IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,525,455
Granted Patent B2
US 12,525,455 · App. 18/765,720 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

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.
H01L21/28088H01L21/0259H01L21/28185H01L21/28518H01L21/3115H10D30/031H10D30/6713H10D30/6729H10D30/6735H10D30/6739H10D30/6757H10D62/118H10D64/017H10D64/018H10D64/62H10D84/0167H10D84/017H10D84/0177H10D84/0181H10D84/0184H10D84/0186H10D84/038H10D84/85H10D62/121
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,525,455
App. No.
18/765,720
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a method includes forming a plurality of nanostructures over a substrate; etching the plurality of nanostructures to form first recesses; forming source/drain regions in the first recesses; removing first nanostructures of the plurality of nanostructures leaving second nanostructures of the plurality of nanostructures; depositing a gate dielectric over and around the second nanostructures; performing an aluminum treatment on the gate dielectric; depositing a first conductive material over and around the gate dielectric; performing a fluorine treatment on the first conductive material; and depositing a second conductive material over and around the first conductive material.

Claims (42)

1 . A device, comprising:

a first nanostructure extending between a source region and a drain region;

a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure;

a gate dielectric over and around the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure;

an aluminum residue over the gate dielectric, the aluminum residue being non-continuous;

a work function metal (WFM) layer over the gate dielectric and the aluminum residue, the WFM layer comprising fluorine, a first portion of the WFM layer being disposed around the first nanostructure, a second portion of the WFM layer being disposed around the second nanostructure; and

a conductive layer disposed over the WFM layer, a first portion of the conductive layer being disposed around the first nanostructure, a second portion of the conductive layer being disposed around the second nanostructure.

2 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a metal residue being directly interposed between the WFM layer and the conductive layer.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein each of the WFM layer and the gate dielectric comprises fluorine.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the conductive layer physically contacts the second portion of the conductive layer.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the WFM layer is a p-type WFM layer.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the gate dielectric comprises a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein a region interposed between the second gate dielectric layer and the WFM layer comprises a concentration of aluminum in a range from about 0.3% to about 10%.

8 . A transistor, comprising:

a first dielectric material disposed over a first nanostructure;

a first metal residue disposed over the first dielectric material;

a first conductive material disposed over the first dielectric material, the first conductive material being in physical contact with the first dielectric material and the first metal residue;

a second conductive material disposed over the first conductive material;

a third conductive material disposed over the second conductive material, the third conductive material having the same composition as the first conductive material;

a second metal residue disposed over the third conductive material, the second metal residue having the same composition as the first metal residue;

a second dielectric material disposed over the second metal residue, the second dielectric material having the same composition as the first dielectric material; and

a second nanostructure disposed over the second dielectric material.

9 . The transistor of claim 8 further comprising:

a third metal residue interposed between the first conductive material and the second conductive material; and

a fourth metal residue interposed between the second conductive material and the third conductive material, the fourth metal residue having the same composition as the third metal residue.

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

11 . The transistor of claim 8 , wherein each of the first dielectric material, the first conductive material, the third conductive material, and the second dielectric material comprises fluorine.

12 . The transistor of claim 8 , wherein the first metal residue comprises aluminum.

13 . The transistor of claim 8 , wherein the first dielectric material comprises hafnium oxide.

14 . The transistor of claim 13 , wherein a ratio of fluorine to hafnium in the first dielectric material ranges from 0.07 to 0.4.

15 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

an interfacial oxide disposed over and around a first nanostructure;

a high-k gate dielectric over the interfacial oxide, the high-k gate dielectric comprising a first metal, oxygen, and fluorine;

a first metal layer over the high-k gate dielectric, the first metal layer having incomplete coverage over the high-k gate dielectric, the first metal layer comprising a second metal, the second metal being different from the first metal, the first metal layer being non-continuous;

a first conductive material over the first metal layer, the first conductive material comprising a third metal, the third metal being different from the first metal and the second metal;

a second metal layer over the first conductive material, the second metal layer having incomplete coverage over the first conductive material, the second metal layer comprising a fourth metal and fluorine, the fourth metal being different from the first metal, the second metal, and the third metal; and

a second conductive material over the second metal layer, the second conductive material comprising a fifth metal, the fifth metal being different from the first metal, the second metal, and the fourth metal.

16 . The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the second metal layer is non-continuous.

17 . The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the first metal is hafnium, wherein the second metal is aluminum, and wherein the third metal is titanium.

18 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the fourth metal is tungsten, and wherein the fifth metal is either titanium or tantalum.

19 . The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the first conductive material comprises a fluorine concentration ranging from 5% to 25%.

20 . The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein a plane at an interface between the high-k gate dielectric and the first conductive material comprises a concentration of aluminum in a range from about 0.3% to about 10%.

Continuity (3)
Division 17325736 · May 20, 2021
Provisional Application 63156435 · Mar 4, 2021
Related Publication 20240363351A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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