Lsi Logic Corporation

Kang-Jay Hsia

David W Daniel

Charles W Jurgensen

George H Maggard

A method and apparatus for repairing and improving the endurance characteristics of process damaged oxide film formed in a semiconductor device involving sonic annealing by vibrating or oscillating a wafer at a predetermined frequency, wave amplitude, and duration. A signal from a frequency generator is amplified by a voltage amplifier and then sent to a speaker or other acoustic device for the production of vibrating acoustical wave energy. This acoustical wave energy is then directed at a submicron device wafer during a specified time period in order to anneal the gate oxide and, thereby, improve the characteristics of the oxide film.

Sonic assisted strengthening of gate oxides

A method of fabricating contacts to device elements of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate that includes: (a) using a plasma process to form a first hole in the material above a first portion of the device, wherein the first hole has a depth and a width at the end of the plasma process, and wherein the first hole has an aspect ratio at the end of the plasma process defined by its depth divided by its width; (b) using a plasma process to form a second hole in the material above a second portion of the device, adjacent to the first portion, wherein the second hole has a depth and a width at the end of the plasma process, and wherein the second hole has an aspect ratio at the end of the plasma process defined by its depth divided by its width; and (c) wherein the aspect ratio of the first hole is substantially equivalent to the aspect ratio of the second hole.

Growing community of inventors

Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

Kang-Jay Hsia