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US5009926A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of forming an insulating film

Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd
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Filing: 1990-05-11
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Granted: 1991-04-23
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Expires: 2010-05-11
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Abstract

Abstract In a method of forming an insulating film on a substrate wherein a substrate is cleaned by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas, and then growing an insulating film by heating the substrate in an atmosphere of a gas used to grow the film in the same reaction chamber, the insulating film is grown in stages and an insulating film grown in each stage is crystallized by heat treatment with a temperature higher than the heat treatment for the film growth. This can be accomplished by interposing a heat treatment with the higher temperature between successive film growth stages, or by using a higher temperature for the film growth for each stage with a temperature higher than that for the film growth in the preceding stage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hisashi Fukuda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P70/00; H10P70/10; H10P70/12; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6304; H10P14/6306; H10P14/6308; H10P14/6309; H10P14/65; H10P14/6502; H10P14/6512; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6544; H10P95/00; H10P14/6322; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 114 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate wherein a substrate is cleaned by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas, and then heating it in an atmosphere of a gas used to form the film in the same reaction chamber, characterized by repeating a cycle comprising a heat treatment to grow the insulating film on the substrate, a process wherein the substrate is subsequently cooled to room temperature, and a high temperature heat treament wherein it is then heated to a higher temperature than that used when growing the film in order to crystallize said insulating film, in the same reaction chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 114 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate wherein a substrate is cleaned by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas, and then heating it in an atmosphere of a gas used to form the film in the same reaction chamber, characterized by repeating a cycle comprising a heat treatment to grow the insulating film on the substrate, a process wherein the substrate is subsequently cooled to room temperature, and a high temperature heat treament wherein it is then heated to a higher temperature than that used when growing the film in order to crystallize said insulating film, in the same reaction chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said high temperature heat treatment is performed in an inert gas atmosphere.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the heating temperature used to grow the film is about 1000° C., and the high temperature heat treatment used to perform said crystallization is no less than about 1350° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the structure of the crystalline insulating film obtained by said high temperature heat treatment is that of cristobalite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said film-forming heat treatment and said high temperature crystallization heat treatment are performed by infrared light irradiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said gas atmosphere for growing the insulating film is an oxidizing gas atmosphere, and said insulating film is an oxide film.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate wherein a substrate is cleaned by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas, and then heating it in an atmosphere of a gas used to grow the film in the same reaction chamber, characterized by repeatedly performing a heat treatment to grow an insulating film of several Angstroms thickness interposed with film-forming rest periods wherein the substrate is cooled to room temperature, and the heat treatment temperature is progressively increased in stages from the temperature of the initial treatment to a higher specified temperature, each of these heat treatments being intended to crystallize the insulating film which was formed in the heat treatment immediately preceding it.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate wherein a substrate is cleaned by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas, and then heating it in an atmosphere of a gas used to grow the film in the same reaction chamber, characterized by repeatedly performing a heat treatment to grow an insulating film of several Angstroms thickness interposed with film-forming rest periods wherein the substrate is cooled to room temperature, and the heat treatment temperature is progressively increased in stages from the temperature of the initial treatment to a higher specified temperature, each of these heat treatments being intended to crystallize the insulating film which was formed in the heat treatment immediately preceding it.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said initial heat treatment temperature is no less than about 1000° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said specified temperature is about 1400° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the structure of the crystalline insulating film obtained by said heat treatment is that of cristobalite.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said heat treatment is performed by infrared light radiation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said gas atmosphere for growing the insulating film is an oxidizing gas atmosphere, and said insulating film is an oxide film.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 162 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate comprising: the step of cleaning a substrate by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas; the step of growing the insulating film by heating the cleaned substrate in an atmosphere of a gas used to grow the film; said step of growing being performed in the same reaction chamber as that used for said step of cleaning; and said step of growing being performed in stages; the step of crystallizing the insulating film grown at each stage, by heating it with a temperature higher than the temperature used for the film growth for each stage; said step of crystallizing being performed in the same reaction chamber as that used for said steps of cleaning and growing; and the step of cooling the substrate to room temperature between the step of film growth for each stage and the step of crystallization for each stage.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 162 words
A method of forming an insulating film on a substrate comprising: the step of cleaning a substrate by heating it in an atmosphere of a reducing gas, and heating it in an oxidizing gas; the step of growing the insulating film by heating the cleaned substrate in an atmosphere of a gas used to grow the film; said step of growing being performed in the same reaction chamber as that used for said step of cleaning; and said step of growing being performed in stages; the step of crystallizing the insulating film grown at each stage, by heating it with a temperature higher than the temperature used for the film growth for each stage; said step of crystallizing being performed in the same reaction chamber as that used for said steps of cleaning and growing; and the step of cooling the substrate to room temperature between the step of film growth for each stage and the step of crystallization for each stage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of crystallization is performed between the steps of the film growth for successive stages.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the heat treatment for said step of crystallization is performed in an inert gas atmosphere.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the heating temperature used for said step of film growth is about 1000° C., and the heating temperature used for said step of crystallization is no less than about 1350° C.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 43 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of film growth in each stage is conducted with a temperature higher than said step of film growth in the preceding stage to serve also as said step of crystallization for said preceding stage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein the heating temperature used for said step of film growth of an initial stage is no less than about 1000° C.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein the heating temperature used for said step of film growth in a final stage is about is about 1400° C.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the structure of the crystalline insulating film obtained by said step of crystallization is that of cristobalite.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the heating for said step of film growth and said step of crystallization is performed by infrared light irradiation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein said gas atmosphere used in said step of film growth is an oxidizing gas atmosphere, and said insulating film is an oxide film.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-04-22 1994-10-22 1995-04-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-04-22 1998-10-22 1999-04-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-04-22 2002-10-22 2003-04-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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