Fabrication of a notched gate structure for a field effect transistor using a single patterning and etch process

Claim 1

A method for fabricating a field effect transistor within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: A. depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; B. depositing a first semiconductor layer on said gate dielectric layer, said first semiconductor layer being comprised of a first semiconductor material; C. depositing a second semiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being comprised of a second semiconductor material; D. patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said second semiconductor layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said second semiconductor layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; and E. etching exposed regions of said second semiconductor layer and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure; and wherein said first semiconductor material is different from said second semiconductor material, and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said field effect transistor; and wherein said first semiconductor material is comprised of polysilicon and germanium with a germanium content in a range of from about 30% to about 50%, and wherein said second semiconductor material is comprised of polysilicon.

Claim 2

A method for fabricating a field effect transistor within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: A. depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; B. depositing a first semiconductor layer on said gate dielectric layer, said first semiconductor layer being comprised of a first semiconductor material; C. depositing a second semiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being comprised of a second semiconductor material; D. patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said second semiconductor layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said second semiconductor layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; and E. etching exposed regions of said second semiconductor layer and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure; and wherein said first semiconductor material is different from said second semiconductor material, and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said field effect transistor; and wherein said first semiconductor material is comprised of polysilicon and germanium with a germanium content in a range of from about 30% to about 50%, and wherein said second semiconductor material is comprised of polysilicon.

Claim 6

A method for fabricating a field effect transistor within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: A. depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; B. depositing a first semiconductor layer on said gate dielectric layer, said first semiconductor layer being comprised of a first semiconductor material; C. depositing a second semiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being comprised of a second semiconductor material; D. patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said second semiconductor layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said second semiconductor layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; E. etching exposed regions of said second semiconductor layer and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure; and wherein said first semiconductor material is different from said second semiconductor material, and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said field effect transistor; F. etching exposed regions of said gate dielectric layer to form a gate dielectric under said first gate structure such that said gate dielectric has said first length of said first gate structure; G. forming a drain extension junction and a source extension junction by implanting an extension dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; H. forming spacers on sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure; I. forming a drain contact junction and a source contact junction by implanting a contact dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; and J. forming a drain silicide with said drain contact junction, a source silicide with said source contact junction, and a gate silicide with said second gate structure.

Claim 7

A method for fabricating a field effect transistor within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: A. depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; B. depositing a first semiconductor layer on said gate dielectric layer, said first semiconductor layer being comprised of a first semiconductor material; C. depositing a second semiconductor layer on said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being comprised of a second semiconductor material; D. patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said second semiconductor layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said second semiconductor layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; E. etching exposed regions of said second semiconductor layer and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure; and wherein said first semiconductor material is different from said second semiconductor material, and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said field effect transistor; F. etching exposed regions of said gate dielectric layer to form a gate dielectric under said first gate structure such that said gate dielectric has said first length of said first gate structure; G. forming a drain extension junction and a source extension junction by implanting an extension dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; H. forming spacers on sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure; I. forming a drain contact junction and a source contact junction by implanting a contact dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; and J. forming a drain silicide with said drain contact junction, a source silicide with said source contact junction, and a gate silicide with said second gate structure.

