`(10) Patent No:
`a2) United States Patent
`US 6,437,404 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Xianget al.
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`
`(54) SEMICONDUCTOR-ON-INSULATOR
`TRANSISTOR WITH RECESSED SOURCE
`AND DRAIN
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Qi Xiang, San Jose; Wei Long,
`Sunnyvale; Ming-Ren Lin, Cupertino,
`all of CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.,
`Sunnyvale, CA (US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`6,064,092 A *
`5/2000 Park «0... essere 257/347
`:
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS,
`401128514 A *
`5/1989
`403222454 A * 10/1991
`02000150892 A * 5/2000
`
`JP
`JP
`JP
`
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner—Olik Chaudhuri
`Assistant Examiner—Hoai Pham
`(4) Attorney, Agent, or Hirhk—Remier, Oita, Batesalie: &
`Sra Te
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`
`
`+4
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`(56)
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`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`.
`A fully-depleted semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) transis-
`CL HeelNee Omer?
`tor device has an SOI substrate with a buried insulatorlayer
`(22)
`Filed:
`Aug. 10, 2000
`having a nonuniform depth relative to a top surface of the
`substrate, the buried insulator layer having a shallow portion
`;
`;
`(1) Unt. Che!
`sreeeeseeensermeeeee HOLL aAe closer to the top surface than deep portions of the layer. A
`——
`gate is formed on a thin semiconductorlayer betweenthe top
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`» 257/347, 257/349; 257/382
`surface and the shallow portionoftheinsulator layer. Source
`
`(58) Field of Search. =
`Er
`. 257/347, 349,
`and drain regions are formed oneither side of the gate, the
`257/375,382, 408; 438/149, 479, 517
`source and drain regions each being atop one of the deep
`portions of the buried insulator layer. The source and drain
`regions thereby have a greater thickness than the thin
`semiconductor layer. Thick silicide regions formed in the
`source and drain regions have low parasitic resistance. A
`method of making the transistor device includes forming a
`11/1993 Bindal et al.
`5,264,395 A
`
`SANG282 A * BORD, YAMIRENCHL CUAL, sreeeon 257/344—dummygate structure on an SO] substrate, and using the
`5,510,640 A.
`A996 ShiNdO vovsscesessererserseree 2UBAT
`dummygate structure to control the depth of an implantation
`eOoeet a
`Saver Reinet,
`to form the nonuniform depth buried insulatorlayer.
`5,930,642 A *
`7/1999 Moore etal. wu... 438/407
`:
`5,994,191 A
`11/1999 Xianget al.
`6,015,752 A
`1/2000 Xianget al.
`
`28 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`IPR2017-01841
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`IP Bridge Exhibit 2004
`IP Bridge Exhibit 2004
`TSMC v. Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1
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`IPR2017-01841
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug.20, 2002
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`Sheet 1 of 5
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`Aug. 20, 2002
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`Sheet 2 of 5
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`U.S. Patent
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`US 6,437,404 B1
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 20,2002
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`Sheet 3 of 5
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`US 6,437,404 B1
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`FIG. 8
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 20,2002
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`Sheet 4 of 5
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`US 6,437,404 B1
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`Aug. 20, 2002
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`Sheet 5 of 5
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`1
`SEMICONDUCTOR-ON-INSULATOR
`TRANSISTOR WITH RECESSED SOURCE
`AND DRAIN
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Technical Field of the Invention
`
`The invention relates generally to semiconductor-on-
`insulator devices and methods for forming the same. The
`inventionrelates particularly to semiconductor-on-insulator
`iransistors which operate in a fully-depleted mode.
`2. Background of the Art
`Semiconductor-on-insulator (SOT) transistor devices are
`typically formed using silicon and generally operate in either
`a partially-depleted mode or a fully-depleted mode. SOI
`devices operating in a fully-depleted mode offer good short
`channel control by having only a thin semiconductor
`(silicon) film underneath a gate electrode. The thinness of
`the film physically restrains the short channel effects. In
`order to achieve this effect, the semiconductorfilm thickness
`under the gate may be less than about % of the gate length.
