U.S.-China Cooperative Research: Studies of Nitrided and Fluorinated Thin Gate Oxides for Advanced MOS Technology

这个拟议的研究项目由耶鲁大学和中国科学院新疆物理研究所的研究人员共同进行，旨在回答有关未来几代MOS（金属氧化物半导体）集成电路技术的先进薄栅介电体的一些重要科学问题。这个合作研究项目的目标是更好地理解氮和氟在提高薄栅氧化物可靠性中的作用。特别是，我们希望回答以下问题：(i)氮或氟的浓度和空间分布如何影响栅极氧化物的电学性能，（ii）氮或氟的浓度和空间分布如何影响MOS器件中的热载子效应（包括介电击穿）和辐射效应，（iii）氮或氟的加入是否/如何影响氢在氧化物中的迁移，（iv）氮或氟的掺入是否/如何引起sio2 /Si界面附近的应变松弛，以及(v)加工参数如何影响氮或氟的浓度和分布。从这项研究中获得的知识可以为半导体工业的工艺开发提供有用的指导，从而有助于加速这种先进的栅氧化物技术的商业成熟。

9424636 Ma This proposed research project, to be conducted jointly by researchers at Yale and at the Xinjiang Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is designed to answer some important scientific questions concerning advanced thin gate dielectrics for future generations of MOS (Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor) integrated circuit technology. The objective of this collaborative research project is to achieve a better understanding of the role of nitrogen and fluorine in improving the thin gate oxide reliability. In particular, we hope to answer the questions as to (i) how the concentration and spatial distribution of nitrogen or fluorine affect the electrical properties of the gate oxide, (ii) how the concentration and spatial distribution of nitrogen or fluorine affect the hot-carrier effects (including dielectric breakdown) as well as radiation effects in MOS devices, (iii) whether/how the incorporation of nitrogen or fluorine affect the hydrogen migration in the oxide, (iv) whether/how the incorporation of nitrogen or fluorine causes strain relaxation near the SiO 2/Si interface, and (v) how the processing parameters affect the concentration and distribution of nitrogen or fluorine. The knowledge to be gained from this research could serve as a useful guide for the semiconductor industry in their process development, and thereby help to accelerate the development of this advanced gate oxide technology to commercial maturity.