Motorola Corporation

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Hsing-Huang Tseng

Philip J Tobin

Stephen S Poon

David L O'Meara

Rama I Hegde

Vida Ilderem

Paul G Tsui

Laureen H Parker

David G Kolar

Victor S Wang

Lisa K Garling

Ting Chen Hsu

Wei E Wu

James R Pfiester

Olubunmi O Adetutu

James D Hayden

Ko-Min Chang

Keith E Witek

Bikas Maiti

Christopher C Hobbs

Yeong-Jyh Tom Lii

David Gilmer

Vidya S Kaushik

Craig A Cavins

Shih W Sun

Phillip E Crabtree

Tien-Ying Luo

Ping Chen

Navakanta Bhat

A method of making a high quality thin dielectric layer includes annealing a substrate and a base oxide layer overlying a top surface of the substrate at a first temperature in a first ambient and annealing the substrate and base oxide layer at a second temperature in a second ambient subsequent to the first anneal. The first ambient includes an inert gas ambient selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen, argon, and helium ambient. Prior to the first anneal, the base oxide layer has an initial thickness and an initial density. The first anneal causes a first density and thickness change in the base oxide layer from the initial thickness and density to a first thickness and density, with no incorporation of nitrogen, argon, or helium of the ambient within the base oxide layer. The first thickness is less than the initial thickness and the first density is greater than the initial density. The second anneal causes a second density and thickness change in the base oxide layer from the first thickness and density to a second thickness and density. The second thickness is larger than the first thickness and the second density is on the order of the greater than or equal to the first density.

Method of making a high quality thin dielectric layer

A semiconductor device ( ) having two different gate dielectric thicknesses is formed using a single high-k dielectric layer, preferably a metal oxide. A thicker first gate dielectric ( ) is formed in a region of the device for higher voltage requirements, e.g. an I/O region ( ). A thinner second gate dielectric ( ) is formed in a region of the device for lower voltage requirements, e.g. a core device region ( ). First and second dielectrics are preferably silicon dioxide or oxynitride. A metal oxide ( ) is deposited over both dielectrics, followed by deposition of a gate electrode material ( ). By using a single metal oxide layer in forming the gate dielectric stack for each transistor, together with high quality silicon dioxide or oxynitride dielectric layers, problems associated with selective etching of the metal oxide may be avoided, as may problems associated with various interfaces between the metal oxide and damaged or treated surfaces.

Method for forming a dual gate oxide device using a metal oxide and resulting device

A method for forming an oxynitride gate dielectric layer (,) begins by providing a semiconductor substrate (,). This semiconductor substrate is cleaned via process steps (,). Optional nitridation and oxidation are performed via steps (,and,) to form a thin interface layer (,). Bulk oxynitride gate deposition occurs via a step (,) to form a bulk gate dielectric material (,) having custom tailored oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration. A step (,) is then utilized to in situ cap this bulk dielectric layer (,) with a polysilicon or amorphous silicon layer (,). The layer (,) ensures that the custom tailors oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration of the underlying gate dielectric (,) is preserved even in the presence of subsequent wafer exposure to oxygen ambients.

Process for forming a semiconductor device

A method for forming a gate dielectric having different thickness begins by providing a substrate (12). A sacrificial oxide (14) is formed overlying the substrate (12). A first portion (11) of the sacrificial oxide (14) is exposed to a carbon-containing plasma environment (20). This carbon-containing plasma environment (20) forms a carbon-containing layer (24) within the region (11). After forming this region (24), a wet etch chemistry (22) is used to remove remaining portions of the sacrificial oxide (14) without forming a layer (24) in the region (13). Furnace oxidation is then used to form regions (26a) and (26b) wherein the growth of region (26a) has been retarded by the presence of the region (24). Therefore, the regions (26a) and (26b) are differing in thickness and can be used to make different transistors having different current gains.

Method for manufacturing a thin oxide for use in semiconductor

A method for forming a gate dielectric (14b) begins by providing a substrate (12). A high K dielectric layer (14a) is deposited overlying the substrate (12). The dielectric layer (14a) contains bulk traps (16) and interface traps (18). A polysilicon gate electrode (20) is then patterned and etched overlying the gate dielectric (14a) whereby the plasma etching of the gate electrode (20) results in substrate plasma damage (22). A post gate wet oxidation process is performed between 750.degree. C. and 850.degree. C. to reduce plasma etch damage and trap sites (16, 18) in order to provide an improved gate dielectric (14b). Source and drain electrodes (30) are then formed within the substrate and laterally adjacent the gate electrode (20) to form a transistor device having more consistent threshold voltages, improved subthreshold slope operation, reduced gate to channel leakage, and improved speed of operation.

Method for manufacturing a high dielectric constant gate oxide for use

A method for forming an oxynitride gate dielectric layer (202, 204) begins by providing a semiconductor substrate (200). This semiconductor substrate is cleaned via process steps (10-28). Optional nitridation and oxidation are performed via steps (50 and 60) to form a thin interface layer (202). Bulk oxynitride gate deposition occurs via a step (70) to form a bulk gate dielectric material (204) having custom tailored oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration. A step (10) is then utilized to in situ cap this bulk dielectric layer (204) with a polysilicon or amorphous silicon layer (208). The layer (208) ensures that the custom tailors oxygen and nitrogen profile and concentration of the underlying gate dielectric (204) is preserved even in the presence of subsequent wafer exposure to oxygen ambients.

