Abstract:
A non-conformal metal suicide layer (156) in a transistor (150) of recessed drain and source configuration may provide enhanced efficiency with respect to strain-inducing mechanisms, drain/source resistance and the like. For this purpose, in some cases, an amorphizing implantation process may be performed prior to the silicidation process, while in other cases an anisotropic deposition of the refractory metal (156) may be used.
Abstract:
Scalability of a strain-inducing mechanism on the basis of a stressed dielectric overlayer may be enhanced by forming a single stress-inducing layer (230) in combination with contact trenches, which may shield a significant amount of a non-desired stress component in the complementary transistor (220, 220P), while also providing a strain component in the transistor width direction (220W)when the contact material may be provided with a desired internal stress level.
Abstract:
A substrate diode for an SOI device (200, 300) is formed in accordance with an appropriately designed manufacturing flow, wherein transistor performance enhancing mechanisms may be implemented substantially without affecting the diode characteristics. In one aspect, respective openings (21 IA, 21 IB, 31 IA, 311B) for the substrate diode may be formed after the formation of a corresponding sidewall spacer structure (236, 336) used for defining the drain and source regions (237, 337), thereby obtaining a significant lateral distribution of the dopants in the diode areas, which may therefore provide sufficient process margins during a subsequent silicidation sequence on the basis of a removal of the spacers (236, 336) in the transistor devices (230A, 230B, 330A, 33OB). In a further aspect, in addition to or alternatively, an offset spacer (360S) may be formed substantially without affecting the configuration of respective transistor devices (230A, 230B, 330A, 33OB).
Abstract:
By forming a deep recess (111, 211) through the buried insulating layer (103, 203) and re-growing a strained semiconductor material (112, 212), an enhanced strain generation mechanism may be provided in SOI- like transistors (100, 200). Consequently, the strain may also be efficiently created by the embedded strained semiconductor material across the entire active layer, thereby significantly enhancing the performance of transistor devices, in which two channel regions may be defined.
Abstract:
The device degradation of integrated circuits may be compensated for by appropriately adapting the duty cycle of the clock signal. For this purpose, a correlation between the duty cycle and the overall performance characteristics of the integrated circuit may be established and may be used during the normal field operation of the device in order to modify the duty cycle. Hence, an efficient control strategy may be implemented since the duty cycle may efficiently be controlled, while at the same time a change of clock signal frequency and/or an increase of supply voltage may not be required.
Abstract:
The drive current capability of a pull-down transistor and a pass transistor formed in a common active region may be adjusted on the basis of different strain levels obtained by providing at least one embedded semiconductor alloy in the active region, thereby providing for a simplified overall geometric configuration of the active region. Hence, static RAM cells may be formed on the basis of a minimum channel length with a simplified configuration of the active region, thereby avoiding significant yield losses as may be observed in sophisticated devices, in which a pronounced variation of the transistor width is conventionally used so as to adjust the ratio of the drive currents for the pull-down and pass transistors.
Abstract:
By incorporating a diffusion hindering species (256A) at the vicinity of PN junctions of P-channel transistors comprising a silicon/germanium alloy, (255) diffusion related non- uniformities of the PN junctions may be reduced, thereby contributing to enhanced device stability and increased overall transistor performance. The diffusion hindering species (256A) may be provided in the form of carbon, nitrogen and the like.
Abstract:
By removing a portion of a halo region (206, 306) or by avoiding the formation of the halo region (206, 306) within the extension region (209A), which may be subsequently formed on the basis of a re-grown semiconductor material (218, 318), the threshold roll off behavior may be significantly improved, wherein an enhanced current drive capability may simultaneously be achieved.
Abstract:
During the manufacturing process for forming sophisticated transistor elements, the gate height may be reduced and also a recessed drain and source configuration may be obtained in a common etch sequence prior to forming respective metal suicide regions. Since the corresponding sidewall spacer structure may be maintained during the etch sequence, controllability and uniformity of the silicidation process in the gate electrode may be enhanced, thereby obtaining a reduced degree of threshold variability. Furthermore, the recessed drain and source configuration may provide for reduced overall series resistance and enhanced stress transfer efficiency.
Abstract:
In sophisticated semiconductor devices a strain inducing semiconductor alloy may be positioned close to the channel region by forming cavities on the basis of a wet chemical etch process, which may have an anisotropic etch behaviour with respect to different crystallographic orientations. In one embodiment, TMAH may be used which exhibits, in addition to the anisotropic etch behaviour, a high etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide, thereby enabling extremely thin etch stop layers which additionally provide for the possibility of further reducing the offset from the channel region while not unduly contributing to overall process variability.