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US 9,793,368 B2Granted
Semiconductor devices including a rare earth element and methods of forming semiconductor devices including a rare earth element
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsHyeok-jun Son, Wan-don Kim, Hoon-joo Na, Sang-jin Hyun, Yoon-tae Hwang, Jae-yeol Song
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Abstract
Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes an insulating layer. The semiconductor device includes a rare earth element supply layer on the insulating layer. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a metal layer that is on the rare earth element supply layer. The rare earth element supply layer is between the insulating layer and the metal layer. Methods of forming semiconductor devices are also provided.
Claims18
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate, wherein an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate comprises an active area of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a gate structure on the active area of the semiconductor substrate, the gate structure comprising an interface layer, a high-dielectric layer, a rare earth element (RE) supply layer comprising one or more rare earth elements, a first metal layer comprising the one or more rare earth elements, and a second metal layer, which are sequentially stacked, wherein:
- the first metal layer comprises aluminum (Al);
- the semiconductor device comprises a transistor comprising the active area and the gate structure;
- a threshold voltage of the transistor is determined according to the Al in the first metal layer and a thickness of the first metal layer;
- the threshold voltage is shifted to a first threshold voltage based on the one or more rare earth elements at an interface between the interface layer and the high-dielectric layer;
- and
- the first threshold voltage is shifted to a second threshold voltage based on the Al and the one or more rare earth elements in the first metal layer.
6 more elements
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- at least one fin protruding from the semiconductor substrate and extending in a first direction;
- and,
- a gate structure on the at least one fin and extending in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the gate structure comprising an interface layer, a high-dielectric layer, a rare earth element (RE) supply layer configured to supply one or more rare earth elements, and at least one metal layer comprising the one or more rare earth elements and aluminum (Al), which layers are sequentially stacked, wherein:
- the semiconductor substrate comprises a PMOS region and an NMOS region;
- the gate structure comprises a first gate structure on the PMOS region;
- the semiconductor device further comprises a second gate structure on the NMOS region;
- and
- the first and second gate structures of the PMOS and NMOS regions, respectively, each comprise the RE supply layer and the at least one metal layer.
6 more elements
A semiconductor device comprising:
- an insulating layer comprising a rare earth element;
- a rare earth element supply layer on the insulating layer;
- a metal electrode that comprises the rare earth element and that is on the rare earth element supply layer, wherein the rare earth element supply layer is between the insulating layer and the metal electrode and is configured to supply the rare earth element to the insulating layer and the metal electrode;
- and
- a semiconductor substrate comprising a PMOS region and an NMOS region, wherein:
- the metal electrode is in a first gate structure on the PMOS region;
- the semiconductor device further comprises a second gate structure on the NMOS region;
- and
- the first and second gate structures of the PMOS and NMOS regions, respectively, each comprise the rare earth element supply layer.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.