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. 05, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 04, 2001
Wagdi W. Abadeer, Jericho, VT (US);
Eduard A. Cartier, New York, NY (US);
James H. Stathis, Poughquag, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for evaluating the performance of a test dielectric material for use as a gate dielectric. The method comprises exposing a coated layer of the dielectric to a concentration of atomic hydrogen. The method may comprise (a) measuring an initial value of interface-state density in the test dielectric, (b) exposing the coated test dielectric to a concentration of atomic hydrogen in a remote plasma, and then (c) measuring a post-exposure value of interface-state density in the test dielectric. Steps (b) and (c) may be repeated with incrementally higher concentrations of atomic hydrogen to determine a rate of change in interface-state density value as a function of atomic hydrogen concentration, which may then be related to the projected charge-to-breakdown or time-to-breakdown of the test dielectric layer when the dielectric is used as the gate dielectric. The method may be conducted on a remote-plasma hydrogen exposure apparatus comprising, in series, a source of a mixture of molecular and atomic hydrogen gas; a particle remover adapted to remove energetic, charged particles; a light sink; a hydrogen recombination device; and a wafer exposure chamber.