Patent · US Expired

Process for forming a semiconductor device

US6297173A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
26References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 1999
Grant dateOct 2, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 26, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D64/693
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for forming an oxynitride gate dielectric layer (202, 204) begins by providing a semiconductor substrate (200). This semiconductor substrate is cleaned via process steps (10-28). Optional nitridation and oxidation are performed via steps (50 and 60) to form a thin interface layer (202). Bulk oxynitride gate deposition occurs via a step (70) to form a bulk gate dielectric material (204) having custom tailored oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration. A step (10) is then utilized to in situ cap this bulk dielectric layer (204) with a polysilicon or amorphous silicon layer (208). The layer (208) ensures that the custom tailors oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration of the underlying gate dielectric (204) is preserved even in the presence of subsequent wafer exposure to oxygen ambients.

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