Suppression of boron penetration through thin gate oxides by nitrogen implantation into the gate electrode of PMOS devices

PMOS devices with different amounts of nitrogen implanted into the gate electrode before doping with BF₂ implantation and implant anneal were manufactured. The thicknesses of the gate oxides grown in dry oxygen by RTP were 4.1 down to 2.8 nm. The implant anneal was also performed by RTP. The influence of the nitrogen on the penetration of boron ions through the ultra-thin gate oxides into the channel region was investigated by electrical and SIMS measurements. Boron was effectively prevented from diffusion by high nitrogen concentrations at the polysilicon/gate oxide interface without degrading the reliability. In return, increased sheet resistivities and gate depletion have to be taken into account by high nitrogen concentrations within the polysilicon gate electrode.