Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Lutz Herrmann

Karsten Wieczorek

Falk Graetsch

Thomas Feudel

Christian Krueger

Jan Raebiger

Andre Holfeld

Methods and systems are disclosed that allow an adjustment of a product parameter, such as operating speed, of a circuit element, such as a field effect transistor, during the fabrication of the device. A manufacturing process downstream of a first controlled process is controlled by a superior control scheme in response to the measurement data of the first and second processes and on the basis of a sensitivity function, which describes the effect a variation of the product parameter generates in the measurement data. The superior control scheme may provide a compensated target value for the downstream process.

Method and system for controlling a product parameter of a circuit element

A method of forming a dielectric layer that may be used as a dielectric separating a gate electrode from a channel region of a field effect transistor is provided which allows a high capacitive coupling while still maintaining a low leakage current level. This is achieved by introducing a dopant, for example nitrogen, that increases the resistance of the dielectric layer by means of low energy plasma irradiation, wherein an initial layer thickness is selected to substantially avoid penetration of the dopant into the underlying material. Subsequently, dielectric material is removed by an atomic layer etch to finally obtain the required design thickness.

Method of forming a low leakage dielectric layer providing an increased capacitive coupling

A manufacturing process for fabricating field effect transistors is disclosed comprising the generation of a strained surface layer on the surface of the substrate on which the transistor is to be fabricated. The strained surface layer is generated by implanting xenon and/or other heavy inert ions into the substrate. Implantation can be performed both after or prior to the gate oxide growth. The processing afterwards is carried out as in conventional MOS technologies. It is assumed that the strained surface layer improves the channel mobility of the transistor.

Semiconductor device having an improved strained surface layer and method of forming a strained surface layer in a semiconductor device

For aggressively scaled field effect transistors, nitrogen is incorporated into a base oxide layer, wherein, at an initial phase of a plasma nitridation process, the nitrogen ion density is maintained at a value so that incorporation of nitrogen into the channel region is minimized. Subsequently, when the thickness of the base oxide layer has increased, due to residual oxygen in the plasma ambient, the nitrogen ion density is increased, thereby increasing the nitridation rate. Preferably, the nitrogen ion density is controlled by varying the pressure of the plasma ambient. Moreover, a system is disclosed that allows control of the nitridation rate in response to an oxide layer thickness.

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Dresden, Germany

Lutz Herrmann