IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,439,648
Granted Patent B2
US 12,439,648 · App. 17/833,348 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Transistor gate structures and methods of forming thereof

Inventors: Hsin-Yi Lee (Hsinchu, TW); Weng Chang (Hsinchu, TW); Chi On Chui (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
H10D30/6757H10D30/024H10D30/62H10D30/6735H10D62/119
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,439,648
App. No.
17/833,348
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes a semiconductor substrate; a vertically stacked set of nanostructures over the semiconductor substrate; a first source/drain region; and a second source/drain region, wherein the vertically stacked set of nanostructures extends between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region along a first cross-section. The device further includes a gate structure encasing the vertically stacked set of nanostructures along a second cross-section. The second cross-section is along a longitudinal axis of the gate structure. The gate structure comprises: a gate dielectric encasing each of the vertically stacked set of nanostructures; a first metal carbide layer over the gate dielectric; and a gate fill material over the first metal carbide layer. The first metal carbide layer comprises Ce, Hf, V, Nb, Sc, Y, or Mo.

Claims (46)

1. A device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a vertically stacked set of nanostructures over the semiconductor substrate;

a first source/drain region;

a second source/drain region, wherein the vertically stacked set of nanostructures extends between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region along a first cross-section;

a gate structure encasing the vertically stacked set of nanostructures along a second cross-section, wherein the second cross-section is along a longitudinal axis of the gate structure, and wherein the gate structure comprises:

a gate dielectric encasing each of the vertically stacked set of nanostructures;

a first metal carbide layer over the gate dielectric, wherein the first metal carbide layer comprises Ce, Hf, V, Nb, Sc, Y, or Mo;

a second metal carbide layer between the first metal carbide layer and the gate dielectric, wherein the second metal carbide layer comprises a different metal element than the first metal carbide layer; and

a gate fill material over the first metal carbide layer.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a first metal nitride layer between the first metal carbide layer and the gate dielectric.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first metal nitride layer comprises titanium nitride.

4. The device of claim 2 further comprising a second metal nitride layer over the first metal carbide layer.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second metal carbide layer comprises titanium carbide or tantalum carbide.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a third metal nitride layer over the first metal carbide layer; and

a third metal carbide layer over the third metal nitride layer, wherein the gate fill material is disposed over the first metal carbide layer.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the third metal carbide layer comprises Ti, Ta, Ce, Hf, V, Nb, Sc, Y, or Mo.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of channel regions;

a first source/drain region comprising a first semiconductor material layer and a second semiconductor material over the first semiconductor material layer, wherein a surface of the first semiconductor material layer is curved;

a second source/drain region, wherein the plurality of channel regions extends between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region;

a gate structure surrounding each of the plurality of channel regions, wherein the gate structure comprises:

a gate dielectric;

a first metal nitride layer over the gate dielectric;

a first metal carbide layer over the first metal nitride layer, wherein a metal element of the first metal carbide layer is Ce, Hf, V, Nb, Sc, Y, or Mo;

a second metal carbide layer between the first metal carbide layer and the first metal nitride layer, wherein the metal element of the first metal carbide layer is different than a metal element of the second metal carbide layer; and

a gate fill material over the first metal carbide layer.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 8 further comprising a second metal nitride layer over the first metal carbide layer.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first metal nitride layer has a thickness in a range of 5 Å to 15 Å.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the gate dielectric, the first metal nitride layer, and the first metal carbide layer completely fill a first region, the first region spanning from a first channel region of the plurality of channel regions to a second channel region of the plurality of channel regions.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the gate dielectric comprises:

an interfacial layer; and

a high-k dielectric over the interfacial layer.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

depositing a high-k gate dielectric layer over and along sidewalls of a semiconductor fin;

depositing a first work function metal over the high-k gate dielectric layer, wherein depositing the first work function metal comprises flowing a first carbon-comprising precursor and a first metal-comprising precursor, wherein the first metal-comprising precursor comprises Ce, Hf, V, Nb, Sc, Y, or Mo;

depositing a second work function metal over the high-k gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the first work function metal, wherein depositing the second work function metal comprises flowing a second carbon-comprising precursor and a second metal-comprising precursor, the second metal-comprising precursor comprising a different metal element than the first metal-comprising precursor; and

depositing fill metal over the first work function metal.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the second metal-comprising precursor comprises titanium or tantalum.

15. The method according to claim 13 further comprising depositing a third work function metal over the high-k gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the first work function metal, wherein depositing the third work function metal comprises flowing a nitrogen-comprising precursor and a third metal-comprising precursor.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the third metal-comprising precursor comprises titanium.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the first metal-comprising precursor comprises TaCl 5 , CeC l4 , HfC l4 , VC l3 , NbC l5 , ScC l4 , YCl x , or MoCl x .

18. The method according to claim 13 further comprising depositing a fourth work function metal over the first work function metal, wherein depositing the fourth work function metal comprises flowing a nitrogen-comprising precursor and a fourth metal-comprising precursor.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first metal nitride layer has a thickness in a range of 5 Å to 15 Å.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the first metal nitride layer comprises the metal element of the second metal carbide layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2022
From: LEE, HSIN-YI; CHANG, WENG; CHUI, CHI ON
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060112/0420 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63362053 · Mar 29, 2022
Related Publication 20230317859A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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