Integrated cobalt silicide process for semiconductor devices

US6184132A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Marc W. Cantell · Enosburg Falls, US
• Jerome B. Lasky · South Burlington, US
• Ronald J. Line · South Burlington, US
• William J. Murphy · North Ferrisburgh, US
• Kirk D. Peterson · Jericho, US
• Prabhat Tiwari · Gilbert, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 3, 1999
• Grant date: Feb 6, 2001
• Expiry date: Aug 3, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S438/908
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for forming a silicide on a semiconductor substrate by integrating under a constant vacuum the processes of removing an oxide from a surface of a semiconductor substrate and depositing a metal on the cleaned surface without exposing the cleaned surface to air. The method and apparatus of the present invention eliminates the exposure of the cleaned substrate to air between the oxide removal and metal deposition steps. This in-situ cleaning of the silicon substrate prior to cobalt deposition provides a cleaner silicon substrate surface, resulting in enhanced formation of cobalt silicide when the cobalt layer is annealed.