Plasma etch pre-silicide clean
US6255179A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 4, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/28518
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of preparing silicon semiconductor surfaces prior to metal silicide formation. In particular, it teaches a method of treating about 10 to about 200 .ANG. of a surface of the silicon with a plasma source after activating the source and drain regions, prior to an HF etch and deposition of a metal for silicide formation. Discontinuities in the metal silicide formed on narrow polysilicon lines at the point where source and drain regions intersect are surprisingly diminished. This results in more continuous, uniform silicide formation hence the polysilicon lines and the source and drain regions have substantially lower resistance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.