Patent · US Active

Method of enhancing high-k film nucleation rate and electrical mobility in a semiconductor device by microwave plasma treatment

US10522343B2 · kind B2 · utility

36Cited by
0References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 2, 2015
Grant dateDec 31, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 2, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D64/693
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided in several embodiments. According to one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, flowing a process gas consisting of hydrogen (H2) and optionally a noble gas into the process chamber, forming plasma excited species from the process gas by a microwave plasma source. The method further includes exposing an interface layer on the substrate to the plasma excited species to form a modified interface layer, and depositing a high dielectric constant (high-k) film by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the modified interface layer. In some embodiments, the modified interface layer has higher electrical mobility than the interface layer, and the high-k film nucleates at a higher rate on the modified interface layer rate than on the interface layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.