FinFET Source/Drain Structure With Ge Gradient Damage Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-performance semiconductor devices with fine patterns and three-dimensional channel structures poses challenges in manufacturing, particularly in preventing damage during the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices with fin field effect transistors (FinFETs).
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a substrate with an active region, a gate structure, and a source/drain region featuring multiple semiconductor layers with varying germanium concentrations, including silicon germanium (SiGe) and silicon (Si) layers, to enhance reliability and prevent damage during manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If semiconductor devices are manufactured with fine patterns and three-dimensional channel structures to increase integration density, then device performance and functionality are improved, but the risk of damage during manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
A silicon layer is formed in advance on the side surfaces of the channel structure before subsequent manufacturing steps. This preliminary protective layer is deposited conformally to cover the exposed side surfaces of the channel structure, preventing damage during later etching or processing steps while enabling fine pattern fabrication and high integration density
Solution Approach 2:
The silicon layer acts as a cushioning protective barrier formed beforehand on the channel structure side surfaces. This layer absorbs or mitigates potential damage from manufacturing processes, allowing the device to achieve high integration density with fine patterns while maintaining reliability through pre-established protection
2Reliability
If multiple semiconductor layers with different germanium concentrations are used in the source/drain region, then reliability is improved by preventing damage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different semiconductor layers with varying germanium concentrations are placed in specific locations within the source/drain region. The first semiconductor layer has a first germanium concentration, the second layer has a second germanium concentration, and the third layer has a third germanium concentration, with each layer positioned to provide localized stress control and damage prevention where needed most
Solution Approach 2:
The source/drain region employs a composite structure of multiple semiconductor layers with different germanium concentrations. This composite material approach combines layers with varying mechanical and electrical properties to achieve both damage prevention and functional performance, accepting increased structural complexity as a trade-off for enhanced reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active region extending in a first direction, a gate structure intersecting the active region on the substrate and extending in a second direction, where the active region includes a recessed region at at least one side of the gate structure, a plurality of channel layers on the active region, spaced apart from each other in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, and at least partially surrounded by the gate structure and a source/drain region in the recessed region of the active region and connected to the plurality of channel layers.