Channel Strain Measurement of Si1-xCx Structures: Effects of Gate Length, Source/Drain Length, and Source/Drain Elevation

Abstract

This study examined the dimensional effects on the channel strain in transistor structures with epitaxial Si1-xCx stressors embedded in the source/drain region using both nanobeam diffraction and finite element simulations. The sizes of the gate and source/drain exerted a strong influence on the channel strain but in opposite directions: While declining linearly with decreasing source/drain length, the channel strain increases at an escalating rate with decreasing gate length. For source/drain elevation, its effects on the channel strain were found to be quite limited to the top surface region; however, this elevation method could be more effective for short-channel transistors. (C) 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics