Multi-plasma nitridation process for a gate dielectric
US9006064B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2013 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D84/038
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A gate dielectric can be formed by depositing a first silicon oxide material by a first atomic layer deposition process. The thickness of the first silicon oxide material is selected to correspond to at least 10 deposition cycles of the first atomic layer deposition process. The first silicon oxide material is converted into a first silicon oxynitride material by a first plasma nitridation process. A second silicon oxide material is subsequently deposited by a second atomic layer deposition process. The second silicon oxide material is converted into a second silicon oxynitride material by a second plasma nitridation process. Multiple repetitions of the atomic layer deposition process and the plasma nitridation process provides a silicon oxynitride material having a ratio of nitrogen atoms to oxygen atoms greater than 1/3, which can be advantageously employed to reduce the leakage current through a gate dielectric.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.