Patterned FET Gate Structure for Higher Channel Width Scaling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Miniaturization of semiconductor devices, such as field-effect transistors (FETs), leads to decreased drain current and operation speed due to challenges in effectively forming gate electrodes and source-drain regions on patterned semiconductor substrates, resulting in increased off-current and defects.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor component and manufacturing method involving a patterned semiconductor substrate with raised and recessed portions, where the gate insulating film covers the surface of source-drain regions and the gate electrode is formed to fill grooves in the recessed portions, ensuring consistent impurity profiles and improved channel width, facilitating easier miniaturization and reduced off-current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If semiconductor devices are miniaturized to achieve higher integration, then device density increases, but drain current amounts and operation speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a planar gate structure to a three-dimensional patterned surface structure with raised and recessed portions. By forming the gate insulating film and gate electrode on this patterned surface, the effective channel width is increased in the vertical and lateral dimensions, compensating for the size reduction and maintaining drain current and operation speed despite miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The semiconductor substrate surface is locally modified with raised portions and recessed portions at specific locations. The gate insulating film thickness and gate electrode structure are locally adjusted in these patterned regions, creating areas with enhanced electrical characteristics that improve overall device performance while allowing continued miniaturization.
2Quantity of substance
If the effective channel width is increased by providing gate structures on a patterned surface, then drain current improves, but alignment precision and electric field control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patterned surface structure with raised and recessed portions is formed in advance before the gate insulating film and gate electrode are deposited. This preliminary structuring establishes precise alignment references that guide subsequent fabrication steps, ensuring that the gate structures are correctly positioned while maintaining the enhanced effective channel width.
3Quantity of substance
If gate structures are formed on a patterned surface to increase effective channel width, then device performance improves, but electric field diffusion increases affecting device characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The gate insulating film structure is segmented into different thickness regions corresponding to the raised and recessed portions of the patterned surface. This segmentation creates distinct electric field zones that are better controlled and confined, preventing excessive electric field diffusion while maintaining the benefits of increased effective channel width.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor component including: a semiconductor substrate; and a semiconductor device provided thereon, the device being a field-effect transistor that includes: a gate insulating film provided on the substrate; a gate electrode provided via the film; and a pair of source-drain regions provided to sandwich the electrode, the substrate including a patterned surface in a portion where the electrode is provided, the patterned surface of the substrate including a raised portion where the film is formed to cover a surface that lies on the same plane as a surface of the pair of source-drain regions, and the electrode is formed on a top surface of the film, and the patterned surface of the substrate including a recessed portion where the film is formed to cover surfaces of a groove formed toward the interior than the surface of the pair of source-drain regions, and the electrode is formed so as to fill the groove provided with the film.