IP Library Granted Patent US 12672337
Granted Patent B2
US 12672337 · App. 18/327,048 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

High-temperature implant for gate-all-around devices

Inventors: Yan Zhang (Westford, MA); Kyu-Ha Shim (Andover, MA); Johannes M. Van Meer (Middleton, MA); Naushad K. Variam (Marblehead, MA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H10D84/017H10D84/0172H10D84/0181H10D84/038H10P30/20
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12672337
App. No.
18/327,048
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Approaches herein provide devices and methods for forming gate-all-around transistors with improved NBTI. One method may include forming a gate-all-around (GAA) stack including a plurality of alternating first layers and second layers, and forming a source/drain (S/D) cavity through the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers. The method may further include forming an inner spacer in the S/D cavity, adjacent the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers, performing a first implant by directing fluorine ions to the GAA stack, through the S/D cavity, and forming a S/D material in the S/D cavity following the first implant.

Claims (46)

1 . A method, comprising:

forming a gate-all-around (GAA) stack comprising a plurality of alternating first layers and second layers atop a substrate base;

forming a source/drain (S/D) cavity through the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers;

forming an inner spacer in the S/D cavity, adjacent the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers;

performing a first implant by directing fluorine ions to the GAA stack, through the S/D cavity at a first non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by a sidewall surface of the inner spacer in the S/D cavity, and at a second non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by an upper surface of the substrate base; and

forming a S/D material in the S/D cavity following the first implant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the GAA stack at a first temperature after the fluorine ions are directed into the GAA stack.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first temperature is at least 500 degrees Celsius.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the S/D material is epitaxially grown to form a S/D adjacent the inner spacer.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

removing the second layers from the GAA stack after the S/D material is formed in the S/D cavity;

forming a gate dielectric and a high-k material over the first layers after the second layers are removed;

annealing the GAA stack after the gate dielectric and the high-k material are formed;

forming a contact etch stop layer after annealing the GAA stack; and

performing a second implant by directing fluorine ions to the GAA stack after the contact etch stop layer is formed.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the fluorine ions of the second implant are delivered into the GAA stack at a non-zero angle relative to an upper surface of the gate dielectric and rotated perpendicular to a channel direction, wherein the second implant is performed at a second temperature, and wherein the second temperature is higher than room temperature.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first implant comprises a plasma doping process.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the GAA stack is part of a complementary field effect transistor comprising a p-type nanosheet beneath an n-type nanosheet, and wherein the S/D cavity is formed through the p-type nanosheet and the n-type nanosheet.

9 . A method for forming a gate-all-around (GAA) device, comprising:

forming a nanowire stack comprising a plurality of alternating first layers and second layers atop a substrate base;

forming a source/drain (S/D) cavity through the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers;

forming an inner spacer in the S/D cavity, adjacent the plurality of alternating first layers and second layers;

performing a first implant by directing fluorine ions to the nanowire stack, through the S/D cavity, wherein the fluorine ions are directed into the nanowire stack at a first non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by a sidewall surface of the inner spacer and at a second non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by an upper surface of the substrate base; and

epitaxially forming a S/D material in the S/D cavity following the first implant.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising annealing the nanowire stack at a first temperature after the first implant is performed, wherein the first temperature is greater than 500 degrees Celsius.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

removing the second layers from the nanowire stack after the S/D material is formed in the S/D cavity;

forming a gate dielectric and a high-k material over the first layers after the second layers are removed;

annealing the nanowire stack after the gate dielectric and the high-k material are formed;

forming a contact etch stop layer over the S/D material after the nanowire stack is annealed; and

performing a second implant by directing fluorine ions to the nanowire stack after the contact etch stop layer is formed.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second implant is performed at a second temperature, and wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature of the first implant.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first implant comprises a plasma doping process.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the nanowire stack is part of a complementary field effect transistor comprising a p-type nanosheet beneath an n-type nanosheet, and wherein the S/D cavity is formed through the p-type nanosheet and the n-type nanosheet.

15 . A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform a first implant by directing fluorine ions into a gate-all-around (GAA) stack comprising a plurality of alternating first layers and second layers formed atop a substrate base, wherein the fluorine ions are directed through a source/drain cavity formed adjacent the GAA stack, and wherein the fluorine ions are directed into the GAA stack at a first non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by a sidewall surface of an inner spacer and at a second non-zero angle relative to a plane defined by an upper surface of the substrate base, and wherein the inner spacer is formed along the GAA stack before the fluorine ions are directed through a source/drain cavity.

16 . The system of claim 15 , the memory further storing instructions executable by the processor to epitaxially form a source/drain in the source/drain cavity following the first implant.

17 . The system of claim 16 , the memory further storing instructions executable by the processor to:

remove the second layers from the GAA stack after the source/drain material is formed in the source/drain cavity;

form a gate dielectric and a high-k material over the first layers after the second layers are removed;

anneal the GAA stack after the gate dielectric and the high-k material are formed;

form a contact etch stop layer over the source/drain after the GAA stack is annealed; and

perform a second implant by directing fluorine ions to the GAA stack after the contact etch stop layer is formed.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the first implant is performed at a first temperature greater than 500 degrees Celsius, and wherein the second implant is performed at a second temperature greater than 150 degrees Celsius, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first implant comprises a plasma doping process.