`Fully-depleted SOI transistors may also have other advan-
`tages over partially-depleted SOI transistors, such as lower
`subthreshold leakage and more convenient source anddrain
`formation.
`
`However, fully-depleted SOItransistors tend to have high
`parasitic resistance. This is because of the thin silicon film
`used in fully-depleted SOI transistors leads to thin silicide
`formations on the source and drain of the transistors. The
`thin silicide regions have high electrical resistance, which
`leads to degraded device performance. The trend toward
`reduced gate sizes exacerbates the parasilic resistance prob-
`lem for fully-depleted SOI transistors.
`From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a need
`exists for a fully-depleted SOI transistor which lessens or
`avoids the high parasitic resistance problem described
`above.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`A fully-depleted semiconductor-on-insulator (SOJ) tran-
`sistor device has an SOI substrate with a buried insulator
`layer having a nonuniform depth relative to a top surface of
`the substrate, the buried insulator layer having a shallow
`portion closer to the top surface than deep portions of the
`layer. A gate is formed on a
`thin semiconductor layer
`between the top surface and the shallow portion of the
`insulator layer. Source and drain regions are formed on
`either side of the gate, the source and drain regions each
`being atop one of the deep portions of the buried insulator
`layer. The source and drain regions thereby have a greater
`thickness than the thin semiconductor layer. Thicksilicide
`regions formed in the source and drain regions have low
`parasitic resistance. A method of making the transistor
`device includes forming a dummy gate structure on an SOI
`substrate, and using the dummy gate structure lo control the
`depth of an implantation to form the nonuniform depth
`buried insulator layer.
`According to aspectof the invention, a fully-depleted SOI
`transistor device has an SOI substrate with a buried insulator
`layer having a nonuniform depth relative to a top surface of
`the substrate.
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, an SOI
`transistor device includes an SOI] substrate with a buried
`insulator layer having a shallow portion whichis closer to a
`surface of the substrate than are deep portions of the buried
`insulator layer. The transistor device includes a gate atop the
`shallow portion, with a semiconductor layer therebetween.
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`According to yet another aspect of the invention, a
`fully-depleted SOT transistor device includes source and
`drain regions which are thicker than a semiconductor region
`beneath a gate.
`According to still another aspect of the invention, a
`fully-depleted SOI transistor device includes a gate, and
`silicide regions on opposite sides of the gate, the suicide
`regions having a maximum thickness which is greater than
`a thickness of a semiconductor region beneath a gale.
`According to a further aspect of the invention, a method
`of forming an SOI substrate with a buried insulator layer
`which is a nonuniform distance from a top surface of the
`substrate, includes the steps of forming a structure on the top
`surface, and implanting ions through the top surface. The
`resulting buried insulator layer has a shallow portion, rela-
`tively close to the top surface, in the vicinity of the structure,
`and deep portions, relatively far from the top surface, away
`from the structure.
`
`a
`According to another aspect of the invention,
`semiconductor-on-insulalor transistor device includes a
`silicon-on-insulator substrate having a top surface, the sub-
`strate including a buried insulator layer and a semiconductor
`layer, the buried insulator layer having a shallow portion and
`deep portions, wherein the shallow portion is closer to the
`top surface than deep portions, and the semiconductor layer
`being atop the shallow portion; and a gate atop the semi-
`conductor layer.
`According to yet another aspect of the invention, a
`method for manufacturing a semiconductor-on-insulator
`transistor device, includes the steps of: forming a buried
`insulator layer having a nonuniform depth relative to a top
`surface of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, the buried
`insulator layer having a shallow portion closer to the top
`surface than deep portions ofthe buried insulator layer; and
`forming a gate on the substrate over the shallow portion, a
`semiconductor layer of the substrate thereby being between
`the gate and the shallow portion.
`‘To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,
`the invention comprises the features hereinafter fully
`described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The
`following description and the annexed drawingsset forth in
`detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention.
