A 32nm logic technology featuring 2<sup>nd</sup>-generation high-k + metal-gate transistors, enhanced channel strain and 0.171μm<sup>2</sup> SRAM cell size in a 291Mb array

Abstract

A 32 nm generation logic technology is described incorporating 2 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">nd</sup> -generation high-k + metal-gate technology, 193 nm immersion lithography for critical patterning layers, and enhanced channel strain techniques. The transistors feature 9 Aring EOT high-k gate dielectric, dual band-edge workfunction metal gates, and 4 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sup> -generation strained silicon, resulting in the highest drive currents yet reported for NMOS and PMOS. Process yield, performance and reliability are demonstrated on a 291 Mbit SRAM test vehicle, with 0.171 mum <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> cell size, containing >1.9 billion transistors.