IP Library Granted Patent US 7,618,856
Granted Patent B2
US 7,618,856 · App. 11/566,688 · Granted Nov 17, 2009

Method for fabricating strained-silicon CMOS transistors

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,618,856
App. No.
11/566,688
Granted
Nov 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor substrate having a first active region and a second active region for fabricating a first transistor and a second transistor is provided. A first gate structure and a second gate structure are formed on the first active region and the second active region and a first spacer is formed surrounding the first gate structure and the second gate structure. A source/drain region for the first transistor and the second transistor is formed. The first spacer is removed from the first gate structure and the second gate structure and a cap layer is disposed on the first transistor and the second transistor and the cap layer covering the second transistor is removed thereafter. An etching process is performed to form a recess in the substrate surrounding the second gate structure. An epitaxial layer is formed in the recess and the cap layer is removed from the first transistor.

Claims (55)

1. A method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a first active region for fabricating a first transistor, a second active region for fabricating a second transistor, and an isolation structure disposed between the first active region and the second active region;

forming a first gate structure on the first active region and a second gate structure on the second active region;

forming a first spacer around the first gate structure and the second gate structure;

forming a source/drain region for the first transistor and a source/drain region for the second transistor;

removing the first spacer from the first gate structure and the second gate structure;

depositing a cap layer on the first transistor and the second transistor;

removing the cap layer disposed on the second transistor;

performing an etching process for forming a recess on the second gate structure and in the semiconductor substrate surrounding the second gate structure;

performing a selective epitaxial growth process for forming an epitaxial layer in the recess; and

removing the cap layer from the surface of the first transistor.

2. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the first gate structure comprises:

a first gate dielectric; and

a first gate, disposed on the first gate dielectric.

3. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the second gate structure comprises:

a second gate dielectric; and

a second gate, disposed on the second gate dielectric.

4. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the first transistor comprises an NMOS transistor and the second transistor comprises a PMOS transistor.

5. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the cap layer is a silicon oxide cap layer.

6. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the cap layer is a stress layer.

7. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 6 , wherein the stress layer is a silicon nitride stress layer.

8. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 6 , wherein the stress layer is a high tensile stress film.

9. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a second spacer around the first gate structure and the second gate structure after removing the cap layer from the surface of the first transistor;

disposing a metal layer on the first transistor and the second transistor;

performing a rapid thermal annealing process for forming a salicide layer on the first transistor and the second transistor; and

removing the un-reacted metal layer.

10. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 9 further comprising forming a contact etch stop layer on the first transistor and the second transistor after forming the salicide layer.

11. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial layer comprises silicon germanium.

12. A method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a first active region for fabricating a first transistor, a second active region for fabricating a second transistor, and an isolation structure disposed between the first active region and the second active region;

forming a first gate structure on the first active region and a second gate structure on the second active region;

forming a spacer around the first gate structure and the second gate structure;

forming a source/drain region for the first transistor and a source/drain region for the second transistor;

depositing a buffer layer and a stress layer on the first transistor and the second transistor;

removing the buffer layer and the stress layer from the second transistor;

performing an etching process for forming a recess on the second gate structure and in the semiconductor substrate surrounding the second gate structure;

performing a selective epitaxial growth process for forming an epitaxial layer in the recess; and

removing the buffer layer and the stress layer from the surface of the first transistor.

13. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the first gate structure comprises:

a first gate dielectric; and

a first gate, disposed on the first gate dielectric.

14. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the second gate structure comprises:

a second gate dielectric; and

a second gate, disposed on the second gate dielectric.

15. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the first transistor comprises an NMOS transistor and the second transistor comprises a PMOS transistor.

16. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the buffer layer is a silicon oxide buffer layer.

17. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the stress layer is a silicon nitride stress layer.

18. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the stress layer is a high tensile stress film.

19. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 further comprising:

disposing a metal layer on the first transistor and the second transistor;

performing a rapid thermal annealing process for forming a salicide layer on the first transistor and the second transistor; and

removing the un-reacted metal layer.

20. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 19 further comprising forming a contact etch stop layer on the first transistor and the second transistor after forming the salicide layer.

21. The method for fabricating a strained-silicon CMOS transistor of claim 12 , wherein the epitaxial layer comprises silicon germanium.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2021
From: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: MARLIN SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 056991/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2006
From: TING, SHYH-FANN; HUANG, CHENG-TUNG; WU, JING-CHANG; LEE, KUN-HSIEN; HUNG, WEN-HAN; JENG, LI-SHIAN; SHEN, TZER-MIN; CHENG, TZYY-MING; LI, NIEN-CHUNG
To: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 018581/0124 →