`These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of
`the various ways in which the principles of the invention
`may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel
`features of the invention will become apparent from the
`following detailed description of the invention when con-
`sidered in conjunction with the drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`In the annexed drawings:
`FIG. 1 isa side sectional view showing a semiconductor-
`on-insulator (SOJ) transistor device embodying the present
`invention;
`FIG, 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufac-
`turing an SOT transistor device such as the device of FIG. 1;
`and
`
`PIGS. 3-12 are side sectional viewsillustrating various
`steps of the methodof FIG. 2.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`65
`
`a semiconductor-on-
`Referring initially to FIG, 1,
`insulator (SOL) transistor device LO has a gate 12 atop a
`substrate 14. The substrate 14 has a surface semiconductor
`layer 16 which has nonuniform thickness, soas to allow the
`
`
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`US 6,437,404 B1
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`3
`iransislor lo operate in fully-depleted mode, while reducing
`or eliminating the effects of parasitic resistance. Thus the
`semiconductor layer includes a thin semiconductor film
`channel region 18 beneath the gate 12, and source and drain
`regions 20 and 22 on respective sides of the channel region
`18. The source and drain regions 20 and 22 have at least
`portionsthat are thicker than the channel region 18. Source
`and drain silicide regions 26 and 28 are at least partially
`within the source anddrain regions 20 and 22, respectively.
`Thesilicide regions 26 and 28, having a thickness greater
`than that of the channel region 18, have a lower electrical
`resistance than they would if they had the same thickness as
`the thin channel region. Thesilicide regions 26 and 28 have
`surfaces along a top surface 29 of the substrate 14, to enable
`external electrical connection of the silicide regions by
`conventional means.
`
`A buried insulator layer 30 separates the surface semi-
`conductor layer 16 from a bulk semiconductor region 32.
`The buried insulator layer 30 has a nonuniform depth
`beneath the top surface 29 of the substrate 14. Thus the
`buried insulator layer 30 has a shallow portion 40 beneath
`the thin channel region 18, and deep portions 42 and 44
`beneath the thicker portions of the source and drain regions
`20 and 22, respectively. The shallow portion 40 may be
`wider than the gate 12, and maybe a substantially uniform
`distance from the top surface 29. The buried insulator layer
`also includes transition portions 46 and 48 between the
`shallow portion 40 and the deep portions 42 and 44, respec-
`lively. The transition portions 46 and 48 may have a curved
`shape. The buried insulator layer 30 may have a substan-
`tially uniform thickness.
`The surface semiconductor layer 16 and the bulk semi-
`conductor region 32 may include any of a variety of suitable
`semiconductor materials, for example silicon. The buried
`insulator layer 30 may be composed of silicon dioxide
`(SiO), although it will be appreciated that other suitable
`insulator materials may alternatively or in addition may be
`employed.
`The source and drain regions 20 and 22 have opposite
`conductivity from the thin channel region 18. For example,
`the source and drain regions 20 and 22 may have N-type
`conductivity, with the channel region 18 having P-type
`conductivity. Alternatively, the source and drain regions 20
`and 22 may have P-type conductivity, with the channel
`region 18 having N-type conductivity.
`The source and drain regions 20 and 22 have respective
`source and drain extensions 50 and 52, which extend par-
`tially underneath the gate 12. The gate 12 includes a gate
`electrode 56, and a gate dielectric 58 partially around the
`gate electrode. The gate electrode 56 may be a metal gate
`electrode. Alternatively, the gate electrode may be any of a
`wide variety of gate electrode materials and/or designs, for
`example including polysilicon. The gate dielectric 58 may
`be formed of a conventional material such as silicon dioxide,
`silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride (Si,N,). The source
`region 20, the drain region 22, and the channel region 18 are
`operatively configured with the gate 12 to forma transistor
`such as a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor
`(MOSFET).
`The substrate 14 includes insulator-filled trenches 60 and
`62 electrically isolating the source and drain regions 20 and
`22, respectively, for example from similar regions in other
`adjacent
`transistors (not shown). An exemplary insulator
`material in the insulator-filled trenches 60 and 62is silicon
`dioxide.
`
`The silicide regions 26 and 28 do not extend fully down
`to the buried insulator layer 30—strips 64 and 66 of the
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`source and drain regions 20 and 22 are between the respec-
`tive silicide regions 26 and 28 and the deep portions 42 and
`44 of the buried insulator layer. However, it will be appre-
`ciated that the silicide regions 26 and 28 may be extendedto
`the buried insulator layer 30, if so desired.
