Methods for fabricating integrated circuits including fluorine incorporation
Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming an interlayer of dielectric oxide material in a FET region and overlying a semiconductor substrate. A high-K dielectric layer is deposited overlying the interlayer. Fluorine is incorporated into the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer.
1. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
forming an interlayer of dielectric oxide material in a FET region and overlying a semiconductor substrate;
depositing a high-K dielectric layer overlying the interlayer; and
incorporating fluorine (F) into the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer to an atomic % of from about 10 to about 20.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein incorporating F comprises incorporating F into the interlayer prior to depositing the high-K dielectric layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the high-K dielectric layer, and wherein incorporating F comprises incorporating F into the high-K dielectric layer prior to annealing the high-K dielectric layer.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the high-K dielectric layer, and wherein incorporating F comprises incorporating F into the high-K dielectric layer subsequent to annealing the high-K dielectric layer.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing a capping layer overlying the high-K dielectric layer.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein incorporating F comprises exposing the capping layer to F ions to incorporate F into the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein incorporating F comprises incorporating F into the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer using a NF 3 plasma treatment process.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein incorporating F comprises treating the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer with the NF 3 plasma treatment process at conditions that include a temperature of from about 20 to about 500° C.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein incorporating F comprises treating the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer with the NF 3 plasma treatment process at conditions that include a pressure of from about 50 millitorr to about 1 torr.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein incorporating F comprises treating the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer with the NF 3 plasma treatment process at conditions that include a time of from about 5 to about 180 seconds.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein incorporating F comprises treating the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer with the NF 3 plasma treatment process using NF 3 diluted an inert gas.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein incorporating F comprises treating with the NF 3 plasma treatment process using a NF 3 to inert gas volumetric gas mix ratio of from about 1:1000 to about 1:1.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the interlayer comprises forming the interlayer that comprises SiO 2 .
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the high-K dielectric layer comprises depositing the high-K dielectric layer that comprises HfO 2 .
15. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
forming a trench in an ILD layer of dielectric material in a FET region and overlying a semiconductor substrate;
forming an interlayer of dielectric oxide material in the trench;
depositing a high-K dielectric layer overlying the interlayer;
annealing the high-K dielectric layer to form an annealed high-K dielectric layer; and
exposing the annealed high-K dielectric layer to a NF 3 plasma treatment process to incorporate fluorine (F) into the interlayer and/or the high-K dielectric layer to an atomic % of from about 10 to about 20.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein exposing comprises exposing the annealed high-K dielectric layer to the NF 3 plasma treatment process at conditions effective to incorporate fluorine (F) into and passivate both the interlayer and the high-K dielectric layer.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein exposing comprises exposing the annealed high-K dielectric layer to the NF 3 plasma treatment process to form a passivated high-K dielectric layer, and wherein the method further comprises forming a metal gate overlying the passivated high-K dielectric layer.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming a low resistance layer overlying the metal gate.