Molybdenum gate electrode technology for deep sub-micron CMOS generations

Continued scaling of CMOS technology beyond the 100 nm technology node will rely on fundamental changes in transistor gate stack materials. Refractory metals and their metallic derivatives are among the only candidates suitable for use as transistor gate electrodes. In earlier publications, Mo has been proposed as a potential candidate for use as a MOSFET gate electrode and the implantation of nitrogen ions into the Mo film has been observed to lower the interracial work function of Mo. This observation indicates the potential application of Mo as a CMOS gate electrode. In this paper, the dependence of the interfacial work function on the nitrogen implant parameters (viz. energy and dose) is discussed. In general, metal work functions at dielectric interfaces depend on the permittivity of the dielectric. This dependence of the gate work function on dielectric permittivity presents a significant challenge for the integration of metal gate electrodes into future CMOS technology. In light of this, the ability to engineer the Mo gate work function over a relatively large range makes it an attractive candidate for this application.