[0042] Table 1 shows testing data of three wafers going through
different doping processes with other compatible fabrication
process steps. Taking the P-type ion implantation as an example,
testing results show the impacts of using P.sup.+ grade
implantation, B.sup.+ or BF.sub.2.sup.+ source/drain implantation
or germanium ion PAI on the stress of the SiGe layer.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Wafer # 20 Wafer # 21 Wafer # 22 Epitaxy
growth + + + P.sup.+ grade implant + - - Ge ion PAI - + -
P.sup.+-type ion implant (BF.sub.2.sup.+) - - + P.sup.+-type ion
implant (B.sup.+) + - - RTP + + + LSA + + + 2 micron-array -223 Mpa
-70 Mpa -270 Mpa channel stress * compressive stress shown in
"-"
[0043] As shown in Table 1, wafer #21 having the lowest stress
indicates that the step of germanium ion PAI seriously weakens the
stress of the SiGe layer. On the other hand, wafer #22 and wafer
#20 still have relatively high stress, indicating that the impacts
of P.sup.+ grade implantation or B.sup.+/BF.sub.2.sup.+
implantation on the stress of the SiGe layer are not that
decisive.
[0044] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device
structure according to one preferred embodiment of this invention.
The semiconductor device 20 includes at least a substrate 200, an
active region 201, source/drain extension regions 202, isolation
structures 204, a gate structure 206, spacers 208 and source/drain
regions 210. The isolation structures 204 are disposed in the
substrate 200 to define the active region 201, while the gate
structure 206 is disposed on the substrate 200. The spacers 208 are
disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure 206, and the
source/drain extension regions 202 are disposed in the substrate
200 at both sides of the gate structure 206.
[0045] In FIG. 2, the source/drain region 210 consists of a SiGe
epitaxy layer 214 filling up the whole trench 212 in the substrate
200. The SiGe epitaxy layer 214 fills up the whole trench 212
disposed in the substrate 200, until the upper surface 214a of the
SiGe layer at least levels with the substrate surface. That is, the
upper surface 214a of the SiGe layer 214 either substantially
levels with the substrate surface or is slightly higher than the
substrate surface. The device 20 further includes an amorphous
silicon epitaxy layer 216 on the SiGe layer 214 and covering the
upper surface 214a of the SiGe layer 214. For P-MOS transistor
device, the SiGe layer 214 can be a boron doped SiGe layer, for
example. The device 20 may further include an undoped SiGe epitaxy
layer 215 between the trench 212 and the SiGe layer 214, for
strengthening the structure and avoiding boron channeling
effects.
[0046] Depending on the device designs, the device 20 may further
includes a metal silicide layer 218 disposed on the top surface of
the gate structure 206 and a metal silicide layer 220 disposed on
the amorphous silicon layer 216 in the source/drain regions 210.
The material of the metal silicide layer 218/220 may be nickel
silicide, nickel platinum silicide or their combinations or alloys,
for example.
[0047] According to this invention, as the upper surface 214a of
the SiGe layer at least levels with the substrate surface and
considering the amorphous silicon epitaxy layer 216 covering the
SiGe layer 214, the upper or top surface of the source/drain
regions should be higher than the substrate surface. Hence, the
subsequently formed metal silicide layer 220 is disposed on the
amorphous silicon epitaxy layer 216 and higher than the substrate
surface. Compared with prior structure, the metal silicide layer is
somewhat raised, thus relieving the counteracting effect of the
tensile stress of the metal silicide layer toward the compressive
stress of the SiGe layer. Therefore, the device performance will
not be downgraded by the formation of the metal silicide layer.
[0048] In addition, the use of the amorphous silicon layer covering
on the SiGe layer can mitigate the boron channeling effects to
avoid short channel effect. Further, the amorphous silicon layer
help to sustain the strain of the underlying SiGe layer and
alleviate implant damages in the subsequent doping processes. As a
result, not only the device performance but also reliability of the
device can be improved.
[0049] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the
present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the
invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the
present invention cover modifications and variations of this
invention provided they fall within the scope of the following
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *