Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2011
Research on contact materials in silicon semiconductor devices has recently gained significant momentum due to the increasing performance demands as the complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology advances. Applications include transistor materials such as gate electrodes and contacts to highly doped semiconductors substrates. This review will discuss the key issues in the development of metal gate electrodes with high-κ dielectrics to replace the conventional polycrystalline silicon electrode. Challenges in establishing a work function measurement technique, the role of the metal/high-κ interface in modulating the effective work function, and a review of leading industry solutions will be discussed.