Deep sub-micron strained Si0.85Ge0.15 channel p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (pMOSFETs) with ultra-thin N2O-annealed SiN gate dielectric

Abstract

We have investigated the electrical characteristics of strained Si0.85Ge0.15 channel p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (pMOSFETs) with ultra-thin N2O-annealed SiN gate dielectric. We have found that the thickness of SiGe channel has a great impact on the device characteristics. With controlling the SiGe layer thickness thinner than 15 nm, the device depict a subthreshold swing of 68 mV/A, the interface state density of 1 x 10(11) eV(-1) cm(-2), acceptable junction leakage, and more than 50% hole mobility improvement with respect to the Si channel device. Therefore, high quality interface between the gate dielectric and the strained SiGe channel can be achieved by using the N2O-annealed SiN gate dielectric.