NITRIDED GATE-OXIDE CMOS TECHNOLOGY FOR IMPROVED HOT-CARRIER RELIABILITY

By extensively investigating CMOS reliability/performance constraints, especially the fabrication-condition dependencies, this paper will give not only understanding on the confusing results in the previous literature but also the technical breakthroughs and the mechanisms. Both light nitridation and subsequent re-annealing are found to be crucial so that CMOS reliability and performance improve markedly at the same time compared with thermal SiO2. The (re-annealed) nitrided-oxide gate-dielectrics, especially prepared by RTP, are very promising as a replacement of gate SiO2 in deep-submicron CMOS ULSIs.