Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
PFET devices fabricated using embedded SiGe source/drain on (110) silicon substrates have shown significant performance improvement compared to PFETs with embedded SiGe on (100) SOI substrates. In this paper, we report a systematic material characterization on the epitaxial SiGe films, both on blanket and patterned substrates, and corresponding PFET performance data. The SiGe films were deposited in an RTCVD system. The epitaxial growth rate on (110) substrates was 30% lower than on (100), and 30% higher on patterned device wafers compared to blanket wafers. Films were characterized using an array of methods such as High Resolution XRD (for Ge composition, strain and thickness), Auger (for Ge composition), UV Raman microprobe (for strain), AFM (for surface morphology), and TEM (for epi quality). The Ge compositions determined by XRD and Auger are in excellent agreement (15~16%). The amount of strain extracted from the Raman measurements is also consistent with the amount determined by XRD, which is 0.60%, corresponding to a fully strained Si0.85Ge0.15 film. AFM showed much higher RMS and Rmax for the SiGe films on (110) substrates compared to those on (100) substrates. XTEM showed high crystalline quality with very low defect count in the SiGe source/drain and Si channel regions. PFETs with an embedded Si0.85Ge0.15 source/drain on hybrid orientation (HOT) substrates provided a 30% advantage in drive current and a 23% enhancement in ring oscillator speed compared to control devices on (100) SOI wafer.