Mos device having a passivated semiconductor-dielectric interface

Abstract

A MOS structure processed to have a semiconductor-dielectric interface that is passivated to reduce the interface state density. An example is a MOSFET having a gate dielectric on which an electrode is present that is substantially impervious to molecular hydrogen, but sufficiently thin to be pervious to atomic hydrogen, enabling atomic hydrogen to be diffused therethrough into an underlying semiconductor-dielectric interface. Atomic hydrogen diffusion can be achieved by subjecting such an electrode to hydrogen plasma, forming the electrode of an aluminum-tungsten alloy in the presence of hydrogen, and implanting atomic hydrogen into the electrode. The latter two techniques are each followed by an anneal to cause the atomic hydrogen to diffuse through the electrode and into the semiconductor-dielectric interface.