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US5298436A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Forming a device dielectric on a deposited semiconductor having sub-layers

Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1993-06-16
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Granted: 1994-03-29
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Expires: 2013-06-16
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Abstract

Abstract A high quality dielectric layer, typically silicon dioxide, is formed on a multi-layer deposited semiconductor structure, typically polysilicon or amorphous silicon. The multi-layer structure is formed by varying the silicon deposition rate so as to obtain a low stress deposited silicon structure. The low stress allows for a higher quality dielectric to be formed on the exposed top surface. One application is for thin film transistor gate oxides. Other applications included capacitor dielectrics and the tunnel oxide on the floating gate of EEPROMs.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joseph R. Radosevich
  • 👤 Pradip K. Roy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 01:01
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/416; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/031; H10D64/035; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 105 words
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of depositing a semiconductor layer from a deposition gas, including a conductivity-enhancing dopant in said semiconductor layer, providing electrical contact to said semiconductor layer, and forming a dielectric on the exposed surface of said semiconductor layer. Characterized in the said step of depositing a semiconductor layer is accomplished by varying the deposition rate of the semiconductor, wherein said varying is accomplished by changing at least one of the factors selected from the group consisting of: partial pressure and flow rate of the deposition gas, whereby at least four sub-layers of said semiconductor layer are formed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 105 words
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of depositing a semiconductor layer from a deposition gas, including a conductivity-enhancing dopant in said semiconductor layer, providing electrical contact to said semiconductor layer, and forming a dielectric on the exposed surface of said semiconductor layer. Characterized in the said step of depositing a semiconductor layer is accomplished by varying the deposition rate of the semiconductor, wherein said varying is accomplished by changing at least one of the factors selected from the group consisting of: partial pressure and flow rate of the deposition gas, whereby at least four sub-layers of said semiconductor layer are formed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of varying the concentration of said dopant in at least one sub-layer as compared to at least one other sub-layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 10 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor is silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said dielectric is silicon dioxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said forming a dielectric on the deposited semiconductor layer is accomplished simultaneously with forming a dielectric on a single-crystal substrate underlying the deposited semiconductor layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the dielectric formed on the single crystal substrate is a gate dielectric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the top sub-layer is less heavily doped than the underlying sub-layers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the bottom sub-layer is less heavily doped than the overlying sub-layers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of varying the temperature of the semiconductor during said deposition.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 141 words
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of depositing a silicon layer by the decomposition of a silicon-containing reactant gas, including a conductivity enhancing dopant in said silicon layer, providing electrical contact to said silicon layer, and forming a dielectric on the exposed surface of said silicon layer. Characterized in the said step of depositing a silicon layer is accomplished by varying the deposition rate of the silicon, wherein said varying is accomplished by changing at least one of the factors selected from the group consisting of: partial pressure of the silicon-containing reactant gas and flow rate of the silicon-containing reactant gas, whereby at least four sub-layers of said silicon layer are formed; and further comprising the step of varying the concentration of said dopant in at least one sub-layer as compared to at least one other sub-layer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 141 words
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of depositing a silicon layer by the decomposition of a silicon-containing reactant gas, including a conductivity enhancing dopant in said silicon layer, providing electrical contact to said silicon layer, and forming a dielectric on the exposed surface of said silicon layer. Characterized in the said step of depositing a silicon layer is accomplished by varying the deposition rate of the silicon, wherein said varying is accomplished by changing at least one of the factors selected from the group consisting of: partial pressure of the silicon-containing reactant gas and flow rate of the silicon-containing reactant gas, whereby at least four sub-layers of said silicon layer are formed; and further comprising the step of varying the concentration of said dopant in at least one sub-layer as compared to at least one other sub-layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said dielectric is silicon dioxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 10 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said dopant is phosphorus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming a conductive layer overlying said dielectric, and electrically contacting said conductive layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said conductive layer comprises 2, phosphorus-doped polysilicon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said conductive layer is a metal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said device is a capacitor, with said layer forming a first capacitor plate, said dielectric forming a capacitor dielectric, and said conductive layer forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said device is a field effect transistor, with said dielectric layer forming a gate dielectric.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said device is an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), wherein said layer is a floating gate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said forming a dielectric on the deposited silicon layer is accomplished simultaneously with forming a dielectric on a silicon substrate underlying the deposited silicon layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the dielectric formed on the silicon substrate is a gate oxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of forming a conductive layer overlying said dielectric, and electrically contacting said conductive layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said conductive layer comprises phosphorus-doped polysilicon.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said conductive layer is a metal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said device is a capacitor, with said silicon layer forming a first capacitor plate, said dielectric forming a capacitor dielectric, and said conductive layer forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said device is a field effect transistor, with said dielectric layer forming a gate dielectric.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said device is a electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), wherein said silicon layer is a floating gate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4631804A Cited
US4742020A Cited
US4814291A Cited
US4992391A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-03-28 1997-09-27 1998-03-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-03-28 2001-09-27 2002-03-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-03-28 2005-09-27 2006-03-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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