Channel engineering in sub-quarter-micron MOSFETs using nitrogen implantation for low voltage operation

Considerable reduction in the threshold voltage for sub-quarter-micron NMOSFETs can be achieved along with suppression of the short channel effects by only adding nitrogen implantation into the channel region. Moreover this simple process can improve hot carrier degradation. The superior performance is based on the effective acceptor concentration drop at the surface of the channel region as well as the light nitridation of the gate oxide and the side-wall spacer.