Claim 16

A method for fabricating a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; depositing a first semiconductor layer comprised of polysilicon and germanium with a germanium content in a range of from about 30% to about 50% on said gate dielectric layer, wherein said first semiconductor layer has a thickness in a range of from about 300 Å (angstroms) to about 800 Å (angstroms); depositing a second semiconductor layer comprised of polysilicon on said first semiconductor layer, wherein said second semiconductor layer of polysilicon has a thickness in a range of from about 400 Å (angstroms) to about 2000 Å (angstroms); depositing an anti-reflective capping layer of silicon oxynitride (SiON) on said second semiconductor layer, patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said anti-reflective capping layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said anti-reflective capping layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; etching exposed regions of said anti-reflective capping layer, said second semiconductor layer, and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure, and wherein said predetermined etch process is a dry plasma etch process; and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said MOSFET; increasing a content of germanium in said first semiconductor layer to increase said predetermined notch distance; increasing a thickness of said first semiconductor layer to increase said predetermined notch distance; etching exposed regions of said gate dielectric layer to form a gate dielectric under said first gate structure such that said gate dielectric has said first length of said first gate structure; forming a drain extension junction and a source extension junction by implanting an extension dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; forming spacers on sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure; forming a drain contact junction and a source contact junction by implanting a contact dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; forming a drain silicide with said drain contact junction, a source silicide with said source contact junction, and a gate silicide with said second gate structure; wherein said extension dopant during said implant is directed vertically perpendicular to said semiconductor substrate with said second gate structure blocking said extension dopant such that said drain extension junction and said source extension junction do not extend under said gate dielectric after said implant; performing a RTA (rapid thermal anneal) to active said extension dopant in said drain extension junction and said source extension junction, wherein said extension dopant in said drain extension junction and said source extension junction thermally diffuses during said RTA (rapid thermal anneal) such that said drain extension junction and said source extension extend under said gate dielectric after said RTA (rapid thermal anneal); and forming a liner oxide between said spacers and said sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure, and between said spacers and said semiconductor substrate when said spacers are comprised of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ).

Claim 17

A method for fabricating a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) within an active device area of a semiconductor substrate, the method including the steps of: depositing a gate dielectric layer on said semiconductor substrate; depositing a first semiconductor layer comprised of polysilicon and germanium with a germanium content in a range of from about 30% to about 50% on said gate dielectric layer, wherein said first semiconductor layer has a thickness in a range of from about 300 Å (angstroms) to about 800 Å (angstroms); depositing a second semiconductor layer comprised of polysilicon on said first semiconductor layer, wherein said second semiconductor layer of polysilicon has a thickness in a range of from about 400 Å (angstroms) to about 2000 Å (angstroms); depositing an anti-reflective capping layer of silicon oxynitride (SiON) on said second semiconductor layer, patterning a photoresist layer deposited on said anti-reflective capping layer to form a gate photoresist structure on said anti-reflective capping layer, wherein said gate photoresist structure is disposed over said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; etching exposed regions of said anti-reflective capping layer, said second semiconductor layer, and said first semiconductor layer continuously using a predetermined etch process to form a first gate structure from etching of said first semiconductor layer and to form a second gate structure from etching of said second semiconductor layer, wherein said second gate structure is disposed on said first gate structure, and wherein said predetermined etch process is a dry plasma etch process; and wherein a first etch rate of said first semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process is faster than a second etch rate of said second semiconductor material in said predetermined etch process such that a first length of said first gate structure is smaller than a second length of said second gate structure after said predetermined etch process, and wherein sidewalls of said first gate structure are disposed inward from sidewalls of said second gate structure by a predetermined notch distance such that said first gate structure and said second gate structure form a notched gate structure of said MOSFET; increasing a content of germanium in said first semiconductor layer to increase said predetermined notch distance; increasing a thickness of said first semiconductor layer to increase said predetermined notch distance; etching exposed regions of said gate dielectric layer to form a gate dielectric under said first gate structure such that said gate dielectric has said first length of said first gate structure; forming a drain extension junction and a source extension junction by implanting an extension dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; forming spacers on sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure; forming a drain contact junction and a source contact junction by implanting a contact dopant in exposed regions of said active device area of said semiconductor substrate; forming a drain silicide with said drain contact junction, a source silicide with said source contact junction, and a gate silicide with said second gate structure; wherein said extension dopant during said implant is directed vertically perpendicular to said semiconductor substrate with said second gate structure blocking said extension dopant such that said drain extension junction and said source extension junction do not extend under said gate dielectric after said implant; performing a RTA (rapid thermal anneal) to active said extension dopant in said drain extension junction and said source extension junction, wherein said extension dopant in said drain extension junction and said source extension junction thermally diffuses during said RTA (rapid thermal anneal) such that said drain extension junction and said source extension extend under said gate dielectric after said RTA (rapid thermal anneal); and forming a liner oxide between said spacers and said sidewalls of said gate dielectric, said first gate structure, and said second gate structure, and between said spacers and said semiconductor substrate when said spacers are comprised of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ).