High-Performance Low Operation Power Transistor for 45nm Node Universal Applications

High-performance low operation power (LOP) transistors were developed for 45nm node universal applications. A high uniaxial strain and low resistance NiSi technique, enhanced by a slit under the slim and high Young's modulus (YM) offset spacer covered with dual stress liner (DSL), were used for electron and hole mobility enhancement and parasitic resistance (R
_sd
) reduction. The junction profile was also carefully optimized for low leakage current. As a result of a 12% mobility improvement and a 30% R
_sd
reduction, enhancements of 19 and 14% and I
_on
(@I
_off
= 5 nA/μm) of 620 and 830 μA/μm were achieved for NMOS at 0.85 and 1.0V, respectively. As a result of a 45% mobility improvement and a 25% R
_sd
reduction, the enhancements of 32 and 22% and I
_on
of 330 and 440 μA/μm were achieved for PMOS at 0.85 and 1.0V, respectively. These results are the best I
_on
-I
_off
tradeoff characteristics among the recent LOP transistors