Argon doped epitaxial layers for inhibiting punchthrough within a semiconductor device
US6005285A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 4, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D62/834
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fabrication process and transistor are described in which a transistor having decreased susceptibility to punchthrough and increased resistance to impurity diffusion is formed. One or more argon doped silicon epitaxial layers are formed superjacent a semiconductor substrate. In a preferred dual layer embodiment, a first argon doped silicon epilayer is grown over a substrate, and a second argon doped epilayer, preferably having an argon concentration less than that in the first epilayer, is formed over the first epilayer. A transistor is formed in an active region of a well having a channel laterally bounded by source/drain regions located exclusively in the second epilayer. The lighter argon doping of the second epilayer accommodates current flow in the channel while acting as a barrier to impurity outdiffusion and inhibiting punchthrough. The more heavily doped first epilayer serves primarily as a barrier to outdiffision of impurities from the bulk substrate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.