Method for fabricating polycide dual gate in semiconductor device

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device.

[0004] 2. Background of the Related Art

[0005] A related art dual gate in a semiconductor device will now be described. FIGS. 1A˜1E illustrate sections showing the steps of a related art method for fabricating a dual gate.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 1A, the related art method for fabricating a dual gate starts with forming device isolating layers 2 in device isolating regions of a semiconductor substrate 1 by LOCOS or STI. N type and P type impurity ions are implanted in active regions defined by the device isolating regions 2 to form P type well region 3 and N type well region 4. Then, a gate oxide film 5, and an undoped polysilicon layer 6 as a gate forming material layer are formed on an entire surface inclusive of the P type well region 3 and the N type well region 4. A photoresist film is coated on an entire surface, and selectively patterned, to form a first photoresist film pattern layer 7. The first photoresist film pattern layer 7 is used as a mask in implanting ‘n’ type impurity ions in an exposed surface of the undoped polysilicon layer 6. The ‘n’ type impurity ion implantation forms an ‘n’ type impurity implanted layer 6aon the P type well region 3.

[0007] As shown in FIG. 1B, the first photoresist film pattern layer 7 is removed. A photoresist film is coated again, and selectively removed to leave the photoresist film only on the P type well region 3, which forms a second photoresist pattern layer 8. The second photoresist pattern layer 8 is used as a mask in implanting ‘p’ type impurity ions in an exposed surface of the undoped polysilicon layer 6. The ‘p’ type impurity ion implantation forms a ‘p’ type impurity implanted layer 6bon the N type well region 4.

[0008] As shown in FIG. 1C, a barrier layer 10 of a tungsten silicide or tungsten, and a hard mask layer 11 for gate patterning are formed on the ‘n’ type impurity implanted layer 6aand the ‘p’ type impurity implanted layer 6b.The hard mask layer 11 for gate patterning is formed of an oxide or a nitride. Then, a photoresist film is coated on the hard mask layer 11 and selectively patterned to form a third photoresist film pattern layer 9

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1D, the third photoresist film pattern layer 9 is used as mask in selectively patterning exposed portions of the hard mask layer 11 for gate patterning, which is used as a hard mask in selectively etching the barrier layer 10, and the polysilicon layers 6aand 6bto form gates 12aand 12b.As shown in FIG. 1E, an oxide or nitride film is deposited on an entire surface inclusive of the gates 12aand 12b,and subjected to anisotropic etching to form sidewalls 13 at sides of the gates. Though not shown on the drawing, photoresist film mask patterns are alternatively formed on the P type well 3 and the N type well 4 to implant n type impurities in the P type well region 3 by using the gate 12aas a mask to form source/drain regions 14a,and to implant p type impurities in the n type well region 4 by using the gate 12bas a mask to form source/drain regions 14b.Thus, by forming an n-polygate and a p-polygate on one wafer in the same process, fabrication of a logic circuit is made simple.

[0010] As described above, the related art method for fabricating a dual gate has various disadvantages. Since the dual gate is formed by implanting impurity ions using a single polysilicon layer, the gate short channel effect caused by employment of a buried PMOS, if a PMOS is required, for optimization of device performances impedes formation of a device having a gate length below 0.25 μm. Further, the formation of two sheets of masks required after deposition of the polysilicon layer and in the formation of the source/drain in fabrication of the dual gate (i.e., for providing an n-poly in an NMOS, and a p-poly in a PMOS) leads to additional fabrication steps that increase production costs. The implantation of ions in the polysilicon layer can damage the gate oxide film if the polysilicon layer is thin (below 500 Å), which impedes a regular fabrication because too low an energy should be used in implanting ions in formation of p⁺ poly. Since it is impossible to drop a sheet resistivity below 10 Ω/m even if the tungsten silicide is deposited to a thickness greater than than 1000 Å as the tungsten silicide has at best a resistivity in a range of 100 μΩm, the tungsten silicide is not suitable for use as a barrier layer. If a tungsten layer, not the tungsten silicide layer, is used to reduce the resistance, an additional diffusion barrier of TiN or WN is required to prevent a reaction with silicon. Also, a re-oxidation is required for restoring the damage to the gate oxide film from the etching since the tungsten is vulnerable to reaction with oxygen, which causes selective oxidation. However, the selective oxidation has difficulty in process control that deteriorates reproducibility. See S. Iwata et al., IEEE Trans. Elec. Dev. ED-31, 1174 (1984). The re-oxidation causes a problem of oxidizing the polycide. See M. Tanielian et al., IEEE Tran. Elec. Dev. Lett. EDL-6, 221 (1985), and K. A. Jenkins et al., Tech. Dig Int. Elec. Dev. Meet., 891(1993).

