Method for thin film deposition on single-crystal semiconductor substrates
US6020247A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/974
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of preparing a surface for and forming a thin film on a single-crystal silicon substrate is disclosed. One embodiment of his method comprises forming an oxidized silicon layer (which may be a native oxide) on at least one region of the substrate, and thermally annealing the substrate in a vacuum while supplying a silicon-containing flux to the oxide surface, thus removing the oxidized silicon layer. Preferably, the thin film is formed immediately after removal of the oxidized silicon layer. The silicon-containing flux is preferably insufficient to deposit a silicon-containing layer on top of the oxidized silicon layer, and yet sufficient to substantially inhibit an SiO-forming reaction between the silicon substrate and the oxidized silicon layer. The method of the invention allows for growth or deposition of films which have exceptionally smooth interfaces (less than 0.1 nm rms roughness) with the underlying silicon substrate at temperatures less than 800.degree. C., and is ideally suited for deposition of ultrathin films having thicknesses less than about 5 nm.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.