Precise patterning of high-K films

Abstract

A high-K thin film patterning solution is disclosed to address structural and process limitations of conventional patterning techniques. Subsequent to formation of gate structures adjacent a high-K dielectric layer, a portion of the high-K dielectric layer material is reduced, preferably via exposure to hydrogen gas, to form a reduced portion of the high-K dielectric layer. The reduced portion may be selectively removed utilizing wet etch chemistries to leave behind a trench of desirable geometric properties.

1 . A device comprising: 
 a layer of substrate material;    a layer of high-K dielectric material on the layer of substrate material, the layer of high-K dielectric material being divided by a trench into a first portion and a second portion;    a first gate on the first portion of high-K dielectric material;    a second gate on the second portion of high-K dielectric material; and    a first spacer adjacent to a first side of the first gate adjacent the trench, the first spacer extending from a position above a bottom surface of the first gate into the trench to a position below a top surface of the first portion of high-K dielectric material.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the trench has side walls that extend from a top surface of the layer of high-K dielectric material toward the layer of substrate material, and the side walls are substantially straight and substantially parallel to each other.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the trench has side walls that extend from a top surface of the layer of high-K dielectric material to a top surface of the layer of substrate material.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein a region of the top surface of the layer of substrate material is substantially planar, the region including a portion of the layer of substrate material beneath the trench and portions of the layer of substrate material beneath the first and second portions of the high-K dielectric material.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the side walls are substantially straight and substantially parallel to each other.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the high-K dielectric material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium dioxide and zirconium dioxide.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first spacer extends from the position above the bottom surface of the first gate to a bottom of the trench.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first spacer extends from the position above the bottom surface of the first gate to a top surface of the layer of substrate material.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second spacer adjacent to a second side of the first gate, the second spacer extending from a position above a bottom surface of the first gate to a top surface of the layer of high-K dielectric material.