IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,779,530
Granted Patent B2
US 8,779,530 · App. 12/643,414 · Granted Jul 15, 2014

Metal gate structure of a field effect transistor

Inventors: Peng-Soon Lim (Kluang, MY); Da-Yuan Lee (Jhubei, TW); Kuang-Yuan Hsu (Fongyuan, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,779,530
App. No.
12/643,414
Granted
Jul 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a Field Effect Transistor with a low resistance metal gate electrode. An exemplary structure for a gate electrode for a Field Effect Transistor comprises a lower portion formed of a first metal material having a recess and a first resistance; and an upper portion formed of a second metal material having a protrusion and a second resistance, wherein the protrusion extends into the recess, wherein the second resistance is lower than the first resistance.

Claims (36)

1. A gate for a Field Effect Transistor comprising:

a trench; and

a gate electrode, the gate electrode comprising:

a lower portion of the gate electrode filling a width of a bottom portion of the trench, the lower portion formed of a first metal material and having a recess and a first resistance, wherein the lower portion having a maximum height ranging from 300 to 2900 angstroms; and

an upper portion of the gate electrode filling substantially an entire width of a top portion of the trench, the upper portion formed of a homogeneous second metal material and having a protrusion and a second resistance, wherein the protrusion extends into the recess and has a thickness ranging from 150 angstroms to 2870 angstroms, wherein the second resistance is lower than the first resistance, and a maximum width of the upper portion of the gate electrode is substantially equal to a maximum width of the lower portion of the gate electrode; and

a gate dielectric layer surrounding the gate electrode, wherein a top surface of the gate dielectric layer is substantially co-planar with a top surface of the homogeneous second metal material.

2. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion is substantially U-shaped.

3. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the first metal material comprises a material selected from a group of Ti, Ta, W, TiAl, Co, alloys or compound metals that contains at least one of C or N.

4. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the first metal material comprises a laminate comprising work function metal.

5. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is substantially T-shaped.

6. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion has a minimum height ranging from 50 to 2700 angstroms.

7. The gate of claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous second metal material comprises a material selected from a group of Al, Cu, Co and W.

8. The gate of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier layer between the homogeneous second metal material and the first metal material, wherein the barrier layer comprises a material selected from a group of Ti, Ta, TiN, TaN and WN.

9. A Field Effect Transistor comprising:

a substrate comprising an active region;

a trench exposing the active region;

a gate structure disposed on the substrate, wherein the gate structure comprises a gate dielectric and a gate electrode, wherein the gate electrode comprises:

a lower portion of the gate electrode filling a width of a bottom portion of the trench, the lower portion formed of a first metal material and having a recess and a first resistance, wherein the lower portion having a maximum height ranging from 300 to 2900 angstroms; and

an upper portion of the gate electrode filling substantially an entire width of the trench above the lower portion, the upper portion formed of a homogeneous second metal material and having a protrusion and a second resistance, wherein the protrusion extends into the recess, and a thickness of the protrusion is substantially equal to a thickness at a periphery of the upper portion, wherein the second resistance is lower than the first resistance, and a maximum width of the upper portion of the gate electrode is substantially equal to a maximum width of the lower portion of the gate electrode, and a top surface of the gate dielectric is substantially co-planar with a top surface of the homogeneous second metal material; and

source and drain regions in the active region on opposite sides of the gate structure.

10. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the lower portion is substantially U-shaped.

11. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the first metal material comprises a material selected from a group of Ti, Ta, W, TiAl, Co, alloys or compound metals that contains at least one of C or N.

12. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the first metal material comprises laminate comprising work function metal.

13. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 12 , wherein the laminate comprises a capping layer comprising a material selected from a group of TiN, Ta, TaN and WN.

14. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the upper portion is substantially T-shaped.

15. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the upper portion has a minimum height ranging from 50 to 2700 angstroms.

16. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the homogeneous second metal material comprises a material selected from a group of Al, Cu, Co and W.

17. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , further comprising a barrier layer between the homogeneous second metal material and the first metal material, wherein the barrier layer comprises a material selected from a group of Ti, Ta, TiN, TaN and WN.

18. The Field Effect Transistor of claim 9 , wherein the gate dielectric comprises a high-k dielectric layer.

19. A gate for a Field Effect Transistor comprising:

a trench; and

a gate electrode, the gate electrode comprising:

a lower portion of the gate electrode filling a width of a bottom portion of the trench, the lower portion formed of a first metal material and having a recess and a first resistance, wherein a central portion of the lower portion has a thickness at least 50% less than a thickness of a peripheral portion of the lower portion located adjacent sidewalls of the trench; and

an upper portion of the gate electrode filling substantially an entire width of a top portion of the trench, the upper portion formed of a homogeneous second metal material and having a protrusion and a second resistance, wherein the protrusion extends into the recess, wherein the second resistance is lower than the first resistance, and a maximum width of the upper portion of the gate electrode is substantially equal to a maximum width of the lower portion of the gate electrode; and

a gate dielectric layer surrounding the gate electrode, wherein a top surface of the gate dielectric layer is substantially co-planar with a top surface of the homogeneous second metal material.

20. The gate of claim 19 , wherein a peripheral portion of the upper portion located adjacent the sidewalls of the trench has a thickness from 50 Angstroms to 2700 Angstroms.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2009
From: LIM, PENG-SOON; LEE, DA-YUAN; HSU, KUANG-YUAN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 023683/0807 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110147858A1 · Jun 23, 2011