Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for plasma nitridation of gate dielectrics using amplitude modulated radio-frequency energy

US7179754B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 6, 2004
Grant dateFeb 20, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 1, 2024

Classification

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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a nitrided gate dielectric layer. The method includes generating a nitrogen-containing plasma in a processing chamber via a smooth-varying modulated RF power source to reduce electron temperature spike. Field effect transistor channel mobility and gate leakage current results are improved when the power source is smooth-varying modulated, as compared to square-wave modulated.

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