`The transistor device 10 includes spacers 70 and 72 atop
`the top surface 29 of the substrate 14, on either side of the
`gate 12. The spacers 70 and 72 may be formed of an
`insulator material, such as silicon dioxide. The device 10
`also includes etch stop layers 80 and 82,and layersoffiller
`84 and 86. The etch stop layers 80 and 82 may include
`silicon nitride (Si,N,,), and the layers of filler 84 and 86 may
`include silicon dioxide, although in both instances it will be
`appreciated that other suitable materials may be used.
`It will be appreciated that the transistor described above
`may operate as a fully-depleted transistor. Thus the gate 12
`may have a length of 25-100 nm andthe thin channel region
`18 may have a thickness of 500-5000 Angstroms. The
`thickness of the thin channel region 18 may be less than or
`equal to approximately 1 the length of the gate 12. Further,
`the channel region 18 may have a substantially-uniform
`thickness. The maximum thicknessofthe silicide regions 26
`and 28 may be 200-800 Angstroms. The buried insulator
`layer 30 may have a thickness of 1000-3000 Angstroms.
`The relatively-thin channel region 18 may allow the tran-
`sistor to operate in a fully-depleted mode, thus allowing the
`SOI transistor device to have the advantageous characteris-
`tics of a fully-depleted transistor. In addition, the relatively-
`thick silicide regions 26 and 28 (at least thicker than the
`channel region 18) results in reduced parasitic resistance.
`It will be appreciated that the transistor described above
`maybe just one of a plurality of transistor devices on a single
`semiconductor device. Such transistors may be combined
`with a wide variety of other structures,
`for example in
`multiple layers, to form an integrated circuit.
`It will further be appreciated that suitable modifications
`may be made to the SOI transistor device 10 described
`above. For example,
`it will be appreciated that silicide
`regions 26 and 28 may alternatively or in addition include
`other electrically-conducting materials, such as other
`semiconductor-metal compounds. As another example,
`it
`will be appreciated that insulator material of the insulator-
`filled trenches 60 and 62 may be formed other than by
`trenching and filling.
`FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method 100 for forming an SOT
`transistor device such as the SOT transistor device 10 shown
`in FIG, 1 and described above. In step 102 of the method
`100, a wafer (substrate) 110 of semiconductor material is
`trenched and filledto form insulator-filled trenches 112 and
`114, as shown in FIG, 3. The insulator-filled trenches 112
`and 114 may be formed using well-known shallow trench
`isolation (STT) techniques.
`FIG. 3 also shows the results of step 118, wherein a
`dummystructure 120 is formed on a top surface 122 of the
`substrate 110. As explained in greater detail below,
`the
`dummy structure 120 is used for controlling the depth of an
`implant for forming the buried insulator layer. The dummy
`structure 120 includes a central portion 126, which may be
`a dummy gate structure, flanked by a pair of spacers 128 and
`130. The central portion 126 includes a dummy gate oxide
`layer 132, a polysilicon dummy gate 134 and a bottom
`anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer 136.
`The dummy gate oxide layer 132, which may for example
`be made of SiO,, may be deposited on and/or grown on the
`semiconductor substrate 110. The oxide layer may have an
`exemplary thickness of between about 20 ta 200 Angstroms,
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`US 6,437,404 B1
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`5
`although it will be appreciated that the layer may have a
`different thickness. Thereafter the polysilicon dummy gate
`134 may be formed by depositing a layer of polysilicon and
`BARC material, such as SiON, on the dummy gate oxide
`layer 132, and sclectively removing the BARC material and
`polysilicon except where desired. The polysilicon may be
`deposited, for example, using low pressure chemical vapor
`deposition (LPCVD) processing techniques, at a tempera-
`ture from about 500 to 650° C., to a thickness of between
`about 1200 to 3000 Angstroms. The deposited material may
`be selectively removed, for example by well-known photo-
`lithographic and selective etching methods,
`to form the
`polysilicon dummy gate 134 and the BARC layer 136 in a
`desired location. An example ofa suitable etching methodis
`reactive ion etching (RIE), using Cl, as an etchant. It will be
`appreciated that a wide variety of other suitable methods for
`gate formation may be employedinthis step.
