IP Library Granted Patent US 12,027,417
Granted Patent B2
US 12,027,417 · App. 16/913,320 · Granted Jul 2, 2024

Source or drain structures with high germanium concentration capping layer

Inventors: Cory Bomberger (Portland, OR); Suresh Vishwanath (Portland, OR); Yulia Tolstova (Hillsboro, OR); Pratik Patel (Portland, OR); Szuya S. Liao (Portland, OR); Anand S. Murthy (Portland, OR)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H01L21/76834H01L21/02532H01L21/28255H01L21/3215H01L21/76831H01L29/0676H01L29/0847H01L29/4236H01L29/4916H01L29/6656H01L29/66628
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,027,417
App. No.
16/913,320
Granted
Jul 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Integrated circuit structures having source or drain structures with a high germanium concentration capping layer are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes source or drain structures including an epitaxial structure embedded in a fin at a side of a gate stack. The epitaxial structure has a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer. The lower semiconductor layer includes silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of less than 40% at the abrupt interface. The capping semiconductor layer includes silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 50% at the abrupt interface and throughout the capping semiconductor layer.

Claims (35)

1. An integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a fin having a lower fin portion and an upper fin portion;

a gate stack over the upper fin portion of the fin, the gate stack having a first side opposite a second side;

a first source or drain structure comprising an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the first side of the gate stack, the epitaxial structure comprising a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer; and

a second source or drain structure comprising an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the second side of the gate stack, the epitaxial structure comprising a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer, wherein the lower semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of less than 40% at the abrupt interface, wherein the capping semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 50% at the abrupt interface and throughout the capping semiconductor layer, and wherein each of the capping semiconductor layers has a lateral width along a first direction perpendicular to a second direction from the first source or drain structure to the second source or drain structure, the lateral width greater than a lateral width of the corresponding lower semiconductor layer along the first direction.

2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the capping semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 55%.

3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the lower semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises the germanium having an atomic concentration of less than 30%.

4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the capping semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises the boron having an atomic concentration of greater than 9E20 cm −3 .

5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a metal silicide layer on and in direct contact with the capping semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures.

6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 5 , wherein the metal silicide layer is a silicide of a silicon germanium layer having a composition substantially the same as the composition of the capping semiconductor layer.

7. The integrated circuit structure of claim 5 , further comprising:

a first conductive contact on a first portion of the metal silicide layer on the capping semiconductor layer of the epitaxial structure of the first source or drain structure; and

a second conductive contact on a second portion of the metal silicide layer on the capping semiconductor layer of the epitaxial structure of the second source or drain structure.

8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the lower fin portion includes a portion of an underlying bulk single crystalline silicon substrate.

9. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

first and second dielectric gate sidewall spacers along the first and second sides of the gate stack, respectively.

10. A computing device, comprising:

a board; and

a component coupled to the board, the component including an integrated circuit structure, comprising:

a fin having a lower fin portion and an upper fin portion;

a gate stack over the upper fin portion of the fin, the gate stack having a first side opposite a second side;

a first source or drain structure comprising an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the first side of the gate stack, the epitaxial structure comprising a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer; and

a second source or drain structure comprising an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the second side of the gate stack, the epitaxial structure comprising a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer, wherein the lower semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of less than 40% at the abrupt interface, wherein the capping semiconductor layer of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures comprises silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 50% at the abrupt interface and throughout the capping semiconductor layer, and wherein each of the capping semiconductor layers has a lateral width along a first direction perpendicular to a second direction from the first source or drain structure to the second source or drain structure, the lateral width greater than a lateral width of the corresponding lower semiconductor layer along the first direction.

11. The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a memory coupled to the board.

12. The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a communication chip coupled to the board.

13. The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a camera coupled to the board.

14. The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a battery coupled to the board.

15. The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the board.

16. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the component is a packaged integrated circuit die.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2025
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: INTEL NDTM US LLC
Reel/Frame 072293/0744 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2020
From: BOMBERGER, CORY; VISHWANATH, SURESH; TOLSTOVA, YULIA; PATEL, PRATIK; LIAO, SZUYA S.; MURTHY, ANAND S.
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054290/0747 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,527,050