Reduced Threshold Voltage-Width Dependency and Reduced Surface Topography in Transistors Comprising High-K Metal Gate Electrode Structures by a Late Carbon Incorporation

摘要

Performance and/or uniformity of sophisticated transistors may be enhanced by incorporating a carbon species in the active regions of the transistors prior to forming complex high-k metal gate electrode structures. On the other hand, increased yield losses observed in conventional strategies may be reduced by taking into consideration the increased etch rate of the carbon-doped silicon material in the active regions. To this end, the carbon species may be incorporated after the application of at least some aggressive wet chemical processes.