[0011] The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

[0012] An object of the invention is to solve at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described hereinafter

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that substantially obviates one or more problems caused by limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device having a dual gate of cobalt polycide.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that has an excellent thermal stability and a low resistance.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that can be patterned using a time and cost efficient fabrication process.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that has a reduced gate length below 0.25 μm.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that implants source/drain regions concurrently with gate ions.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that diffuses ions into a silicide layer to reduce a thickness of a polysilicon layer.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that can eliminate a low energy ion implanting equipment from a fabrication process.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that has a low resistivity without a diffusion prevention layer in the gate electrode.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that reduces oxidation damage to a polycide layer.

[0023] To achieve at least these objects and other advantages in a whole or in part and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device includes (1) forming polysilicon pattern layers on a first and a second regions of a semiconductor substrate, (2) forming a blocking layer level with exposed top surfaces of the polysiliconpattern layers, (3) forming and annealing a cobalt layer on an entire surface to form a gate electrode having a stack of the polysilicon pattern layer and a cobalt silicide layer, and (4) implanting ions of opposite conductivities in the first and second regions respectively and annealing to form source/drain regions in surfaces of the substrate on both sides of the gate electrode, and to implant gate ions in the polysilicon pattern layer.

[0024] To further achieve the above objects and advantages in a whole or in part, there is provided a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that includes forming polysilicon pattern layers over a first and a second regions of a semiconductor substrate, forming a blocking layer to expose top surfaces of the polysilicon pattern layers, annealing a refractory metal into the polysilicon patterns to form a gate electrode having a refractory metal silicide layer and forming source/drain regions in surfaces of the substrate on both sides of the gate electrodes.

[0025] To further achieve the above objects and advantages in a whole or in part, there is provided a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that includes forming a first conductivity type well region and a second conductivity type well region in surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate oxide film and an undoped polysilicon layer on the well regions of the substrate that are selectively etched to form polypattern layers, implanting first conductivity type impurity ions in the polypattern layers over the second conductivity type well region and an exposed surface of the second conductivity type well region, implanting second conductivity type impurity ions in the polypattern layers over the first conductivity type well region and an exposed surface of the first conductivity type well region, annealing to form first conductivity type sources/drains in the second conductivity type well region and second conductivity type sources/drains in the first conductivity type well region, forming sidewalls at sides of the polypattern layers, forming a blocking layer to expose top surfaces of the polypattern layers and to mask a surface of the substrate and depositing a cobalt layer on an entire surface and annealing to form gate electrodes each having a polycide structure with a stack of the polypattern layer below a silicide layer.

[0026] To further achieve the above objects and advantages in a whole or in part, there is provided a method for fabricating a polycide dual gate in a semiconductor device that includes forming a first conductivity type well region and an second conductivity type well region in surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate oxide film and an undoped polysilicon layer that are selectively etched to form polypattern layers on the well regions, forming a blocking layer to expose top surfaces of the polypattern layers and mask the well regions, depositing a cobalt layer on the polypattern layers and the blocking layer, annealing to form gate electrodes of a polycide structure each with a stack of the polypattern layer and a silicide layer, forming sidewalls at sides of the gate electrodes, implanting second conductivity type impurity ions and first conductivity type impurity ions in the first conductivity type well region and the second conductivity type well region, respectively, and diffusing to form source/drain regions.

[0027] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

[0028] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0029] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

[0030] FIGS. 1A˜E illustrate sections showing the steps of a related art method for fabricating a dual gate;

