Thermal oxidation of a SiGe layer and applications thereof
US7531427B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 5, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 12, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/02255
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention concerns a method for oxidizing a surface region of a SiGe layer that includes an oxidizing thermal treatment of the SiGe layer for oxidizing the surface region. The method includes two phases—a first phase of oxidizing thermal treatment, carried out directly on the SiGe layer, so as to obtain an oxidized region which is thick enough for forming a capping oxide which can protect the underlying SiGe from pitting during the subsequent second phase, but thin enough for keeping the thickness of the oxidized surface region under a threshold thickness range, corresponding to the generation of dislocations within the SiGe layer; and—a second phase of high temperature annealing in an inert atmosphere which is carried out on the SiGe layer after the first phase. The SiGe layer is capped with the oxidized region created during the first phase, and the high temperature annealing allows the diffusion of Ge from a Ge-enriched region into the underlying part of the SiGe layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.