Integrating diverse transistors on the same wafer
View Patent ↗Different types of transistors, such as memory cells, higher voltage, and higher performance transistors, may be formed on the same substrate. A transistor may be formed with a first polysilicon layer covered by a dielectric. A second polysilicon layer over the dielectric may be etched to form a sidewall spacer on the gate of the transistor. The sidewall spacer may be used to form sources and drains and to define sub-lithographic lightly doped drains. After removing the spacer, the underlying dielectric may protect the lightly doped drains.
1. A method comprising:
depositing and patterning a first layer of polysilicon over a substrate;
forming a dielectric including at least two dielectric layers of different dielectric material;
forming a second layer of polysilicon over said dielectric;
forming sidewall spacers from said second layer;
clearing said dielectric from said substrate where said dielectric is uncovered by said sidewall spacers before removing said sidewall spacers;
etching to remove said sidewall spacers while leaving the underlying dielectric on the substrate and the sides of the first layer and to remove one of said dielectric layers from on top of said first layer of polysilicon while leaving the other layer on the substrate and on top of the first layer of polysilicon.
2. The method of claim 1 including forming gates of memory cells and peripheral transistors using said first layer.
3. The method of claim 2 including only forming sidewall spacers from said second layer at said peripheral transistors.
4. The method of claim 3 including removing the dielectric from on top of the first layer of said peripheral transistors using said sidewall spacers as a mask.
5. The method of claim 1 including forming a memory array, a first set of transistors outside the memory array, and a second set of transistors outside the memory array, said first set of transistors being higher voltage transistors than said second set of transistors.
6. The method of claim 5 including forming gates of said higher voltage transistors before forming gates of said second set of transistors or said memory array.
7. The method of claim 6 including forming sidewall spacers on the first set of transistors.
8. The method of claim 7 including forming said dielectric over a first layer for the memory array and over a first layer for said higher voltage transistors.
9. The method of claim 8 including forming a first and second dielectric for a higher voltage transistor and applying said second layer of d electric to act as a dielectric for said memory array.
10. The method of claim 1 including forming said dielectric of oxide/nitride/oxide.