`The dummy spacers 128 and 130, which may be made of
`an oxide such as Si0,, may be formed by depositing a
`conformal SiO, layer, and then selectively removing SiO,
`material to form the spacers. The deposit ofthe dielectric
`material and its selective removal may be accomplished by
`conventional means, for example chemical vapor deposition
`(CVD) such as LPCVDor plasma enhanced chemical vapor
`deposition (PECVD), ofsilicon dioxide, followed by aniso-
`tropic etching using suitable, well-known etchants, an exem-
`plary etchant being CHF.
`the dummy structure 120
`It will be appreciated that
`described above is only exemplary, and that a wide variety
`of suitable dummy structure materials and/or configurations
`may alternatively be employed.
`FIG, 4 illustrates the results of step 140, an oxygen ion
`implantation 142 to form a buried oxygen-implanted layer
`144. The implantation 142 may be of ions having an energy
`of 100-200 keV. An exemplary range ofimplantation dosage
`for the implantation is 5x10"? to 1x10"® jons/em?. The
`buried oxygen-implanted layer has a nonuniform depth
`below the top surface 122 of the substrate 110, due to the
`presence of the dummystructure 120, which absorbs some
`of the penetrating power of the oxygen ions implanted
`therethrough. Thus the buried oxygen-implanted layer 144
`has a shallow portion 146 underneath the dummy structure
`120, deep portions 148 and 150 away from the dummy
`structure 120, and transition portions 152 and 154 between
`the shallow portion and the deep portions.
`Thereafter an annealing is performed in step 160, result-
`ing in the structure shown in FIG. §, The annealing converts
`the buried oxygen-implanted layer 144 to a buried insulator
`layer 164, formed of SiO,. The annealing also anneals out
`the implantation-induced damage in a shallow semiconduc-
`tor layer 166 between the top surface 122 and the buried
`insulator layer 164. An exemplary temperature is about
`1300° C., and an exemplary suitable length of time is 4 to 8
`hours. It will be appreciated that other temperatures and
`heating times may be employed.
`The dummy spacers 128 and 130 are removed byetching
`in step 170, using suitable solvents and/or techniques, leav-
`ing the structure shown in FIG. 6. Thereafter, in step 180,
`source and drain regions 182 and 184 are formed, as
`illustrated in FIG. 7. The source and drain regions 182 and
`184 may be formedby a doping implantation 188, followed
`by a suitable annealing.
`It will be appreciated that suitable
`materials, energies, and techniques for doping and annealing
`to form the source and drain regions 182 and 184 are
`well-known in the art. For instance, boron or indium maybe
`implantedto achieve a P-type conductivity and phosphorous
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`or arsenic may be implanted to form an N-type conductivily.
`An exemplary range of concentration of these dopants is
`between 1x10°° and 2x10” atoms/cm’. The central portion
`126 of the dummy structure 120 may function as a mask to
`prevent doping of a central thin semiconductor region 190
`beneath the central portion 126.
`In step 194,illustrated in FIG. 8, spacers 196 and 198 are
`formed on opposite sides of the central portion 126 of the
`dummy structure 120. The process of forming the spacers
`196 and 198 may be similar to that described above for
`forming the dummyspacers 128 and 130.
`Thereafter, in step 200, source and drain silicide regions
`202 and 204 are formedin the source and drain regions 182
`and 184, respectively, as shown in FIG. 9. The formation of
`the silicide regions 202 and 204 involves depositing a layer
`of material on the exposed portion of the tope surface of the
`substrate 110, the central portion 126 of the dummy gate
`120, and the spacers 196 and 198. The metal may be a metal
`such as titanium, cobalt, or nickel, which is suitable for
`forming a conducting compound, such asa silicide, with the
`semiconductor material. The metal layer may be deposited,
`for example, by sputtering.
