Low-energy nitrogen plasmas for 65-nm node oxynitride gate dielectrics: a correlation of plasma characteristics and device parameters

Author

Kraus, P.A. ; Ahmed, K. ; Chua, T.C. ; Ershov, M. ; Karbasi, H. ; Olsen, C.S. ; Nouri, F. ; Holland, J. ; Zhao, R. ; Miner, G. ; Lepert, A.

Author_Institution

Appl. Mater. Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA

fYear

2003

fDate

10-12 June 2003

Firstpage

143

Lastpage

144

Abstract

Ultra-thin oxynitride gate dielectrics (EOT 1.1 to 1.2 nm) have been prepared using quasi-remote inductively coupled nitrogen plasmas. A correlation has been established, for the first time, between device characteristics and measurements of the nitrogen plasma characteristics. It is found that reducing the density of high-energy electrons in the plasma results in 5% improved electron and hole low-field mobilities and 100% improved NBTI reliability. These improvements in plasma nitridation technology enable the extension of oxynitride gate dielectrics to the 65-nm technology node specifications.

Keywords

MOSFET; dielectric materials; dielectric thin films; electron mobility; hole mobility; nitridation; plasma density; plasma materials processing; reliability; silicon compounds; 1.1 to 1.2 nm; 65 nm; SiO/sub 2/:N; SiON; electron mobilities; electrons density; hole mobilities; negative bias temperature instability; plasma correlation characteristics; plasma nitridation technology; quasi remote coupled nitrogen plasmas; ultrathin oxynitride gate dielectrics; Charge carrier processes; Dielectric devices; Dielectric measurements; Electron mobility; Nitrogen; Plasma density; Plasma devices; Plasma measurements; Plasma properties; Time measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

VLSI Technology, 2003. Digest of Technical Papers. 2003 Symposium on

Conference_Location

Kyoto, Japan

Print_ISBN

4-89114-033-X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/VLSIT.2003.1221126

Filename

1221126