Microwave annealing of flowable oxides with trap layers
US10211045B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 2018 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D84/834
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An insulator is formed by flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process. The insulator is cured by exposing the insulator to ultraviolet light while flowing ozone over the insulator to produce a cured insulator. The curing process forms nitrogen, hydrogen, nitrogen monohydride, or hydroxyl-rich atomic clusters in the insulator. Following the curing process, these methods select wavelengths of microwave radiation (that will be subsequently used during annealing) so that such wavelengths excite the nitrogen, hydrogen, nitrogen monohydride, or hydroxyl-rich atomic clusters. Then, these methods anneal the cured insulator by exposing the cured insulator to microwave radiation in an inert (e.g., non-oxidizing) ambient atmosphere, at a temperature below 500° C., so as to increase the density of the cured insulator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.