# US 12,015,066 B2 · Triple layer high-k gate dielectric stack for workfunction engineering

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,015,066 B2
- Document ID: US12015066B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/231,649
- Filed: 2021-04-15
- Published: 2021-12-23
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-17
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Chia-Yuan Chang; Te-Yang Lai; Kuei-Lun Lin; Xiong-Fei Yu; Chi On Chui; Tsung-Da Lin; Cheng-Hao Hou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015066B2

## CPC

- H10D 64/514: {characterised by the insulating layers}
- H10D 84/0181: {Manufacturing their gate insulating layers}
- H10D 30/502: {characterised by the stacked channels}
- H10D 30/62: Fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]
- H10D 84/0144: {Manufacturing their gate insulating layers}
- H10D 84/0158: {the components including FinFETs}
- H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe}
- H10D 84/83135: {the IGFETs characterised by having different gate conductor materials or different gate conductor implants}
- H10D 84/851: {comprising IGFETs having stacked nanowire, nanosheet or nanoribbon channels}
- H10D 84/853: {comprising FinFETs}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- H10D 30/6219: {characterised by the source or drain electrodes}
- H10D 62/121: {oriented parallel to substrates}
- H10D 84/8311: {the IGFETs characterised by having different channel structures}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

## Abstract

A method includes providing first and second channel layers in NMOS and PMOS regions respectively of a substrate; depositing a first layer comprising hafnium oxide over the first and second channel layers; forming a first dipole pattern over the second channel layer and not over the first channel layer; driving a first metal from the first dipole pattern into the first layer by annealing; removing the first dipole pattern; depositing a second layer comprising hafnium oxide over the first layer and over the first and second channel layers; forming a second dipole pattern over the second layer and the first channel layer and not over the second channel layer; driving a second metal from the second dipole pattern into the second layer by annealing; removing the second dipole pattern; and depositing a third layer comprising hafnium oxide over the second layer and over the first and the second channel layers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a substrate;
a first stack of channel layers over the substrate in an NFET region;
a second stack of channel layers over the substrate in a PFET region;
a first gate dielectric layer surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers, wherein a first portion of the first gate dielectric layer is disposed over each of the first stacks of channel layers and includes hafnium oxide, and a second portion of the first gate dielectric layer is disposed over each of the second stacks of channel layers and includes a compound of hafnium oxide and a first metal, wherein the first metal includes niobium, wherein the first and the second portions of the first gate dielectric layer include different materials;
a second gate dielectric layer over the first gate dielectric layer and surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers, wherein a first portion of the second gate dielectric layer is disposed over each of the first stacks of channel layers and includes a compound of hafnium oxide and a second metal, and a second portion of the second gate dielectric layer is disposed over each of the second stacks of channel layers and includes hafnium oxide, wherein the second metal includes yttrium, wherein the first and the second portions of the second gate dielectric layer include different materials; and
a third gate dielectric layer over the second gate dielectric layer and surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers, wherein the third gate dielectric layer includes hafnium oxide, wherein respective portions of the third gate dielectric layer on each layer of the first stack of channel layers are spaced from each other, and respective portions of the third gate dielectric layer on each layer of the second stack of channel layers are spaced from each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, further comprising:
a gate work function metal layer over the third gate dielectric layer and surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein each of the first, the second, and the third gate dielectric layers has a thickness in a range of about 2 Angstroms (Å) to 15 Å.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the first metal in the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the second metal in the first portion of the second gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the first stack of channel layers includes silicon and the second stack of channel layers includes silicon or silicon germanium.

