A new MoSi2/Thin poly-Si gate process technology without dielectric degradation of a gate oxide

The dielectric degradation phenomena in gate oxides of MoSi²/thin n⁺poly-Si (<100 nm) gate structure which appeared after high-temperature annealing have been analyzed in detail. Analyses included obtaining the correlation between gate oxide dielectric characteristics and various factors like phosphorus concentration in poly-Si, native oxide on poly-Si, sheet resistance of MoSi², and the SEM or TEM observations of textures of MoSi², poly-Si, and gate oxide. From analyses, it was concluded that the local reaction of molybdenum silicide with poly-Si under the presence of a barrier, like the thick native oxide on poly-Si formed before MoSi²deposition, results in the damage to a gate oxide through a thin poly-Si layer during annealing. Based upon analytical results, a new MoSi²/thin poly-Si gate process without dielectric degradation has been developed, in which the direct MoSi²deposition on undoped poly-Si to suppress the native oxide growth and phosphorus implantation into MoSi²were introduced. The process provided a good dielectric strength of a gate oxide even to the device with a poly-Si layer as thin as 50 nm, an easy dry etching without undercutting of poly-Si, and stable device characteristics and reliabilities compatible to a conventional poly-Si gate process.