`After deposition of the metal layer, the silicide regions
`202 and 204 are formed by well-known methods, an exem-
`plary method being raising temperature of the device to a
`suitable level for a suitable length of time (annealing). An
`exemplary temperature is between about 500 and 700° C.,
`and an exemplary suitable length of time is between 10
`seconds and 10 minutes. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA)
`may also be employed, for example subjecting the semicon-
`ductor device to a temperature between 600 and 900° C. for
`about 5 to 120 seconds.
`It will be appreciated that other
`temperatures and heating times may be employed.
`As illustrated in FIG. 10, etch stop layers 208 and 210 are
`deposited in step 212; filler layers 216 and 218 are deposited
`in step 220; and the surface of the device is polished in step
`222, for example by well-known chemical mechanical pol-
`ishing (CMP) techniques, to thereby remove the BARC
`layer 136. Thereafter, the dummy gate electrode 134 and the
`dummy gate oxide layer 132 are removed in step 230,
`illustrated in FIG. 11. The removal of the dummy gate
`electrode 134 and the dummy gate oxide layer 132 may be
`accomplished using well-known suitable etching
`techniques, for example.
`Achannel implantation 232 may be performedin step 236
`to suitable dope the central thin semiconductor region 190,
`if desired, as shown in FIG. 12. Finally, in step 240 a gate
`structure is formed in the location where the dummy gate
`electrode 134 and the dummy gate oxide layer 132 were
`removedin step 230. The resulting structure may be similar
`to the SOI transistor device shown in FIG. 1.
`
`It will be appreciated that the above-described SOI tran-
`sistor device and method of manufacture are merely
`exemplary, and that many variations on the above-described
`method may be employedto construct SOI transistor devices
`having some or all of the characteristics of SOI transistor
`device 10 described above. Where suitable,
`it may be
`possible to use different materials, implant concentrations,
`implant energies, and/or manufacturing techniques.
`In
`addition, it may be suitable to perform certain of the method
`steps in a different order. Also, it may be possible to combine
`method steps, add additional method steps, and/or omit
`certain method steps, where suitable.
`Although the invention has been shown and described
`with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments,it is
`obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will
`
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`US 6,437,404 Bl
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`7
`occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and
`understanding of this specification and the annexed draw-
`ings. In particular regard to the various functions performed
`by the above described elements (components, assemblies,
`devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference
`to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to
`correspond, unless otherwise indicated,
`to any element
`which performs the specified function of the described
`element (i.c., that is functionally equivalent), even though
`not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which
`performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary
`embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition,
`while a particular feature of the invention may have been
`described above with respect to only one or more of several
`illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined
`with one or more other features of the other embodiments,
`as may be desired and advantageous for any given or
`particular application,
`What is claimed is:
`1. A semiconductor-on-insulator transistor device com-
`prising:
`a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a top surface, the
`substrate including a buried insulator layer and a semi-
`conductor layer,
`the buried insulator layer having a
`shallow portion and deep portions, wherein the shallow
`portion is closer to the top surface than the deep
`portions, and the semiconductor layer being atop the
`shallow portion;
`a gate atop the semiconductor layer; and
`silicide regions between the top surface andatleast part
`of respective of the deep portions;
`wherein the semiconductor layer includes a source and a
`drain which are operatively coupled to the gate;
`wherein the silicide regions include a source silicide
`region operatively coupled to the source, and a drain
`silicide region operatively coupled to the drain; and
`wherein the silicide regions are at least partially in contact
`with the deep portions.
`2. A semiconductor-on-insulator transistor device com-
`prising:
`a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a top surface, the
`substrate including a buried insulator layer and a semi-
`conductor layer,
`the buried insulator layer having a
`shallow portion and deep portions, wherein the shallow
`portion is closer to the top surface than the deep
`portions, and the semiconductor layer being atop the
`shallow portion;
`a gate atop the semiconductor layer; and
`silicide regions between the top surface and at least part
`of respective of the deep portions;
`wherein the semiconductor layer includes a source and a
`drain which are operatively coupled to the gate;
`wherein the silicide regions include a source silicide
`region operalively coupled to the source, and a drain
`silicide region operatively coupled to the drain; and
`wherein the source anddrain silicide regions are at least
`partially atop the shallow portion.
