Globalfoundries Inc.

Yew Tuck Chow

Stephan Kronholz

Joanna Wasyluk

Nadja Zakowsky

Ines Becker

Lindarti Purwaningsih

A method for forming field effect transistors (FETs) in a multiple wafers per batch epi-reactor includes, providing substrates having therein at least one semiconductor (SC) region with a substantially flat outer surface, modifying such substantially flat outer surface to form a convex-outward curved surface, forming an epitaxial semiconductor layer on the curved surface, and incorporating the epitaxial layer in a field effect transistor formed on the substrate. Where the SC region is of silicon, the epitaxial layer can include silicon-germanium. In a preferred embodiment, the epi-layer forms part of the FET channel. Because of the convex-outward curved surface, the epi-layer grown thereon has much more uniform thickness even when formed in a high volume reactor holding as many as 100 or more substrates per batch. FETs with much more uniform properties are obtained, thereby greatly increasing the manufacturing yield and reducing the cost.

Epitaxial channel formation methods and structures

A method and apparatus are provided for recessing a channel region of the PFET and epitaxially growing channel SiGe in the recessed region inside of a horizontally oriented processing furnace. Embodiments include forming an n-channel region and a p-channel region in a front side of a wafer and at least one additional wafer, the n-channel and p-channel regions corresponding to locations for forming an NFET and a PFET, respectively; placing the wafers inside a horizontally oriented furnace having a top surface and a bottom surface, with the wafers oriented vertically between the top and bottom surfaces; recessing the p-channel regions of the wafers inside the furnace; and epitaxially growing cSiGe without hole defects in the recessed p-channel regions inside the furnace.

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Dresden, Germany

Yew Tuck Chow