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:
Jun. 20, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1998
Ching-Wen Cho, Nan-Tao, TW;
Cheng-Fu Hsu, Taichung, TW;
Sen-Fu Chen, Taipei, TW;
Po-Tao Chu, Hsinchu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A new method of removing impurities and moisture from the surface of a wafer and thereby preventing polysilicon residue is described. A dielectric layer is provided over the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer is deposited overlying the dielectric layer. A hard mask layer is deposited overlying the polysilicon layer and patterned to form a hard mask. The wafer is cleaned whereby moisture and impurities form on the surfaces of the hard mask and the polysilicon layer. Thereafter, the wafer is heat treated whereby the moisture and impurities are removed. Thereafter, the polysilicon layer is etched away where it is not covered by the hard mask to complete formation of a polysilicon line on a wafer in the fabrication of an integrated circuit.