Method for fabricating a semiconductor device having an epitaxial channel and transistor having same

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate having an active substrate region defined by isolation regions, the active region further defined by a lateral channel length direction and a lateral channel width direction substantially orthogonal to the lateral channel length direction;
• forming a hardmask overlying the substrate and forming an opening in the hardmask exposing a portion of the active substrate region;
• forming a recess in the substrate defined by the opening;
• forming an epitaxial pillar region in the recess spanning the active substrate region, the epitaxial pillar region having a relatively long lateral dimension in the channel length direction and a relatively short lateral dimension in the channel width direction,
• wherein a lattice constant of the epitaxial pillar region differs from a lattice constant of the substrate, such that strain is induced in regions of the substrate proximal to the epitaxial pillar region;
• removing the hardmask and leaving a portion of the epitaxial pillar region projecting above the substrate;
• forming a gate dielectric layer overlying the epitaxial pillar region;
• and
• forming a gate electrode strip overlying the gate dielectric layer, the gate electrode having a relatively long lateral dimension substantially orthogonal to the relatively long lateral dimension of the epitaxial pillar region.