The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 26, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 19, 1996
Seiichi Fukuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Tetsuya Tatsumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method for processing a layer of a silicon-based material on a wafer by which a sidewall protective film may be removed sufficiently and efficiently. An etching gas capable of yielding chlorine- or bromine-based chemical species and oxygen-based chemical species is used for dry etching a polycide film formed on a gate insulating film, plasma processing with an oxygen-based gas is then carried out for ashing the resist mask and removing carbonaceous components in the sidewall protective film. In addition, the sidewall protective film is oxidized so that the composition to that of stoichiometrically stable SiO.sub.2 is approached. Subsequently, the modified sidewall protective film is removed by processing with a dilute hydrofluoric acid solution. Since this sufficiently removes the sidewall protective film, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of dust and to improve coverage of a film to be formed by the next step. In this manner, a semiconductor device may be prepared with improved reliability and production yield.