IP Library Granted Patent US 11,916,114
Granted Patent B2
US 11,916,114 · App. 17/854,244 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Gate structures in transistors and method of forming same

Inventors: Hsin-Yi Lee (Hsinchu, TW); Cheng-Lung Hung (Hsinchu, TW); Chi On Chui (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
H01L29/401H01L21/28088H01L21/28176H01L21/823842H01L27/092H01L29/0673H01L29/42392H01L29/4966H01L29/517H01L29/66742H01L29/66787H01L29/78696H01L21/823807
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,916,114
App. No.
17/854,244
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes a first nanostructure; a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure; a first high-k gate dielectric around the first nanostructure; a second high-k gate dielectric around the second nanostructure; and a gate electrode over the first and second high-k gate dielectrics. The gate electrode includes a first work function metal; a second work function metal over the first work function metal; and a first metal residue at an interface between the first work function metal and the second work function metal, wherein the first metal residue has a metal element that is different than a metal element of the first work function metal.

Claims (41)

1. A device comprising:

a first nanostructure;

a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure;

a first high-k gate dielectric around the first nanostructure;

a second high-k gate dielectric around the second nanostructure, wherein the first high-k gate dielectric and the second high-k gate dielectric each comprise fluorine; and

a gate electrode over the first and second high-k gate dielectrics, wherein the gate electrode comprises:

a first work function metal;

a second work function metal over the first work function metal; and

a first metal residue at an interface between the first work function metal and the second work function metal; and

a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region on opposing sides of the gate electrode, wherein a first insulation structure is between and separates the gate electrode from the first source/drain region, and wherein a second insulation structure is between and separates the gate electrode from the second source/drain region.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first high-k gate dielectric and the second high-k gate dielectric each comprise fluorine.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first high-k gate dielectric further comprises hafnium oxide, and wherein a ratio of fluorine to hafnium in the first high-k gate dielectric is in a range of 0.015 to 0.2.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein a ratio of a metal element of the first metal residue to hafnium in a region between the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure is less than 0.1.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first metal residue is a tungsten residue.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode further comprises a second metal residue at the interface between the first work function metal and the second work function metal, wherein the second metal residue has a same metal element as the first metal residue, and wherein the second metal residue is disconnected from the first metal residue.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein a metal element of the first metal residue is different than a metal element of the first work function metal and the second work function metal.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode further comprises:

an adhesion layer over the second work function metal; and

a fill metal over the adhesion layer.

9. A transistor comprising:

a first nanostructure over a semiconductor substrate;

a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure;

a gate dielectric surrounding the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure; and

a gate electrode over the gate dielectric, wherein the gate electrode comprises:

a first p-type work function metal;

a second p-type work function metal over the first p-type work function metal;

a metal residue at an interface between the first p-type work function metal and the second p-type work function metal; and

a fill metal over the second p-type work function metal, wherein the fill metal does not extend between the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure.

10. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the gate dielectric comprises hafnium and fluorine.

11. The transistor of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of fluorine to hafnium in the gate dielectric is in a range of 0.015 to 0.2.

12. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the metal residue comprises tungsten.

13. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the first p-type work function metal a greater concentration of fluorine than the second p-type work function metal.

14. A method comprising:

depositing a first p-type work function metal over a gate dielectric, the first p-type work function metal is disposed around a first nanostructure and a second nanostructure, the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure being vertically stacked;

performing a fluorine treatment on the first p-type work function metal, wherein the fluorine treatment comprises flowing a fluorine-containing precursor on exposed surfaces of the first p-type work function metal without flowing a precursor that triggers a reduction-oxidation reaction with the fluorine-containing precursor; and

after performing the fluorine treatment, depositing a second p-type work function metal over the first p-type work function metal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluorine-containing precursor is WF x , NF x , TiF x , TaF x , or HfF x , and wherein x is an integer in a range of 1 to 6.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluorine-containing precursor is WF 6 or NF 3 .

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluorine treatment forms a tungsten residue on the exposed surfaces of the first p-type work function metal.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising diffusing fluorine from the fluorine treatment into the gate dielectric.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising depositing a fill metal over the second p-type work function metal using a fluorine free deposition process.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17084357 · Oct 29, 2020
Provisional Application 63066362 · Aug 17, 2020
Related Publication 20220336591A1 · Oct 20, 2022
Cited By (3)
US 12,283,613 US 12,484,249 US 12,525,455