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:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1999
Chien-Jiun Wang, Yung-Ho, TW;
Ching-Yu Huang, Yi-Lan, TW;
Yu-Sen Chu, Kuo-Hsiung, TW;
Kuo-Hung Liao, Hsinchu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, LTD, Hsin Chu, TW;
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for oxidizing silicon substrates by either a wet oxidation or a dry oxidation process in the same oxidation chamber are provided. In the apparatus, an additional conduit is provided for evacuating any residual water vapor trapped in a conduit section between an external torch and the oxidation chamber such that residual water vapor does not flow into the oxidation chamber and cause problems for a dry oxidation process subsequently conducted. The present invention novel apparatus therefore allows thin silicon oxide films such as those used in gate oxides to be formed with high quality in the same oxidation chamber. The present invention novel apparatus further allows high quality tri-layered silicon oxide films to be formed in a dry-wet-dry oxidation process for achieving satisfactory deposition rates and high quality oxide films on the substrate. The present invention novel apparatus and method further allows the same oxidation chamber to be used in a dry oxidation process immediately following a wet oxidation process.