Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having a metal gate pattern
US7306996B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 3, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D84/0135
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a metal gate pattern is provided in which capping layers are used to control the relative oxidation rates of portions of the metal gate pattern during a oxidation process. The capping layer may be a multilayer structure and may be etched to form insulating spacers on the sidewalls of the metal gate pattern. The capping layer(s) allow the use of a selective oxidation process, which may be a wet oxidation process utilizing partial pressures of both H2O and H2 in an H2-rich atmosphere, to oxidize portions of the substrate and metal gate pattern while suppressing the oxidation of metal layers that may be included in the metal gate pattern. This allows etch damage to the silicon substrate and edges of the metal gate pattern to be reduced while substantially maintaining the original thickness of the gate insulating layer and the conductivity of the metal layer(s).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.