Method of making a semiconductor device with a capacitor

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor comprising the steps: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; (c) forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; (d) forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as a lower electrode layer of the capacitor on the first silicon nitride layer; (e) forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; (f) without exposing the structure obtained in said step (e) to an oxygen-containing atmosphere, (1) removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer, and (2) forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer; (g) forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere, the second silicon nitride layer and the capacitor oxide layer working as a dielectric layer of the capacitor; and (h) forming an upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor comprising the steps: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; (c) forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; (d) forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as a lower electrode layer of the capacitor on the first silicon nitride layer; (e) forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; (f) without exposing the structure obtained in said step (e) to an oxygen-containing atmosphere, (1) removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer, and (2) forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer; (g) forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere, the second silicon nitride layer and the capacitor oxide layer working as a dielectric layer of the capacitor; and (h) forming an upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.

Claim 8

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor which includes a lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode, the method comprising the steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as the lower electrode on the first silicon nitride layer in an electrode forming chamber; transferring the structure obtained by the above steps from the electrode forming chamber to an oxide removing chamber of a processing system, the processing system being shut off from an oxygen-containing atmosphere, said step of transferring including forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer in the oxide removing chamber; successively forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer in the processing system; forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere, the second silicon nitride layer and the capacitor oxide layer providing the dielectric layer; and forming the upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.

Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor which includes a lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode, the method comprising the steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as the lower electrode on the first silicon nitride layer in an electrode forming chamber; transferring the structure obtained by the above steps from the electrode forming chamber to an oxide removing chamber of a processing system, the processing system being shut off from an oxygen-containing atmosphere, said step of transferring including forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer in the oxide removing chamber; successively forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer in the processing system; forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere, the second silicon nitride layer and the capacitor oxide layer providing the dielectric layer; and forming the upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.

Claim 15

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor which includes a lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode, the method comprising the steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; loading the structure obtained by the above steps into an electrode forming chamber; forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as the lower electrode on the first silicon nitride layer in the electrode forming chamber; unloading the structure obtained in the above steps from the electrode forming chamber, and forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer of the unloaded Structure; loading the structure obtained by the above steps into a processing system which is shut off from an oxygen-containing atmosphere, the processing system including an oxide removing chamber; removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer in the oxide removing chamber; successively forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer in the processing system; unloading the structure obtained by the above steps from the processing system so that the structure is subjected to the oxygen-containing atmosphere and forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere; and forming the upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.

Claim 16

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor which includes a lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode, the method comprising the steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer; loading the structure obtained by the above steps into an electrode forming chamber; forming a polycrystalline silicon layer as the lower electrode on the first silicon nitride layer in the electrode forming chamber; unloading the structure obtained in the above steps from the electrode forming chamber, and forming a native oxide layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer of the unloaded Structure; loading the structure obtained by the above steps into a processing system which is shut off from an oxygen-containing atmosphere, the processing system including an oxide removing chamber; removing the native oxide layer to expose the polycrystalline silicon layer in the oxide removing chamber; successively forming a second silicon nitride layer on the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer in the processing system; unloading the structure obtained by the above steps from the processing system so that the structure is subjected to the oxygen-containing atmosphere and forming a capacitor oxide layer on the second silicon nitride layer in the oxygen-containing atmosphere; and forming the upper electrode layer of the capacitor on the capacitor oxide layer.