The increase in gate leakage current and boron penetration are major problems for scaled gate dielectrics in advanced device technology. We have demonstrated, for the first time, reduction in gale leakage current and strong resistance to boron penetration when jet vapor deposition (JVD) nitride is used as a gate dielectric in an advanced CMOS process. JVD nitride provides a robust interface in addition to well behaved bulk properties, MOSFET characteristics and ring oscillator performance. Process optimization is discussed. Manufacturing issues remain to be addressed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.