Patent · US Expired

Method for uniform nitridization of ultra-thin silicon dioxide layers in transistor gates

US6610614B2 · kind B2 · utility

51Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 2001
Grant dateAug 26, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 20, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/02252
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of forming an ultra-thin dielectric layer, including the steps of: providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface; forming an oxygen-containing layer on the semiconductor surface; exposing the oxygen-containing layer to a nitrogen-containing plasma to create a uniform nitrogen distribution throughout the oxygen-containing layer; and re-oxidizing and annealing the layer to stabilize the nitrogen distribution, heal plasma-induced damage, and reduce interfacial defect density.

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