Effective work function modulation by controlled dielectric monolayer deposition

It is shown that the interface between gate dielectric and metal electrode critically determines the effective work function and hence metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor threshold voltage. Electrostatic potential at the interface is perturbed by a polarization layer and this can be engineered at a monolayer level. It is demonstrated that the interface polarization layer can be modified by carefully depositing both dielectric and metal gate materials followed by a high temperature treatment offering a route to work function control. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.