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:
Mar. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2003
Wai-kin LI, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Rajeev Malik, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Joseph J. Mezzapelle, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Wai-kin Li, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Rajeev Malik, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Joseph J. Mezzapelle, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A process for prohibiting amino group transport from the top surface of a layered semiconductor wafer to a photoresist layer introduces a thin film oxynitride over the silicon nitride layer using a high temperature step of nitrous oxide (NO) plus oxygen (O) at approximately 300° C. for about 50 to 120 seconds. By oxidizing the silicon nitride layer, the roughness resulting from the adverse affects of amino group transport eliminated. Moreover, this high temperature step, non-plasma process can be used with the more advanced 193 nanometer technology, and is not limited to the 248 nanometer technology. A second method for exposing the silicon nitride layer to an oxidizing ambient, prior to the application of antireflective coating, introduces a mixture of NHand oxygen (O) ash at a temperature greater than or equal to 250° C. for approximately six minutes. This is followed by an Oplasma clean and/or an Ozone clean, and then the subsequent layering of the ARC and photoresist.