Inverted field-effect device with polycrystalline silicon/germanium channel

Claim 2

An integrated circuit fabrication method, comprising the steps of: (a.) providing a substrate which includes substantially monolithic semiconductor material; (b.) growing a first gate dielectric on at least part of said semiconductor material; (c.) forming a first patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines transistor gates, insulated by said first gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material; (d.) stripping said first gate dielectric from at least some areas of said semiconductor material, and forming a second gate dielectric thereon, and forming patterned diffusions in said semiconductor material to define first sources and first drains; and (e.) forming a second patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines thin-film transistor channels, insulated by said second gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material, and forming patterned diffusions in said second layer to define second sources and second drains; whereby said first and second gate dielectrics can be independently optimized for different transistor characteristics.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second gate dielectrics are formed with different effective thicknesses.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, comprises at least 10% at of germanium.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, has a total thickness which is less than 1000 Å.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein said second polycrystalline film has a total thickness which is less than two-thirds that of said first polycrystalline film.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein said first polycrystalline film consists essentially of polysilicon.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second polycrystalline films have different thicknesses.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1, wherein said second polycrystalline film comprises at least about 10% at of a semiconductor other than silicon, and said second gate dielectric is more than 99% at silicon dioxide.

Claim 10

An integrated circuit fabrication method, comprising the steps of: (a.) providing a substrate which includes substantially monolithic semiconductor material; (b.) growing a first gate dielectric on at least part of said semiconductor material; (c.) forming a first patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines transistor gates, insulated by said first gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material; (d.) stripping said first gate dielectric from at least some areas of said semiconductor material, and forming a second gate dielectric thereon, and forming patterned diffusions in said semiconductor material to define first sources and first drains; and (e.) forming a second patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines thin-film transistor channels, insulated by said second gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material, and forming patterned diffusions in said second layer to define second sources and second drains; wherein said second drains are laterally spaced from surface portions of said semiconductor material; whereby said first and second gate dielectrics can be independently optimized for different transistor characteristics.

Claim 11

An integrated circuit fabrication method, comprising the steps of: (a.) providing a substrate which includes substantially monolithic semiconductor material; (b.) growing a first gate dielectric on at least part of said semiconductor material; (c.) forming a first patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines transistor gates, insulated by said first gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material; (d.) stripping said first gate dielectric from at least some areas of said semiconductor material, and forming a second gate dielectric thereon, and forming patterned diffusions in said semiconductor material to define first sources and first drains; and (e.) forming a second patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines thin-film transistor channels, insulated by said second gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material, and forming patterned diffusions in said second layer to define second sources and second drains; wherein said second drains are laterally spaced from surface portions of said semiconductor material; whereby said first and second gate dielectrics can be independently optimized for different transistor characteristics.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, wherein said first and second gate dielectrics are formed with different effective thicknesses.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, comprises at least 10% at of germanium.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, has a total thickness which is less than 1000 Å.

Claim 15

The method of claim 9, wherein said second polycrystalline film has a total thickness which is less than two-thirds that of said first polycrystalline film.

Claim 16

The method of claim 9, wherein said first polycrystalline film consists essentially of polysilicon.

Claim 17

The method of claim 9, wherein said first and second polycrystalline films have different thicknesses.

Claim 18

The method of claim 9, wherein said second polycrystalline film comprises at least about 10% at of a semiconductor other than silicon, and said second gate dielectric is more than 99% at silicon dioxide.

Claim 19

An integrated circuit fabrication method, comprising the steps of: (a.) providing a substrate which includes substantially monolithic semiconductor material; (b.) growing a first gate dielectric on at least part of said semiconductor material; (c.) forming a first patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines transistor gates, insulated by said first gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material; (d.) stripping said first gate dielectric from at least some areas of said semiconductor material, and forming a second gate dielectric thereon, and forming patterned diffusions in said semiconductor material to define first sources and first drains; and (e.) forming a second patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines thin-film transistor channels, insulated by said second gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material, and forming patterned diffusions in said second layer to define second sources and second drains; wherein said first and second polycrystalline layers have different semiconductor compositions; whereby said first and second gate dielectrics can be independently optimized for different transistor characteristics.

Claim 20

An integrated circuit fabrication method, comprising the steps of: (a.) providing a substrate which includes substantially monolithic semiconductor material; (b.) growing a first gate dielectric on at least part of said semiconductor material; (c.) forming a first patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines transistor gates, insulated by said first gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material; (d.) stripping said first gate dielectric from at least some areas of said semiconductor material, and forming a second gate dielectric thereon, and forming patterned diffusions in said semiconductor material to define first sources and first drains; and (e.) forming a second patterned conductive polycrystalline thin-film layer which defines thin-film transistor channels, insulated by said second gate dielectric, over at least some portions of said semiconductor material, and forming patterned diffusions in said second layer to define second sources and second drains; wherein said first and second polycrystalline layers have different semiconductor compositions; whereby said first and second gate dielectrics can be independently optimized for different transistor characteristics.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17, wherein said first and second gate dielectrics are formed with different effective thicknesses.

Claim 22

The method of claim 17, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, comprises at least 10% at of germanium.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17, wherein said second polycrystalline film comprises at least about 10% at of a semiconductor other than silicon, and said second gate dielectric is more than 99% at silicon dioxide.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17, wherein said second polycrystalline film, but not said first polycrystalline film, has a total thickness which is less than 1000 Å.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17, wherein said second polycrystalline film has a total thickness which is less than two-thirds that of said first polycrystalline film.

Claim 26

The method of claim 17, wherein said first polycrystalline film consists essentially of polysilicon.

Claim 27

The method of claim 17, wherein said first and second polycrystalline films have different thicknesses.