IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,158,544
Granted Patent B2
US 11,158,544 · App. 16/354,570 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Vertical stacked nanosheet CMOS transistors with different work function metals

Inventors: Kangguo Cheng (Schenectady, NY); Juntao Li (Cohoes, NY); Ruilong Xie (Niskayuna, NY); Chanro Park (Clifton Park, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H01L21/823842H01L21/02532H01L21/02603H01L21/28088H01L21/823807H01L21/823814H01L27/092H01L29/0673H01L29/42392H01L29/4908H01L29/4966H01L29/66545H01L29/66742H01L29/78618H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,158,544
App. No.
16/354,570
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a structure having at least a first nanosheet stack for a first device, a second nanosheet stack for a second device and disposed over the first nanosheet stack, a disposable gate structure, and a gate spacer. The disposable gate structure and sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks are removed thereby forming a plurality of cavities. A conformal gate dielectric layer is formed in the plurality cavities and surrounding at least portions of the first and second nanosheet stacks. A first conformal work function layer is formed in contact with the gate dielectric layer. Portions of the first conformal work function layer are removed without using a mask from at least the second nanosheet stack. A second conformal work function layer is formed on exposed portions of the gate dielectric layer.

Claims (84)

1. A method for forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising at least: forming a first insulating layer having a first concentration of germanium in direct contact with a substrate;

epitaxially growing a first nanosheet stack in direct contact with a top surface of the first insulating layer, the first nanosheet stack comprising a first set of sacrificial layers formed in an alternating configuration with a first set of nanosheet layers, wherein the first set of sacrificial layers of has a second concentration of germanium;

forming a second insulating layer having the first concentration of germanium on and in direct contact with a top surface of the first nanosheet stack; and

forming a second nanosheet stack in direct contact with a top surface of the second insulating layer, the second nanosheet stack comprising a second set of sacrificial layers formed in an alternating configuration with a second set of nanosheet layers, wherein the second set of sacrificial layers has the second concentration of germanium and a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first set of sacrificial layers.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

replacing the first and second insulating layers with first and second isolation layers, respectively;

forming a disposable gate structure over and in contact with first and second isolation layers and first and second nanosheet structures;

removing portions of the second isolation layer and portions of the sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks not underlying the disposable gate structure;

laterally recessing end portions of the first set of sacrificial layers and the second set of sacrificial layers; and

forming a first set of inner spacers in contact with the recessed end portions of the first set of sacrificial layers and a second set of inner spacers in contact with the recessed end portions of the second set of sacrificial layers.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

forming a first source and a first drain in contact with at least the first set of inner spacers and the first set of nanosheet layers of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a dielectric layer on the first source and a first drain;

forming a second source and a second drain in contact with at least the second set of inner spacers and the second set of nanosheet layers of the second nanosheet stack; and

removing the disposable gate structure and sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks thereby forming a plurality of cavities.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

forming a gate spacer wrapping around the disposable gate structure.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the disposable gate structure is formed by:

forming a dielectric layer over and in contact with portions of the first and second nanosheet stacks corresponding to a channel region; and

forming a gate cap layer over and in contact with the dielectric layer.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

forming a conformal gate dielectric layer in the plurality cavities and surrounding at least portions of each nanosheet layer of the first and second sets of nanosheet layers;

forming a first conformal work function layer in contact with the conformal gate dielectric layer;

removing, without using a mask, portions of the first conformal work function layer from at least the second nanosheet stack and sidewalls of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a second conformal work function layer on exposed portions of the conformal gate dielectric layer; and

forming a gate conductive layer in contact with the second conformal work function layer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the conformal gate dielectric layer further comprises:

forming the conformal gate dielectric layer in contact with at least inner sidewalls of a gate spacer.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the first conformal work function layer comprises:

depositing a conformal layer of an n-type work function material.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the first conformal work function layer comprises:

pinching off the first conformal work function layer between the nanosheet layers of the first nanosheet stack.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a hardmask layer on top of and in contact with the second nanosheet stack.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

patterning the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, the first nanosheet stack, and the second nanosheet stack into a plurality of vertical stack structures.

