Suppression of plasma charging damage in sub-micron metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with gate oxynitride by two-step nitridation

The two-step nitridation process of gate oxynitride in metal-oxide-semicond uctor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) is utilized to demonstrate good el ectrical reliability in MOSFETs. The low temperature and short time of the second nitridation step can form a nitrogen pile-up at the poly-Si/oxynitri de interface which leads to the reduction of detrimental species diffused f rom poly-Si to the oxynitride. This process reduces the plasma-charging dam age even more as the charging effect is increased. Smaller characteristic d egradation due to nitrogen pile-up at both sides of the gate oxynitride ens ures better gate oxynitride integrity (GOI) in practical integration for ul tra-large-scaled integration (ULSI) applications.