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:
Sep. 05, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2003
Ignaz Eisele, Icking, DE;
Alexandra Ludsteck, München, DE;
Jörg Schulze, Erding, DE;
Zsolt Nenyei, Blaustein, DE;
Waltraud Dietl, Illulirchberg, DE;
Georg Roters, Duelmen, DE;
Ignaz Eisele, Icking, DE;
Alexandra Ludsteck, München, DE;
Jörg Schulze, Erding, DE;
Zsolt Nenyei, Blaustein, DE;
Waltraud Dietl, Illulirchberg, DE;
Georg Roters, Duelmen, DE;
Mattson Technology, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A process for forming and/or modifying dielectric films on semiconductor substrates is disclosed. According to the present invention, a semiconductor wafer is exposed to a process gas containing a reactive component. The temperature to which the semiconductor wafer is heated and the partial pressure of the reactive component are selected so that, sometime during the process, diffusion of the reactive components occurs through the dielectric film to the film/semiconductor substrate interface. Further, diffusion also occurs of semiconductor atoms through the dielectric film to an exterior surface of the film. The process of the present invention has been found well suited to forming and/or modifying very thin dielectric films, such as films having a thickness of less than 8 nm.