Peeling free metal silicide films using ion implantation

Abstract

A method is described for fabricating a lightly doped drain MOSFET integrated circuit device which overcomes the polycide peeling problems. A pattern of gate electrode structures is formed upon a semiconductor substrate which each includes a gate oxide, a polysilicon layer and an amorphous refractory metal silicide. The resulting structure may be annealed in oxygen at this time to change the refractory metal silicide from it deposited amorphous phase into its crystalline phase. This causes the formation of a thin layer of silicon dioxide upon the exposed silicon substrate, the exposed polysilicon layer and the exposed metal silicide layer. A pattern of lightly doped regions in the substrate is formed by ion implantation using the polycide gate structures as the mask. A dielectric layer is blanket deposited over the surfaces and spacer structures formed by anisotropic etching. A pattern of heavily doped regions in the substrate is formed by ion implantation using the polycide structures with spacer structures as the mask to produce the lightly doped drain source/drain structures of an MOSFET device. The silicon oxide layer on the top surface of the metal silicate layer was removed by etching. Silicon ions are now implanted into the metal silicide layer to supply an excess of silicon ions at the surface of the metal silicide layer. The integrated circuit device is completed by forming a passivation layer over the structures described and appropriate electrical connecting structures thereover.