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:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 03, 2000
Sey-Ping Sun, Austin, TX (US);
Mark I Gardner, Cedar Creek, TX (US);
Shengnian Song, Austin, TX (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
Various methods of fabricating a circuit structure utilizing silicon nitride are provided. In one aspect, a method of fabricating a circuit structure is provided that includes forming a silicon nitride film on a silicon surface, annealing the silicon nitride film in an ammonia ambient and annealing the silicon nitride film in a nitrous oxide ambient to form a thin oxide layer at an interface between the silicon nitride film and the silicon surface. The process of the present invention enables the manufacture of thin silicon nitride films with highly uniform morphology for use as gate dielectrics or other purposes. The thin oxide film is self-limiting in thickness and improves differential mechanical stresses.