`3. The transistor device of claim 2, further comprising a
`buried semiconductor region at least partially between one
`of the silicide regions and a corresponding of the deep
`portions.
`4. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the silicide
`regions each have a maximum thickness of at
`least 200
`Angstroms.
`5. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the semicon-
`ductor layer has a thickness of between 500 and 5000
`Angstroms.
`
`iT
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40)
`
`50)
`
`60
`
`65
`
`8
`6. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the semicon-
`ductor layer has a thickness less than about '4 of a length of
`the gate.
`7. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the gate
`includes a metal gate electrode.
`8. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the semicon-
`ductor layer includes a fully depleted channel region.
`9, The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the shallow
`portion is wider than the gate.
`10. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the buried
`insulator layer is a buried oxide layer.
`11. The transistor device of claim 10, wherein the semi-
`conductor layer is a silicon layer and the buried oxide layer
`is a buried silicon oxide layer.
`12. The transistor device of claim 10, wherein the buried
`insulator layer is a continuous layer.
`13. The transistor device of claim 10, wherein the buried
`insulator layer
`includes transition portions between the
`shallow portion and the deep portions.
`14. The transistor device of claim 13, wherein the tran-
`sition portions each have a curved shape.
`15. The transistor device of claim 13, wherein the source
`and drain silicide portions are in contact with respective of
`the transition portions.
`16. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the buried
`insulator layer has substantially uniform thickness.
`17. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the shallow
`portion is substantially parallel
`to the top surface,
`the
`semiconductor layer thereby having a substantially uniform
`thickness.
`18. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the source
`and drain silicide portions are in contact with the shallow
`portion of the buried insulator layer.
`19. The transistor device of claim 2, wherein the source
`and the drain include respective source and drain extensions,
`and wherein the source and drain extensions are in contact
`with the shallow portion of the buried insulator layer.
`20. A semiconductor-on-insulator transistor device com-
`prising:
`a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a top surface, the
`substrate including a buried insulator layer and a semi-
`conductor layer,
`the buried insulator layer having a
`shallow portion and deep portions, whercin the shallow
`portion is closer to the top surface than the deep
`portions, and the semiconductor layer being atop the
`shallow portion;
`a gate atop the semiconductor layer; and
`a source silicide region operatively coupled to the source,
`and a drain silicide region operatively coupled to the
`drain;
`wherein the semiconductor layer includes a source and a
`drain which are operatively coupled to the gate;
`wherein the source and the drain include respective source
`and drain extensions, and wherein the source and drain
`extensions are in contact with the shallow portion ofthe
`buried insulator layer;
`wherein the suicide regions are atop the shallow portion
`of the buried insulator layer; and
`wherein the suicide regions are in contact with the shal-
`low portion.
`21. The transistor device of claim 20, wherein the buried
`insulator layer
`includes transition portions between the
`shallow portion and the deep portions.
`22. The transistor device ofclaim 21, wherein the silicide
`regions are atop respective of the transition portions.
`23. The transistor device of claim 20, wherein the semi-
`conductor layer includes a fully depleted channel layer.
`
`
`
`US 6,437,404 B1
`
`9
`24. A semiconductor-on-insulator transistor device com-
`prising:
`a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a top surface, the
`substrate including a buried insulator layer and a semi-
`conductor layer,
`the buried insulator layer having a
`shallow portion and deep portions, wherein the shallow
`portion is closer to the top surface than the deep
`portions, and the semiconductor layer being atop the
`shallow portion;
`a gate atop the semiconductor layer; and
`a source silicide region operatively coupled to the source,
`and a drain silicide region operatively coupled to the
`drain;
`wherein the semiconductor layer includes a source and a
`drain which are operatively coupled to the gate;
`wherein the source and the drain include respective source
`and drain extensions, and wherein the source and drain
`extensionsare in contact with the shallow portion of the
`buried insulator layer;
`
`10
`
`10
`wherein the silicide regions are atop the shallow portion
`of the buried insulator layer;
`wherein the buried insulator layer includes transition
`portions between the shallow portion and the deep
`portions;
`wherein the silicide regions are alop respective