Mosfet with a thin gate insulating film

Abstract

A semiconductor device comprises: a p-type semiconductor substrate ( 1 ); an insulating film ( 3 ); a gate electrode ( 2 ) formed on the substrate via the insulating film; and an n-type source/drain region ( 5 ) formed on both sides of a channel forming region ( 4 ) located under the gate electrode ( 2 ) formed on the substrate ( 1 ). In particular, the thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film ( 3 ) is determined to be less than 2.5 nm at conversion rate of silicon oxide film (silicon oxide equivalent thickness); a gate length (L g ) of the gate electrode ( 2 ) is determined to be equal to or less than 0.3 μm; and further a voltage applied to the gate electrode ( 2 ) and the drain region ( 6 ) is determined to be 1.5 V or less. Therefore, in the MOSFET having the tunneling gate oxide film ( 3 ), the reliability of the transistor under the hot carrier stress can be improved, and the gate leakage current can be reduced markedly, so that the transistor characteristics can be improved markedly.

1 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . An integrated circuit device comprising a transistor and a Shottky diode, the transistor including: 
 a first-conductivity type semiconductor substrate;    an insulating film of silicon nitride formed on said semiconductor substrate;    a gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film; and    a second-conductivity type source/drain region formed on both sides of a channel forming region located under sail gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film;    wherein a thickness of the insulating film is less than 5 nm and a channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship:       Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.02)   where a unit of Lg is μm and a unit of T OX  is nm, and      wherein a terminal of the Shottky diode is connected to the gate electrode of the transistor.    
   
   
       21 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 20 , wherein the channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship: 
         Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.32)   
   
   
       22 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 20 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device is as follows: 
         Id> 0.598 V   DD −0.247 (in nMOS)   Id> 0.268 V   DD −0.102 (in PMOS) where a unit of Id is mA and a unit of V DD  is V.    
   
   
       23 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 20 , wherein said integrated circuit device is a microprocessor.  
   
   
       24 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 20 , wherein said Shottky diode functions as a protecting circuit.  
   
   
       25 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 24 , wherein breakdown voltage of the Shottky diode is set lower than that of the transistor.  
   
   
       26 . An integrated circuit device comprising a transistor and a Shottky diode, the transistor including: 
 a first-conductivity type semiconductor substrate;    an insulating film of silicon nitride formed on said semiconductor substrate;    a gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film; and    a second-conductivity type source/drain region formed on both sides of a channel forming region located under said gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film;    wherein a thickness of the insulating film is less than 5 nm and a channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship:       Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.02)  and T OX <2.5 where a unit of Lg is μm and a unit of T OX  is nm, and      wherein a terminal of the Shottky diode is connected to the gate electrode of the transistor.    
   
   
       27 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 26 , wherein the channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship: 
         Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.32)  and T OX <2.5 
   
   
       28 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 26 , wherein said thickness of the said insulating film is 
       T OX ≦2.0 
   
   
       29 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 26 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device follows: 
         Id> 0.598 V   DD −0247 (in NMOS)   Id> 0.268 V   DD −0.102 (in PMOS) where a unit of Id is mA and a unit of V DD  is V.    
   
   
       30 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 29 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device is as follows: 
         Id> 0.80 V   DD −0.33 (in nMOS)   Id> 0.36 V   DD −0.14 (in PMOS) 
   
   
       31 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 26 , wherein said integrated circuit device is a microprocessor.  
   
   
       32 . An integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of transistors connected in series, each of the transistors including: 
 a first-conductivity type semiconductor substrate;    an insulating film of silicon nitride formed on said semiconductor substrate;    a gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film; and    a second-conductivity type source/drain region formed on both sides of a channel forming region located under sail gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film;    wherein a thickness of the insulating film is less than 5 nm and a channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship:       Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.02)     where a unit of Lg is μm and a unit of T OX  is nm.    
   
   
       33 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 32 , wherein the channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship: 
         Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.32)   
   
   
       34 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 32 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device is as follows: 
         Id> 0.598 V   DD −0247 (in nMOS)   Id> 0.268 V   DD −0.102 (in PMOS) where a unit of Id is mA and a unit of V DD  is V.    
   
   
       35 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 32 , wherein said integrated circuit device is a microprocessor.  
   
   
       36 . An integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of transistors connected in series, each of the transistors including: 
 a first-conductivity type semiconductor substrate;    an insulating film of silicon nitride formed on said semiconductor substrate;    a gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film; and    a second-conductivity type source/drain region formed on both sides of a channel forming region located under said gate electrode formed on said semiconductor substrate via said insulating film;    wherein a thickness of the insulating film is less than 5 nm and a channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship:       Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   −2.02)  and T OX <2.5   where a unit of Lg is μm and a unit of T OX  is nm.    
   
   
       37 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 36 , wherein the channel direction length (Lg) of said gate electrode and a silicon oxide equivalent thickness (T OX ) of the insulating film are determined by the following relationship: 
         Lg≦ 10 (T   OX   <2.32)  and T OX <2.5 
   
   
       38 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 36 , wherein said thickness of the said insulating film is 
       T OX ≦2.0 
   
   
       39 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 36 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device follows: 
         Id> 0.598 V   DD −0247 (in NMOS)   Id> 0.268 V   DD −0.102 (in PMOS) where a unit of Id is mA and a unit of V DD  is V.    
   
   
       40 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 39 , wherein a current drive capability of said semiconductor device is as follows: 
         Id> 0.80 V   DD −0.33 (in NMOS)   Id> 0.36 V   DD −0.14 (in PMOS) 
   
   
       41 . The integrated circuit device according to  claim 36 , wherein said integrated circuit device is a microprocessor.