Gate Dielectric Passivation to Reduce Blistering in FinFET Fabrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices continue to integrate more components into a given area with reduced feature sizes, challenges arise in preventing blister formation during the manufacturing process, which can affect the integrity and performance of the devices.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to form semiconductor fins with isolation regions and source/drain regions, followed by a thermal soaking process using a passivation dopant like fluorine to passivate defects in the dielectric layers, ensuring conformal implantation without excessive material degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If feature sizes are reduced to increase integration density, then more components can be integrated into a given area, but blister formation occurs during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a thermal soaking process with passivation dopant before the main manufacturing steps. This preliminary treatment modifies the dielectric layer properties in advance, preventing blister formation during subsequent processing while enabling continued scaling to higher integration densities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical and chemical parameters of the dielectric layer through thermal soaking with passivation dopant. This modifies the material properties (such as stress, density, or chemical composition) to prevent blister formation, allowing the process to support reduced feature sizes and higher integration density without reliability degradation
2Reliability
If thermal soaking process is used to passivate defects, then blister formation is reduced, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal soaking process with existing manufacturing steps by integrating it into the standard process flow. The passivation dopant application is combined with thermal processing that is already part of the manufacturing sequence, adding the blister prevention function without requiring completely separate process equipment or steps
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 reduces blister formation, enhances the manufacturing process control, and maintains the integrity of the semiconductor device by minimizing material etching and improving the conformality of the passivation dopant distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal soaking process using a passivation dopant like fluorine to passivate defects in the dielectric layers
Implementation Method 2
soaking the first work function layer in a first precursor, the first precursor comprising a passivation dopant, wherein the soaking the first work function layer introduces the passivation dopant into the gate dielectric layer
Data Source
AI summary
Semiconductor devices and methods which utilize a passivation dopant to passivate a gate dielectric layer are provided. The passivation dopant is introduced to the gate dielectric layer through a work function layer using a process such as a soaking method. The passivation dopant is an atom which may help to passivate electrical trapping defects, such as fluorine.