FinFET Gate Oxide Layering for Breakdown Resistance Without Fin Thinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
FinFETs face a trade-off between thick gate oxide materials, which provide higher breakdown voltage but lead to performance degradation due to fin thinning, and thin gate oxide materials, which break down during high-voltage operations, limiting their use in high-voltage circuitry.
Innovation Solution
The manufacturing of FinFETs with intermediate gate oxide thicknesses is enabled, using a combination of radical oxidation and atomic layer deposition to form gate oxides, allowing for greater flexibility in design and performance while minimizing fin consumption and performance degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thick gate oxide materials are used, then breakdown voltage resistance is improved, but device performance degrades due to fin thinning
Solution Approach 1:
The gate oxide is segmented into multiple distinct layers: a first gate oxide layer (thicker, provides breakdown resistance) and a second gate oxide layer (thinner, maintains performance). This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill different functional requirements simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the gate oxide structure have different thicknesses and properties. The first gate oxide layer has greater thickness for breakdown resistance, while the second gate oxide layer has smaller thickness for performance optimization. This local differentiation allows the structure to satisfy both contradictory requirements in different spatial locations.
2Manufacturing precision
If thin gate oxide materials are used, then device performance is improved, but breakdown voltage resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gate oxide is divided into multiple layers where the first layer provides the necessary thickness for breakdown resistance, while the second layer provides the thinner profile for performance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing different functional requirements across different layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate oxide structure uses a composite of different oxide materials or layers with different thicknesses. The first gate oxide material provides breakdown resistance, while the second gate oxide material optimizes device performance. This composite approach allows simultaneous satisfaction of both reliability and performance requirements.
3Reliability
If thick gate oxide FinFETs are used in high-voltage circuitry, then breakdown resistance is improved, but area increases due to performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the gate oxide into multiple layers with different thicknesses, the invention achieves breakdown resistance without the need for uniformly thick gate oxide across the entire device. This allows high-voltage circuitry to use thinner overall gate oxide structures, reducing device area while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thicker first gate oxide layer is positioned where breakdown resistance is critical, while thinner regions are used where performance is prioritized. This local optimization allows the device to achieve high-voltage compatibility without the area penalty of uniformly thick gate oxide structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for FinFETs with intermediate gate oxide thicknesses that are more resilient to breakdown than thin gate oxide FinFETs and maintain performance without the degradation associated with thick gate oxide FinFETs, enabling their use in high-voltage circuitry without area penalties.
Implementation Method 1
using a combination of radical oxidation and atomic layer deposition to form gate oxides
Implementation Method 2
using a combination of radical oxidation and atomic layer deposition to form gate oxides
Data Source
AI summary
Fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) having various different thicknesses of gate oxides and related apparatuses, methods, and computing systems are disclosed. An apparatus includes first FinFETs, second FinFETs, and third FinFETs. The first FinFETs include a first gate oxide material, a second gate oxide material, and a third gate oxide material. The second FinFETs include the second gate oxide material and the third gate oxide material. The third FinFETs include the third gate oxide material. A method includes forming the first gate oxide material on first fins, second fins, and third fins; removing the first gate oxide material from the second fins and the third fins; forming a second gate oxide material over the first fins, the second fins, and the third fins; and removing the second gate oxide material from the third fins.