Kohki Nagata

Channel strain analysis in high-performance damascene-gate p-metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors using high-spatial resolution Raman spectroscopy

Channel strain analysis in damascene-gate p-metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (pMOSFETs) with a compressive stress liner and embedded SiGe after the dummy gate removal was studied using micro-Raman spectroscopy with a UV laser (λ=363.8 nm) and a quasiline excitation source. Using a quasiline excitation source, we obtained spatial and energy information simultaneously with a high spatial resolution in the one-dimensional strain profile. For Lgate>210 nm samples, we performed laser exposure for 10 min to measure the channel strain. However, the channel strain for Lgate<210 nm samples was impossible to evaluate due to the limitation of the spatial resolution. Therefore, we increased the laser exposure time to 40 min for Lgate<210 nm samples. Super invar metal with an extremely low thermal coefficient was installed in the monochromator, which achieved a very long measurement. Finally, we found an extremely large stress of −2.4 GPa in the channel of Lgate=30 nm samples. These results demonstra...

Study of Strain Induction for Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors using Transparent Dummy Gates and Stress Liners

Strain induction was studied on a sample that had a dummy gate tetraethyl orthosilicate–silicon dioxide (TEOS–SiO2) and SiN film by UV-Raman spectroscopy with high spatial and high wave-number resolution. The UV laser penetrated through the dummy gate that was transparent to UV light, which enabled us to evaluate strain in the channel of the metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) model. Furthermore, we compared stress profiles obtained by finite element (FE) calculations with those obtained by UV-Raman measurements. There was a difference between the stress profiles in the line-and-space pattern sample and in the dummy-gate sample; large compressive (tensile) strains were concentrated at the channel edges in the dummy-gate sample with the compressive (tensile) stress liner, although both tensile and compressive strains existed at the channel edge in the line-and-space pattern sample. The results from UV-Raman spectroscopy were consistent with those obtained by the FE calculation.

Evaluation of Strained-Silicon by Electron Backscattering Pattern Measurement: Comparison Study with UV-Raman Measurement and Edge Force Model Calculation

We demonstrate the results of strain (stress) evaluation obtained from electron backscattering pattern (EBSP) measurement for samples of a strained Si-on-insulator (SSOI) and a Si substrate with a patterned SiN film. Two-dimensional stress distributions were obtained in 40×40 µm2 areas of the SSOI. The biaxial stress state was also obtained in the SSOI. Furthermore, clear cross-hatch contrast was observed, especially in the distribution of shear stress Sxy, in contrast to with the other distributions of normal stress Sxx and Syy. One- and two-dimensional stress distributions in the Si substrate with the patterned SiN film were also obtained from EBSP measurement. Moreover, the results were compared with those of UV-Raman measurement and edge force model calculation, and were found to have a good correlation with each other. EBSP measurement was used to measure the complicated biaxial stress including the shear stress in a sample with a 150-nm-wide space pattern. We can conclude that EBSP measurement is a useful method for precisely measuring stress with high spatial resolution.

Mobility and Velocity Enhancement Effects of High Uniaxial Stress on Si (100) and (110) Substrates for Short-Channel pFETs

An experimental study of mobility and velocity enhancement effects is reported for highly strained short-channel p-channel field-effect transistors (pFETs) using a damascene-gate process on Si (100) and (110) substrates. The relationship between the mobility and the saturation velocity of hole under a compressive stress over 2.0 GPa is discussed. The local channel stress of 2.4 GPa is successfully measured with ultraviolet-Raman spectroscopy for the 30-nm-gate-length device with top-cut compressive-stress SiN liner and embedded SiGe. Mobility and saturation-velocity enhancements of (100) substrate are larger than those of (110) under the high channel stress. In consequence, the saturation current on (100) is larger than that on (110) for the pFETs with higher channel stress and shorter gate length. Moreover, the large enhancement rate of saturation velocity to mobility by the uniaxial stress suggests high injection velocity for the pFETs with the stressors since the high channel stress is induced near the potential peak of the source by using the damascene-gate technology.

Improvement of CVD SiO2 by Post Deposition Microwave Plasma Treatment

We evaluated density and chemical bonding states of the CVD SiO2 film with and without plasma treatment to clarify an effect of the plasma treatment. It was found that the chemical bonding states were homogenized by the plasma treatment from the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, an increase of the film density was also observed. These results indicate the densification of SiO2 film, suppression of bond-angle fluctuation, and decrease of impurities (e.g. Hydrogen, Nitrogen and so on) in the SiO2 film. These results can well explain the improvement of the electrical properties by the plasma treatment. Furthermore, UV-Raman measurement was performed to evaluate the modification of Si stress and crystal quality at the SiO2/Si interface.