### Claim 7

A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a substrate;
a first stack of channel layers over the substrate in an NFET region;
a second stack of channel layers over the substrate in a PFET region;
an interfacial layer surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers;
a first gate dielectric layer over the interfacial layer, wherein a first portion of the first gate dielectric layer surrounds each of the first stack of channel layers and includes hafnium oxide, and a second portion of the first gate dielectric layer surrounds each of the second stack of channel layers and includes a compound of hafnium oxide and a first metal, wherein the first metal includes niobium, wherein the first and the second portions of the first gate dielectric layer include different materials;
a second gate dielectric layer over the first gate dielectric layer, wherein a first portion of the second gate dielectric layer surrounds each of the first stack of channel layers and includes a compound of hafnium oxide and a second metal, wherein the second metal includes yttrium, and a second portion of the second gate dielectric layer surrounds each of the second stack of channel layers and includes hafnium oxide, wherein the first and the second portions of the second gate dielectric layer include different materials;
a third gate dielectric layer over the second gate dielectric layer and surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers, wherein the third gate dielectric layer comprises hafnium oxide; and
a gate work function metal layer over the third gate dielectric layer and surrounding each layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers, wherein a portion of each of the first, the second, and the third gate dielectric layers is disposed on the substrate and below another portion of the third gate dielectric layer under a bottommost layer of the first and the second stacks of channel layers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein a concentration of the first metal in the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein a concentration of the second metal in the first portion of the second gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein the first stack of channel layers includes silicon and the second stack of channel layers includes silicon or silicon germanium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein the first gate dielectric layer, the second gate dielectric layer, and the third gate dielectric layer provide a triple-layer high-k stack having a thickness in a range of about 6 Angstroms (Å) to 45 Å.

### Claim 12

A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a substrate;
a first stack of channel layers over the substrate in an NFET region;
a second stack of channel layers over the substrate in a PFET region;
a first gate stack at least laterally surrounding each of the first stack of channel layers; and
a second gate stack at least laterally surrounding each of the second stack of channel layers,
wherein the first gate stack includes a first portion of a first gate dielectric layer, a first portion of a second gate dielectric layer over the first portion of the first gate dielectric layer, a first portion of a third gate dielectric layer over the first portion of the second gate dielectric layer, and a first portion of a gate work function metal layer over the first portion of the third gate dielectric layer,
wherein the second gate stack includes a second portion of the first gate dielectric layer, a second portion of the second gate dielectric layer over the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer, a second portion of the third gate dielectric layer over the second portion of the second gate dielectric layer, and a second portion of the gate work function metal layer over the second portion of the third gate dielectric layer,
wherein the first and the second portions of the first gate dielectric layer include different materials, the first and the second portions of the first gate dielectric layer both include a first high-k dielectric material, the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer further includes a first metal such that a compound of the first high-k dielectric material and the first metal provides an upward adjustment to a work function of the second gate stack, the first metal includes Nb, Ga, Zn, or Ti,
wherein the first and the second portions of the second gate dielectric layer include different materials, the first and the second portions of the second gate dielectric layer both include a second high-k dielectric material, the first portion of the second gate dielectric layer further includes a second metal such that a compound of the second high-k dielectric material and the second metal provides a downward adjustment to a work function of the first gate stack.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the first high-k dielectric material includes hafnium oxide, and the first metal includes niobium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor structure of claim 13, wherein a concentration of the first metal in the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the first high-k dielectric material includes HfSiO, HfSiO4, HfSiON, HfLaO, HfTaO, HfSiO, HfZrO, hafnium-aluminum-oxide, hafnium dioxide-alumina alloy, ZrO2, ZrSiO2, AlO, AlSiO, Al2O3, TiO, TiO2, LaO, LaSiO, Ta2O3, Ta2O5, Y2O3, SrTiO3, BaZrO, BaTiO3, (Ba,Sr)TiO3, Si3N4, Nb2O3, HfNbOx, ZnO, or HfZnOx.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the second high-k dielectric material includes hafnium oxide, and the second metal includes yttrium.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor structure of claim 16, wherein a concentration of the second metal in the first portion of the second gate dielectric layer is in a range of about 0.2% to about 30%.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the second high-k dielectric material includes HfSiO, HfSiO4, HfSiON, HfLaO, HfTaO, HfSiO, HfZrO, hafnium-aluminum-oxide, hafnium dioxide-alumina alloy, ZrO2, ZrSiO2, AlO, AlSiO, Al2O3, TiO, TiO2, LaO, LaSiO, Ta2O3, Ta2O5, Y2O3, SrTiO3, BaZrO, BaTiO3, (Ba,Sr)TiO3, Si3N4, Nb2O3, HfNbOx, ZnO, or HfZnOx, where x is greater than 0.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the second metal includes lanthanum, yttrium, or strontium.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein the first gate stack further includes a first portion of an interfacial layer under the first portion of the first gate dielectric layer, the second gate stack further includes a second portion of the interfacial layer under the second portion of the first gate dielectric layer, wherein the interfacial layer includes silicon dioxide or silicon oxynitride.