Method for preparing a semiconductor substrate surface for semiconductor device fabrication
US7132372B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 29, 2004 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/906
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for preparing a semiconductor substrate surface (28) for semiconductor device fabrication, includes providing a semiconductor substrate (20) having a pure Ge surface layer (28) or a Ge-containing surface layer (12), such as SiGe. The semiconductor substrate (20) is cleaned using a first oxygen plasma process (14) to remove foreign matter (30) from the surface (28) of the substrate (20). The substrate surface (28) is next immersed in a hydrochloric acid solution (16) to remove additional foreign matter (30) from the surface (28) of the substrate (20). The immersion step is followed by a second oxygen plasma etch process (18), passivate the surface with a passivation layer (34), and provide for an atomically smooth surface for subsequent epitaxial or gate dielectric growth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.