Alternative threshold voltage scheme via direct metal gate patterning for high performance CMOS FinFETs

1. A semiconductor structure comprising:

a substrate,

at least one first semiconductor fin located in a first device region of the substrate,

at least one second semiconductor fin located in a second device region of the substrate,

at least one third semiconductor fin located in a third device region of the substrate, and

at least one fourth semiconductor fin located in a fourth device region of the substrate;

a gate cavity which exposes a channel portion of each of the at least one first semiconductor fin, the at least one second semiconductor fin, the at least one third semiconductor fin, and the at least one fourth semiconductor fin,

wherein the gate cavity is laterally surrounded by an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer;

and a gate stack straddling over the channel portion of each of the at least one first semiconductor fin, the at least one second semiconductor fin, the at least one third semiconductor, and the at least one fourth semiconductor fin,

the gate stack comprising:

a first gate stack portion straddling over the channel portion of the first semiconductor fin and comprising:

a first portion of a gate dielectric located in the first device region directly on the channel portion of the at least one first semiconductor fin,

a gate dielectric cap present directly on the first portion of the gate dielectric,

a first portion of a p-type work function metal present directly on the gate dielectric cap,

a first portion of a barrier layer portion present directly on the first portion of the p-type work functional metal, and

a first portion of an n-type work function metal present directly on the first portion of the barrier layer portion;

a second gate stack portion straddling over the channel portion of the second semiconductor fin and comprising:

a second portion of the gate dielectric located in the second device region directly on the channel portion of the second semiconductor fin,

a second portion of the p-type work function metal present directly on the second portion of the gate dielectric,

a second portion of the barrier layer portion present directly on the second portion of the p-type work functional metal,

a second portion of the n-type work function metal present directly on the second portion of the barrier layer portion,

and a first portion of a gate electrode present directly on the second portion of the n-type work function metal;

a third gate stack portion straddling over the channel portion of the third semiconductor fin and comprising:

a third portion of the gate dielectric located in the third device region directly on the channel portion of the third semiconductor fin,

a third portion of the barrier layer portion present directly on the third portion of the gate dielectric,

a third portion of the n-type work function metal present directly on the third portion of the barrier layer portion,

a metal cap present directly on the third portion of the n-type work function metal, and a second portion of the gate electrode present directly on the metal cap;

and a fourth gate stack portion straddling over the channel portion of the fourth semiconductor fin and comprising:

a fourth portion of the gate dielectric located in the third device region directly on the channel portion of the third semiconductor fin,

a fourth portion of the barrier layer portion present directly on the fourth portion of the gate dielectric, a fourth portion of the n-type work function metal present directly on the fourth portion of the barrier layer portion, and a third portion of the gate electrode present directly on the fourth portion of the n-type work function metal.

2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the p-type work function metal comprises TiN.

3. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the n-type work function metal comprises TiAlC, TaAlC, TiAl, Ti, or Al.

4. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer portion comprises TiN or TaN.

5. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the gate dielectric cap comprises TiN.

6. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal cap comprises TiN.

7. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode comprises Al, Au, Ag, Co, Cu or W.

8. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the second gate stack portion further comprises a first portion of an etch stop layer portion present between the second portion of the n-type work function metal and the first portion of the gate electrode, the third gate stack portion further comprises a second portion of the etch stop layer portion present between the third portion of the n-type work function metal and the metal cap, and the fourth gate stack portion further comprises a third portion of the etch stop layer portion present between the forth portion of the n-type work function metal and the third portion of the gate electrode.

9. The semiconductor structure of claim 8 , wherein the second gate stack portion further comprises a first portion of an adhesion layer portion present between the first portion of the etch stop layer portion and the first portion of the gate electrode, the third gate stack portion further comprises a second portion of the adhesion layer portion present between the metal cap and the second portion of the gate electrode, and the fourth gate stack portion further comprises a third portion of the adhesion layer portion present between the third portion of the etch stop layer portion and the third portion of the gate electrode.

10. The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein the etch stop layer portion comprises TiN, and the adhesion layer portion comprises Ti, TiN, or TiW.

11. The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first device region and the second device region are p-type fin field effect transistor regions, and wherein the third device region and the fourth device region are n-type fin field effect transistor regions.