Germanium channel silicon MOSFET

US5019882A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Paul M. Solomon · Yorktown Heights, US
• Steven L. Wright · Whitehall Corners, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 1989
• Grant date: May 28, 1991
• Expiry date: May 15, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/822

Abstract

An alloy layer comprising germanium and silicon is grown on top of a silicon substrate. The alloy layer is kept thin enough for proper pseudomorphic, dislocation free growth. A layer of silicon is applied to the alloy layer. The initial silicon layer is from two to three times as thick as the alloy layer. Approximately the upper two-thirds of the silicon layer is oxidized, either thermally, anodically or by plasma anodization. The silicon layer that remains between the silicon dioxide and the alloy layer is kept thin enough so that a parasitic channel does not form on the interface between the silicon and the silicon dioxide. The germanium alloyed channel is thus suitably bounded by silicon crystalline structures on both of the channel layer surfaces. The barrier heights between silicon dioxide and silicon are very large thus providing good carrie confinement. A suitably applied voltage will result in a region of high mobility charge carriers at the interface between the alloy layer and the upper silicon layer.