Molecular spacer layer for semiconductor oxide surface and high-K dielectric stack

摘要

A process for defining a functional area in a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate contiguous with a gate dielectric layer whose dielectric constant is higher than silicon oxide and an oxide capping layer positioned on the gate dielectric layer that reduces gate leakage comprises applying an organo phosphorous SAM to the oxide capping layer, adhering an organic photoresist layer to the organo phosphorous SAM, defining the functional area by imaging the photoresist layer with a functional area image, developing and removing the functional area image in the photoresist to form a functional area image on the organo phosphorous SAM, and removing the functional area image on the organo phosphorous SAM to form a functional area image on the oxide capping layer. In various embodiments, the gate dielectric layer comprises a HfO₂ dielectric layer, the oxide capping layer comprises a La₂O₃ layer, and the organo phosphorous acid comprises an alkyl phosphonic acid, a carboxylic acid-terminated alkyl phosphonic acid, and mixtures thereof.