[0031] FIGS. 2A˜2G are diagrams that illustrate sections showing a method for fabricating a dual gate in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0032] FIGS. 3A˜3E are diagrams that illustrate sections showing a method for fabricating a dual gate in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A method for fabricating a dual gate in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described. FIGS. 2A˜2G are diagrams that illustrate crossections showing the first preferred embodiment of a method for fabricating a dual gate. As a design rule of a semiconductor device becomes strict, an operation speed of the semiconductor device drops because of a high gate resistance. Therefore, a gate electrode with a low resistance is required. A refractory metal silicide with a low resistance is preferably used for the low resistance gate electrode, which is called a polycide (silicide on doped polycrystalline-Si). Though what has been used as the polycide most widely is WSi₂(resistivity 60˜200 μΩcm), as a device size reduced, CoSi₂(15˜20μΩcm) and TiSi₂(15˜20 μΩcm) can be used. Preferred embodiments according to the present invention employ CoSi₂for providing a dual gate of a low resistance using a time and cost efficient fabrication process. However, the present invention is not intended to be so limited.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2A, device isolating layers 22 are formed in device isolating regions of a semiconductor substrate 21 by LOCOS or STI. N type and P type impurity ions are respectively implanted in first and second active regions defined by the device isolating layers 22 for forming an N type well region 23 and a P type well region 24. Then, a gate oxide film 25 and undoped polysilicon layer are formed on an entire surface, and selectively etched by photolithography or the like (not shown) to form polypattern layers 26aand 26b.A photoresist film is coated on an entire surface and selectively patterned to leave the photoresist film only on the N type well region 23 to form a first photoresist film pattern layer 28. The first photoresist film pattern layer 28 is used as a mask in implanting ‘n’ type impurity ions in the polypattern layer 26aand an exposed surface of the substrate.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2B, the first photoresist film pattern layer 28 is removed, and a photoresist film is coated again. The photoresist film is selectively patterned to leave the photoresist film only on the P type well region 24 to form a second photoresist film pattern layer 29. The second photoresist film pattern layer 29 is used as a mask in implanting ‘p’ type impurity ions in the polypattern layer 26band an exposed surface of the substrate.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2C, annealing is preferable conducted to form n type source/drain 30 and p type source/drain 31 in an NMOS and a PMOS regions, respectively. Then, the second photoresist film pattern layer 29 is removed, and a nitride film (or oxide film and the like) is deposited and preferably subjected to anisotropic etching to form gate sidewalls 27 at sides of the polypattern layers 26aand 26b.As shown in FIG. 2D, an oxide film (or nitride film and the like) is deposited on an entire surface, which has an etch selectivity over the gate sidewalls 27, to form a blocking layer 32. As shown in FIG. 2E, the blocking layer 32 is planarized by Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) until top surfaces of the polypattern layers 26aand 26bare exposed. As shown in FIG. 2F, a cobalt layer 33 is formed (e.g., deposited) on an entire surface inclusive of the planarized blocking layer 32 and the polypattern layers 26aand 26b.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2G, the silicon and the cobalt in the exposed polypattern layers 26aand 26band the cobalt layer 33 are caused to make a reaction, which forms a cobalt silicide CoSi₂layers 34, to form gate electrodes 35 of polycide structures each having a stack of the polypattern layer and the silicide layer. The cobalt on the blocking layer 32 that does not react with the silicon is removed preferably by a wet chemical process.

[0038] The preferred embodiments according to the present invention use, not TiSi₂, but CoSi₂for various reasons. CoSi₂has an excellent thermal stability, though TiSi₂and CoSi₂have similar resistances. Silicides agglomerate in a thermal process conducted after the silicide is formed, which increases a resistance. CoSi₂agglomerates less than TiSi₂. (See for example, J. B. Lasky et al. IEEE Trans. Elec. Dev., 38, 262 (1991). Further, although TiSi₂is involved in a great increase of a resistance as a width of a gate is decreased, CoSi₂maintains a low resistance even if the width of the gate is decreased. Since CoSi₂can be used as an Silicide as A Dopant Source (SADS), silicon doping is simplified. The SADS is a method in which dopant is implanted in a silicide and annealed when diffusing the dopant into underlying silicon layer. TiSi₂cannot be used as SADS because of a high reactivity with dopants, such as As, P, B and the like, however, CoSi₂is used widely as SADS. (See for example, K. Maex et al., J. Appl. Phys., 66, 5327 (1989), F. C. Shone et al., Tech. Dig. Int. Elec. Dev. Meet., (1986), p. 407). Despite such advantages, CoSi₂is not applied to mass production because of a difficulty in etching. (See for example, F. Fracassi et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 143, 701 (1996)). Though TiSi₂can be dry etched readily by converting TiSi₂into volatile TiF or TiCi₂, CoSi₂is difficult to etch as CoSi₂has no volatile compound and is very stable in terms of chemistry. (See for example, A. E. Morgan et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 134, 925-935 (1987)). Therefore, the preferred embodiments according to the present invention describe formation of a dual gate of a polycide, not by forming a silicide on an entire surface and subjecting to etching, but by forming the silicide partly on required portions and removing cobalt in portions that do not react with silicon by wet chemical process. Thus, the CoSi₂is patterned.

[0039] The above references are incorporated by reference herein.