12. A method for forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising at least:

forming a first insulating layer having a first concentration of germanium in direct contact with a substrate;

epitaxially growing a first nanosheet stack for a first channel-type device in direct contact with a top surface of the first insulating layer, the first nanosheet stack comprising a first set of sacrificial layers formed in an alternating configuration with a first set of nanosheet layers, wherein the first set of sacrificial layers of has a second concentration of germanium;

forming a second insulating layer having the first concentration of germanium on and in direct contact with a top surface of the first nanosheet stack; and

forming a second nanosheet stack for a second channel-type device in direct contact with a top surface of the second insulating layer and above the first nanosheet stack, the second nanosheet stack comprising a second set of sacrificial layers formed in an alternating configuration with a second set of nanosheet layers, wherein the second set of sacrificial layers has the second concentration of germanium and a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first set of sacrificial layers.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

replacing the first and second insulating layers with first and second isolation layers, respectively;

forming a disposable gate structure over and in contact with first and second isolation layers and first and second nanosheet structures;

removing portions of the second isolation layer and portions of the sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks;

laterally recessing end portions of the first set of sacrificial layers and the second set of sacrificial layers; and

forming a first set of inner spacers in contact with the recessed end portions of the first set of sacrificial layers and a second set of inner spacers in contact with the recessed end portions of the second set of sacrificial layers.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

forming a gate spacer wrapping around the disposable gate structure.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

forming a first source and a first drain in contact with at least the first set of inner spacers and the first set of nanosheet layers of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a dielectric layer on the first source and a first drain;

forming a second source and a second drain in contact with at least the second set of inner spacers and the second set of nanosheet layers of the second nanosheet stack; and

removing the disposable gate structure and sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks thereby forming a plurality of cavities.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a conformal gate dielectric layer in the plurality cavities and surrounding at least portions of each nanosheet layer of the first and second sets of nanosheet layers;

forming a first conformal work function layer in contact with the conformal gate dielectric layer;

removing, without using a mask, portions of the first conformal work function layer from at least the second nanosheet stack and sidewalls of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a second conformal work function layer on exposed portions of the conformal gate dielectric layer; and

forming a gate conductive layer in contact with the second conformal work function layer.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

forming a hardmask layer on top of and in contact with the second nanosheet stack.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein prior to replacing the first and second insulating layers with respectively first and second isolation layers, the method further comprising:

patterning the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer, the first nanosheet stack, and the second nanosheet stack into a plurality of vertical stack structures.

19. A method for forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising at least:

forming a first insulating layer having a first concentration of germanium on a substrate;

epitaxially growing a first nanosheet stack comprising a first set of alternating sacrificial layers and nanosheet layers, wherein the sacrificial layers of the first nanosheet stack has a second concentration of germanium;

forming a second insulating layer having the first concentration of germanium on and in contact with a top surface of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a second nanosheet stack comprising a second set of alternating sacrificial layers and nanosheet layers, wherein the sacrificial layers of the second nanosheet stack has the second concentration of germanium and a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first set of sacrificial layers;

replacing the first and second insulating layers with first and second isolation layers, respectively;

forming a disposable gate structure over and in contact with first and second isolation layers and first and second nanosheet structures;

removing portions of the second isolation layer and portions of the sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks not underlying the disposable gate structure;

laterally recessing end portions of the sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks;

forming inner spacers in contact with the recessed end portions of the sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks;

forming a first source and a first drain in contact with at least the inner spacers and nanosheet layers of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a dielectric layer on the first source and a first drain;

forming a second source and a second drain in contact with at least the inner spacers and the nanosheet layers of the first nanosheet stack; and

removing the disposable gate structure and sacrificial layers of the first and second nanosheet stacks thereby forming a plurality of cavities.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

forming a conformal gate dielectric layer in the plurality of cavities and surrounding at least portions of each nanosheet layer of the first and second nanosheet stacks;

forming a first conformal work function layer in contact with the conformal gate dielectric layer;

removing, without using a mask, portions of the first conformal work function layer from at least the second nanosheet stack and sidewalls of the first nanosheet stack;

forming a second conformal work function layer on exposed portions of the conformal gate dielectric layer; and

forming a gate conductive layer in contact with the second conformal work function layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2019
From: CHENG, KANGGUO; LI, JUNTAO; XIE, RUILONG; PARK, CHANRO
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048609/0008 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200294866A1 · Sep 17, 2020
Cited By (11)
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