Advantage of silicon nitride gate insulator transistor by using microwave excited high-density plasma for applying 100nm technology node

Abstract

We have succeeded to prepare a hgh quality silicon nitride gate insulator with lower gate leakage current in three orders of magnitude compared to that of conventional thermal oxide film, by using a Kr/NH3 mixed gas microwave-excited highdensity plasma with metal (TaN/Ta/TaN) gate. Moreover, we have evaluated the current drive capability dependence on the silicon surface orientation and found that the channel hole mobility on (110) surface at the channel-width direction of 13 5 degree from the (111) cut plane was 2.4 times hlgher than that of (100) surface. The CMOS transistor with the silicon nitride gate insulator formed by the microwave-excited plasma and TaN/Ta/TaN metal gate on (110) surface orientation silicon having a higher current drive capability and high integration density is the most practical candidate for lOOnm technology node and beyond.