A method for forming a dual gate oxide (DGO) structure begins by forming a first oxide layer (106) within active areas (110) and (112). A protection layer (108a) is then formed over the layer (106). A mask (114) is used to allow removal of the layers (106 and 108a) from the active area (110). A thermal oxidation process is then used to form a thin second oxide layer (118) within an active area (110). Conductive gate electrodes (120a and 120b) are then formed wherein the first oxide layer (106) and the protection layer (108c) are incorporated into the gate dielectric layer of an MOS transistor (122a). The transistor (122b) has a thinner gate oxide layer that excludes the protection layer (108c).

Method for making a dual-thickness gate oxide layer using a

A process for reducing halogen concentration in a material layer (56) includes the deposition of a dielectric layer (58) overlying the material layer (56). An annealing process is carried out to diffuse halogen atoms from the material layer (56) into the overlying dielectric layer (58). Once the diffusion process is complete, the dielectric layer (58) is removed.

Process for reducing halogen concentration in a material layer during

An integrated circuit (10) is formed using jet vapor deposition (JVD) silicon nitride. A non-volatile memory device (11) has a tunnel dielectric layer (27) and an inter-poly dielectric layer (31) that can be formed from JVD silicon nitride. A transistor (12,13,40) is formed that has a gate dielectric material made from JVD silicon nitride. In addition, a passivation layer (47) can be formed overlying a semiconductor device (40) that is formed from JVD silicon nitride.

Integrated circuit having a jet vapor deposition silicon nitride film

A semiconductor dielectric (10) is formed by providing a base layer (12) having a surface. A thin interface layer (13) is formed at the surface of the base layer (12). The thin interface layer has a substantial concentration of one of either nitrogen or fluorine. A thermal oxide layer (14) is formed overlying the interface layer (13). A deposited dielectric layer (16) is formed overlying the thermal oxide layer (14). The deposited dielectric layer (16) is optionally densified by a thermal heat cycle. The deposited dielectric layer (16) has micropores that are misaligned to micropores in the thermal oxide layer (14) to provide enhanced features.

Method of formation of semiconductor gate dielectric

An embodiment of the invention allows the reversing of the sequence of a stacked gate dielectric layer so that a thermal oxide overlies a CVD deposited oxide. A CVD dielectric (12) is first deposited to a desired thickness. Then a layer of silicon (16), either amorphous or polycrystalline, is deposited overlying the CVD dielectric, wherein this silicon layer is approximately one-half of the desired thickness of the final top oxide. The silicon layer is then thermally oxidized to form thermal oxide (18). This method of the invention allows the denser thermal oxide to be formed overlying the less dense CVD dielectric layer as desired to form a reverse dielectric stack.

Method for forming a reverse dielectric stack

A semiconductor dielectric (10) is formed by providing a base layer (12) having a surface. A thin interface layer (13) is formed at the surface of the base layer (12). The thin interface layer has a substantial concentration of both nitrogen and fluorine. A thermal oxide layer (14) is formed overlying the interface layer (13). A deposited dielectric layer (16) is formed overlying the thermal oxide layer (14). The deposited dielectric layer (16) is optionally densified by a thermal heat cycle. The deposited dielectric layer (16) has micropores that are misaligned to micropores in the thermal oxide layer (14) to provide enhanced features which the nitrogen/fluorine interface further improves the dielectric's features.

Methods of formation of semiconductor composite gate dielectric having

An annealed amorphous silicon layer is formed prior to forming field isolation regions when using in a LOCOS field isolation process. The annealed amorphous silicon layer helps to reduce encroachment compared to conventional LOCOS field isolation process and helps to reduce the likelihood of forming pits within a substrate compared to a PBL field isolation process. The annealed amorphous silicon layer may be used in forming field isolation regions that defines the active regions between transistors including MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Doped silicon or a silicon-rich silicon nitride layer may be used in place of conventional materials. The anneal of the amorphous silicon layer may be performed after forming a silicon nitride layer if the silicon nitride layer is deposited at a temperature no higher than 600 degrees Celsius.

Process for forming field isolation

Process for forming field isolation and a structure over a semiconductor

This disclosure reveals a manufacturable and controllable method to fabricate a dielectric which increases the device current drive. A nitrogen-containing ambient is used to oxidize a surface of a substrate (10) to form a nitrogen-containing dielectric (12). Then a fluorine-containing specie (F) is introduced, preferably through implanting, into a gate electrode (20) overlying the nitrogen-containing dielectric. The fluorine is then driven into the underlying nitrogen-containing dielectric. A fluorinated nitrogen-containing region (14') is expected to form at the interface between dielectric (12') and substrate (10). The interaction between fluorine and nitrogen increases the peak transconductance as well as the transconductance at a high electric field for the dielectric. Therefore, the overall current drive is increased by this approach.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Hsing-Huang Tseng