Patent · US Expired

Method of processing a conductive layer and forming a semiconductor device

US6136678A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
15References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 2, 1998
Grant dateOct 24, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 2, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D64/663
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for processing a conductive layer, such as a doped polysilicon layer (14) of a gate stack, provides a degas step after precleaning to reduce particle count and defectivity. The conductive layer is provided on a substrate (10), e.g., a silicon wafer. The substrate (10) and conductive layer are subjected to an elevated temperature, under a vacuum, whereby certain species are liberated. The substrate having the conductive layer formed thereon is then removed from the chamber, and moved to a second, separate chamber, in which a second conductive layer (20) is deposited. By switching chambers, the liberated species are largely prevented from contributing to particle count at the interface between the conductive layers. Alternatively, the second conductive layer is formed in the same chamber, provided that the liberated species are removed from the chamber prior to deposition of the second conductive layer.

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