Low-temperature charge-free process for forming native oxide layers
US4474829A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1983 |
| Grant date | Oct 2, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/02301
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The specification discloses a low-temperature, charge-free process for forming a layer of a native oxide on the surface of a substrate of a chosen semiconductor material. The substrate is exposed to neutral, charge-free oxygen atoms that are the primary oxidizing species and are formed in a manner which eliminates the generation of charged particles or high energy radiation. These oxygen atoms then react with the surface of the substrate to form the native oxide thereof. The use of neutral oxygen atoms avoids damage to the substrate due to exposure to charged particles or high energy radiation, both in the manner in which the oxidizing species is formed and in the manner in which the native oxide layer is grown. In a preferred embodiment, the neutral oxygen atoms are formed by exposing a chosen oxygen-containing precursor to radiation of a selected wavelength to cause the direct dissociation of the precursor to generate oxygen solely in atomic form.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.