Evaluation of phonon confinement in ultrathin-film silicon-on-insulator by Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a practical evaluation technique for the quantum effect of phonons in a microcrystalline structure. It is very sensitive to fluctuations of crystalline potential or localized atomic geometry. Phonon confinement is observed as a broadening and desymmetrization of the Raman spectrum. However, Raman spectra also include information on crystal quality, strain, and thermal influence caused by the excitation source. Because these factors have an effect similar to that of phonon confinement on spectra, distinction of the factors is essential for accurate evaluation of the phonon confinement effect. The influence of these effects in the utrathin-film silicon-on-insulator (SOI) was investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Marked broadening and desymmetrization of Raman spectra were confirmed for the SOIs with thickness less than 5 nm. The crystalline quality and strain in the SOI layer were investigated by X-ray diffraction. We developed a precise simulation technique for phonon confinement with consideration of thermal and strain effects. By comparing the simulation with the results of Raman spectroscopy, an exact evaluation of phonon confinement effects in utrathin-film SOI was achieved.

Evaluation of Anisotropic Biaxial Stress by Raman Spectroscopy with a High Numerical Aperture Immersion Objective Lens

It is expected to be necessary to measure the stress tensors in Si because the stress field in the channels of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors is remarkably complicated. Raman spectroscopy enables us to evaluate the stress precisely, nondestructively, and with relatively high spatial resolution, although its standard implementation fails to resolve the stress tensor. The goal of this study is to establish a procedure for measuring an unknown plane-stress state. In this study, the anisotropic biaxial stress in Si induced by a SiN film was evaluated by Raman spectroscopy with an immersion objective lens with a high numerical aperture.

Evaluation of Properties of SiO2 Films Fabricated by Plasma Oxidation

Properties of SiO2 films formed by plasma oxidation were compared with those of films formed by thermal oxidation. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) was used to evaluate the SiO2/Si interface roughness, thickness, and density of SiO2 films. Chemical properties of the SiO2 films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, the relation between film density and its chemical properties was evaluated. This evaluation shows that SiO2 films fabricated by plasma oxidation have higher density and a smoother interface than those fabricated by thermal oxidation. In addition, oxidation rate was increased and interface quality and density were improved by incorporating hydrogen in the plasma atmosphere.

Channel Strain Measurement in 32-nm-Node Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor by Raman Spectroscopy

We performed a strain analysis of a 32-nm-node microprocessing unit by Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with transmission electron microscopy. The channel surface was exposed by chemical etching and mechanical polishing for Raman spectroscopy. Some defects and Ge concentration variation were observed in embedded SiGe of a p-channel metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (pMOSFET). Uniform defects lying at the same angle were observed in the source and drain regions of an n-channel MOSFET (nMOSFET). From the Raman measurement, the Raman peak from strained Si in the pMOSFET shifted toward a higher frequency at approximately 7.5 cm-1, which corresponds to -3.75 GPa (compressive) under the assumption of uniaxial stress along the channel direction. On the other hand, the Raman peak shift from strained Si in the nMOSFET was -1.7 cm-1 corresponding to 0.85 GPa (tensile) under the assumption of uniaxial stress. From the nanobeam diffraction measurements, the compressive strain at the channel edge was larger than that at the channel center in the pMOSFET. On the other hand, the tensile strain in the nMOSFET was induced uniformly in the channel region. We think that understanding and control of channel strain introduction are indispensable in the state-of-the-art complementary MOSFET technology.

Evaluation of Strained Silicon by Electron Back Scattering Pattern Compared with Raman Measurement and Edge Force Model Calculation

Global and local strained-Si samples, namely strained-Si on insulator (SSOI) wafer and a Si substrate with a patterned SiN film were each evaluated by electron backscattering pattern (EBSP). In the EBSP measurements for SSOI, biaxial tensile stresses (biaxial tensile strains and compressive strain perpendicular to the surface) were obtained, whose values were consistent with those obtained by UV-Raman spectroscopy. One-dimensional stress distributions in the Si substrate with the patterned SiN film were obtained by EBSP, UV-Raman spectroscopy with a deconvolution method, and edge force model calculation. The results were well consistent with each other. EBSP allows us to measure stress and strain in the patterned SiN sample with 150-nm wide space. Furthermore, anisotropic biaxial stress including shear stress was also obtained by EBSP.