Patent EP0824268A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0824268A2
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EP
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Method of fabricating a gate oxide layer
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1997-08-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-08-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of providing a MOSFET having improved gate oxide diffusion barrier properties, which comprises providing a partially fabricated MOSFET having an exposed gate oxide surface. During MOSFET fabrication, the surface of the exposed gate oxide is converted to an oxynitride by applying one or both of ions or free radicals of nitrogen to the exposed gate oxide surface. Fabrication of the MOSFET is then completed in standard manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas C. Holloway
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:09
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01336; H10D64/01344; H10D64/01348; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/693
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of providing a MOSFET having improved gate oxide
diffusion barrier properties, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a partially fabricated MOSFET having an
exposed gate oxide surface; (b) converting the surface of said exposed gate oxide to an
oxynitride by applying one or both of ions or free radicals of
nitrogen to said surface; and (c) completing fabrication of said MOSFET.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of providing a MOSFET having improved gate oxide
diffusion barrier properties, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a partially fabricated MOSFET having an
exposed gate oxide surface; (b) converting the surface of said exposed gate oxide to an
oxynitride by a low energy implant of nitrogen into said exposed
surface of from about 50 eV to about 1000 eV; and (c) completing fabrication of said MOSFET.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of Claim 2, wherein said converting step
comprises performing a reactive ion etch implant.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of fabricating a gate oxide for a MOSFET having a
diffusion barrier thereon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a partially fabricated MOSFET semiconductor
device having a layer of semiconductor material and an exposed
gate oxide on said layer of semiconductor material forming an
interface with said semiconductor layer; and (b) subjecting said exposed surface to at least one of free
radicals or ions of nitrogen to form an oxynitride region at the
exposed surface of said gate oxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of Claim 4, further comprising forming said
oxynitride spaced from said interface by at least one atomic
monolayer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said step of
subjecting said exposed surface to free radicals comprises
heating said partially fabricated MOSFET semiconductor device to
a temperature in the range of from about 27°C to about 800°C and
generating and applying to said exposed gate oxide said free
radicals by providing nitrogen gas in a microwave plasma.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 6, wherein said heating step comprises
heating said partially fabricated MOSFET semiconductor device to
a temperature of about 650°C.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
42 words
The method of any of Claims 4 to 7, further comprising
forming said oxynitride region to a depth approaching between
zero and about 90 percent of the distance from the surface of
the exposed surface of the oxynitride layer to said interface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of Claim 4, Claim 5 or Claim 8 wherein said
step of subjecting said exposed surface to ions comprises
heating said partially fabricated MOSFET semiconductor device to
a temperature of about 400°C, providing a parallel plate reactor
with RF power capacitively coupled to said heated partially
fabricated MOSFET semiconductor device in the presence of N 2 gas
and causing said reactor to provide said ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of Claim 9, further comprising performing said
heating step at a pressure of said N 2 gas and RF power set to
obtain about a -300 volt DC bias at said device to provide
nitrogen ion bombardment of the exposed oxide layer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
37 words
The method of any of Claims 4 to 10, further comprising
subjecting said exposed surface to both of free radicals or ions
of nitrogen to form an oxynitride region at the exposed surface
of said gate oxide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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