Gate Stack Dielectric and Spacer Structure for Higher Integration Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor device design is to increase integration density while minimizing the complexity and cost associated with reducing pattern linewidths, which typically requires advanced and expensive exposure technologies.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a gate stack with a first and second dielectric layer, where the second dielectric layer has a higher dielectric constant than the first. A spacer structure is provided, including a first spacer on the gate stack and a second spacer on the first spacer, with a protruding portion extending towards the first dielectric layer. This configuration enhances integration density while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pattern linewidths are reduced to increase integration density, then integration density is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to requiring novel exposure technologies
Solution Approach 1:
The gate insulating layer is segmented into multiple dielectric layers (first dielectric layer and second dielectric layer) with different dielectric constants. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to the overall capacitance, enabling higher integration density without requiring further reduction of pattern linewidths, thus avoiding the need for novel expensive exposure technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the dielectric parameter (dielectric constant) by introducing a second dielectric layer with higher dielectric constant than the first dielectric layer. This parameter change increases the gate capacitance without reducing the physical dimensions of the device, thereby increasing integration density while maintaining compatibility with existing fabrication processes.
2Productivity
If pattern linewidths are reduced to increase integration density, then integration density is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to requiring novel exposure technologies
Solution Approach 1:
The gate insulating layer is divided into multiple dielectric layers with different dielectric constants, allowing the system to achieve higher capacitance and integration density through material composition rather than dimensional reduction. This approach can be implemented using existing fabrication technologies, avoiding the need for novel expensive exposure processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate insulating layer uses a composite structure of first and second dielectric layers with different dielectric constants. This composite material approach enables tuning of the overall dielectric properties to achieve desired capacitance values, increasing integration density without requiring advanced exposure technologies and thus controlling manufacturing costs.
3Device complexity
If a single dielectric layer is used in the gate insulating layer, then fabrication is simpler, but integration density is limited due to lower capacitance
Solution Approach 1:
The gate insulating layer is segmented into multiple dielectric layers, each with specific dielectric constant characteristics. This segmentation enables the system to achieve higher overall capacitance than a single dielectric layer could provide, thereby increasing integration density while maintaining a relatively simple fabrication process that deposits multiple layers sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the dielectric parameter by introducing a second dielectric layer with higher dielectric constant than the first dielectric layer. This parameter change increases the gate capacitance without significantly complicating the fabrication process, as it involves standard dielectric deposition techniques applied in sequence.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a gate stack including a gate insulating layer and a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer. The gate insulating layer includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer, and a dielectric constant of the second dielectric layer is greater than a dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device also includes a first spacer on a side surface of the gate stack, and a second spacer on the first spacer, wherein the second spacer includes a protruding portion extending from a level lower than a lower surface of the first spacer towards the first dielectric layer, and a dielectric constant of the second spacer is greater than the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer and less than a dielectric constant of the first spacer.