[0040] A method for fabricating a dual gate in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The second preferred embodiment of a method of fabricating a dual gate according to the present invention uses a property of the cobalt silicide that the cobalt silicide does not react with a dopant enough to be used as a diffusion source. According to the second preferred embodiment, ions are implanted in the cobalt silicide and diffused into the polypattern layer by annealing to form the dual gate.

[0041] FIGS. 3A˜3E are diagrams that illustrate cross-sections showing a method for fabricating a dual gate in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3A, device isolating layers 42 are formed in device isolating regions in a semiconductor substrate by LOCOS, STI or the like. N type and P type impurity ions are respectively implanted in a first and a second active regions defined by the device isolating layers to form a P type well region 43 and an N type well region 44. Then, a gate oxide film 45 and an undoped polysilicon layer are formed on an entire surface, and etched selectively by photolithography or the like (not shown) to form polypattern layers 46aand 46b.A blocking layer 47 is formed of oxide film (or nitride film and the like) on an entire surface inclusive of the polypattern layer 46aand 46b,and planarized by CMP or the like until top surfaces of the polypattern layers 46aand 46bare exposed. Then, a cobalt layer 48 is deposited on an entire surface inclusive of the polypattern layers 46aand 46band the blocking layer 47.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3B, annealing is conducted to form a cobalt silicide layer 49 and form a gate electrode. In this instance, the cobalt layer 48 on the blocking layer 47 that does not react with silicon is removed preferably by a wet chemical process. As shown in FIG. 3C, the blocking layer 47 is removed, and an insulating film is formed and subjected to anisotropic etching, which leaves the insulating layer only at sides of the gate electrode 50, to form gate sidewalls 51. A photoresist film is coated on an entire surface and selectively patterned to leave the photoresist film only on the N type well region 44 to form a first photoresist film pattern layer 52. The first photoresist film pattern layer 52 is used as a mask in implanting n type ions in an exposed surface of the substrate in the P type well region 43 and the gate electrode 50.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3D, the first photoresist film pattern layer 43 is removed and a photoresist film is coated on an entire surface again. The coated photoresist film is selectively patterned to leave the photoresist film only on the P type well region 43 to form a second photoresist film pattern layer 53. The second photoresist film pattern layer 53 is used as a mask in implanting p type impurity ions in an exposed surface of the substrate and the gate electrode 50.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3E, annealing is preferably conducted to form n type source/drain 54 and p type source/drain 55 in an NMOS and a PMOS regions respectively, and the second photoresist film pattern layer 53 is removed. In this instance, As, P, and B may be used as dopant for forming the source/drain of the NMOS and PMOS. Since cobalt silicide reacts enough with As, P, and B to be used as a diffusion source, even if the ions are implanted in the cobalt silicide, the ions are diffused into the polypattern layers, which allows the dual gate to be formed.

[0045] As described above, preferred embodiments of a method for fabricating a polycide gate have various advantages. First, CoSi₂, which has an excellent thermal stability and a low resistance, can be patterned using a time and cost efficient fabrication process. Since a buried channel PMOS can not be formed in a device with a gate length below 0.25 μm, two sheets of masks for forming a polypattern layer and source/drain are respectively required in formation of a dual gate. However, since ions are implanted to the source/drain on the same time with CoSi₂/poly gate and annealed according to the preferred embodiments, a fabrication process has a reduced number of steps and is simplified. Further, since ions are implanted in the polysilicon layer, which is used as a gate, not directly, but diffusing ions implanted in the cobalt silicide, the polysilicon layer can be formed thinner (e.g., below 500 Å) so that a low energy ion implanting equipment can be eliminated. Also, in comparison to tungsten silicide the resistivity is lowered by approximately ⅕, which permits independent adjustment of a gate thickness regardless of a salicide forming process. In the case of deposition of tungsten on a polysilicon layer, an additional diffusion prevention film, such as TiN or WN, is required to prevent a reaction between tungsten and silicon, however, the preferred embodiments require no diffusion prevention film. A selective oxidation is required in the related art when tungsten is used and the re-oxidation for restoring damage to the gate oxide film can be achieved within appropriate ranges of an H₂/O₂ratio and an oxidation temperature. However, the preferred embodiments according to the present invention provide a simple fabrication process and have reduced or no deterioration coming from oxidation of polycide caused by re-oxidation because the re-oxidation can be proceeded after patterning of the polysilicon layer. In addition, in a memory, such as embedded DRAM, gates for a logic portion and a memory cell portion can be formed of identical material.

[0046] The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.