Impacts of a buffer layer and hydrogen-annealed wafers on the performance of strained-channel nMOSFETs with SiN-capping layer

Tzu I. Tsai; Horng-Chih Lin; Yao Jen Lee; King Sheng Chen; Jeff Wang; Fu Kuo Hsueh; Tien-Sheng Chao; Tiao Yuan Huang

doi:10.1016/j.sse.2008.06.007

Impacts of a buffer layer and hydrogen-annealed wafers on the performance of strained-channel nMOSFETs with SiN-capping layer

Tzu I. Tsai, Horng-Chih Lin, Yao Jen Lee^*, King Sheng Chen, Jeff Wang, Fu Kuo Hsueh, Tien-Sheng Chao, Tiao Yuan Huang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Electrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, the effects of Si₃N₄ layer capping and TEOS buffer layer inserted prior to the Si₃N₄ deposition on the NMOS device characteristics as well as correlated hot-electron degradations were investigated. The devices were built on two kinds of the substrates, namely, Cz and hydrogen-annealed (Hi) wafers. More importantly, we found that hydrogen species is the primary culprit for aggravated reliabilities in strained devices. By exerting the accelerated stress test, we could study the hot-electron degradation thoroughly in terms of threshold voltage shift (ΔV_TH), transconductance degradation (ΔGm) and so on. The TEOS buffer layer could effectively block the diffusion of hydrogen species from the Si₃N₄ capping layer into the channel and the Si/SiO₂ interface during the Si₃N₄ deposition as well as subsequent thermal cycles.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1518-1524
Number of pages	7
Journal	Solid-State Electronics
Volume	52
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sse.2008.06.007
State	Published - Oct 2008

Keywords

CESL
Hydrogen-annealed wafer
SiN capping
Strained-Si

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title = "Impacts of a buffer layer and hydrogen-annealed wafers on the performance of strained-channel nMOSFETs with SiN-capping layer",

abstract = "In this study, the effects of Si3N4 layer capping and TEOS buffer layer inserted prior to the Si3N4 deposition on the NMOS device characteristics as well as correlated hot-electron degradations were investigated. The devices were built on two kinds of the substrates, namely, Cz and hydrogen-annealed (Hi) wafers. More importantly, we found that hydrogen species is the primary culprit for aggravated reliabilities in strained devices. By exerting the accelerated stress test, we could study the hot-electron degradation thoroughly in terms of threshold voltage shift (ΔVTH), transconductance degradation (ΔGm) and so on. The TEOS buffer layer could effectively block the diffusion of hydrogen species from the Si3N4 capping layer into the channel and the Si/SiO2 interface during the Si3N4 deposition as well as subsequent thermal cycles.",

keywords = "CESL, Hydrogen-annealed wafer, SiN capping, Strained-Si",

author = "Tsai, {Tzu I.} and Horng-Chih Lin and Lee, {Yao Jen} and Chen, {King Sheng} and Jeff Wang and Hsueh, {Fu Kuo} and Tien-Sheng Chao and Huang, {Tiao Yuan}",

year = "2008",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.sse.2008.06.007",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

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journal = "Solid-State Electronics",

issn = "0038-1101",

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T1 - Impacts of a buffer layer and hydrogen-annealed wafers on the performance of strained-channel nMOSFETs with SiN-capping layer

AU - Tsai, Tzu I.

AU - Lin, Horng-Chih

AU - Lee, Yao Jen

AU - Chen, King Sheng

AU - Wang, Jeff

AU - Hsueh, Fu Kuo

AU - Chao, Tien-Sheng

AU - Huang, Tiao Yuan

PY - 2008/10

Y1 - 2008/10

N2 - In this study, the effects of Si3N4 layer capping and TEOS buffer layer inserted prior to the Si3N4 deposition on the NMOS device characteristics as well as correlated hot-electron degradations were investigated. The devices were built on two kinds of the substrates, namely, Cz and hydrogen-annealed (Hi) wafers. More importantly, we found that hydrogen species is the primary culprit for aggravated reliabilities in strained devices. By exerting the accelerated stress test, we could study the hot-electron degradation thoroughly in terms of threshold voltage shift (ΔVTH), transconductance degradation (ΔGm) and so on. The TEOS buffer layer could effectively block the diffusion of hydrogen species from the Si3N4 capping layer into the channel and the Si/SiO2 interface during the Si3N4 deposition as well as subsequent thermal cycles.

AB - In this study, the effects of Si3N4 layer capping and TEOS buffer layer inserted prior to the Si3N4 deposition on the NMOS device characteristics as well as correlated hot-electron degradations were investigated. The devices were built on two kinds of the substrates, namely, Cz and hydrogen-annealed (Hi) wafers. More importantly, we found that hydrogen species is the primary culprit for aggravated reliabilities in strained devices. By exerting the accelerated stress test, we could study the hot-electron degradation thoroughly in terms of threshold voltage shift (ΔVTH), transconductance degradation (ΔGm) and so on. The TEOS buffer layer could effectively block the diffusion of hydrogen species from the Si3N4 capping layer into the channel and the Si/SiO2 interface during the Si3N4 deposition as well as subsequent thermal cycles.

KW - CESL

KW - Hydrogen-annealed wafer

KW - SiN capping

KW - Strained-Si

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U2 - 10.1016/j.sse.2008.06.007

DO - 10.1016/j.sse.2008.06.007

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:50849086060

SN - 0038-1101

VL - 52

SP - 1518

EP - 1524

JO - Solid-State Electronics

JF - Solid-State Electronics

IS - 10

ER -

Impacts of a buffer layer and hydrogen-annealed wafers on the performance of strained-channel nMOSFETs with SiN-capping layer

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Keywords

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