US5455204A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin capacitor dielectric by rapid thermal processing
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1994-12-12
•
Granted: 1995-10-03
•
Expires: 2014-12-12
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a continuous rapid thermal process for forming a substantially uniform oxynitride film on fingered three-dimensional silicon structures comprising cleaning of the silicon substrate and growth of silicon oxide in the presence of ozone, nitridation of the silicon oxide layer in the presence of NH3 and reoxidation of the oxynitride layer in the presence of oxygen.
Inventors
- 👤 David M. Dobuzinsky
- 👤 Son V. Nguyen
- 👤 Tue Nguyen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:51
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6318; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D1/711; H10D1/714; H10P14/6322; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922; H10P14/6927
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of making a thin oxynitride film in a semiconductor device, comprising: cleaning the surface of said device; heating said device to about 1050° C. for 5 to 70 seconds in the presence of O 3 ; heating said device to a temperature of about 1100° C. in the presence of NH 3 ; heating said device to a temperature of about 1050° C. in the presence of an oxidizing agent selected from the group of O 2 and O 3 .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of making a thin oxynitride film in a semiconductor device, comprising: cleaning the surface of said device; heating said device to about 1050° C. for 5 to 70 seconds in the presence of O 3 ; heating said device to a temperature of about 1100° C. in the presence of NH 3 ; heating said device to a temperature of about 1050° C. in the presence of an oxidizing agent selected from the group of O 2 and O 3 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning comprises heating said device to 300° C. to 400° C. in the presence of an oxidizing agent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 2 wherein said oxidizing agent comprises O 3 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of claim 1 wherein heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 to 48 seconds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of claim 4 wherein heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 to 15 seconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 5 heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 seconds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 6 wherein heating of said device in the presence of NH 3 is conducted for 30 to 60 seconds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 7 wherein heating of device in the presence of O 2 i s conducted for 60 to 120 seconds.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of forming a capacitor dielectric layer over a semiconductor device having three-dimensional structures, comprising: cleaning said device by thermal oxidation; exposing said device to O 3 at a temperature of about 1050° C. for 5 to 70 seconds; exposing said device to NH 3 at a temperature of about 1100° C.; exposing said device to O 2 at a temperature of about 1050° C. for 30 to 60 seconds.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of forming a capacitor dielectric layer over a semiconductor device having three-dimensional structures, comprising: cleaning said device by thermal oxidation; exposing said device to O 3 at a temperature of about 1050° C. for 5 to 70 seconds; exposing said device to NH 3 at a temperature of about 1100° C.; exposing said device to O 2 at a temperature of about 1050° C. for 30 to 60 seconds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of claim 9 wherein cleaning said device by thermal oxidation comprises: heating said device to 300° C. to 400° C. in the presence of an oxidizing agent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 10 wherein said oxidizing agent comprises O 3 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of claim 9 wherein heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 to 48 seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of claim 12 wherein heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 to 15 seconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 13 heating said device to about 1050° C. in the presence of O 3 is conducted for 5 seconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of claim 14 wherein heating of said device in the presence of NH 3 is conducted for 60 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 15 wherein heating of device in the presence of O 2 is conducted for 60 seconds.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
145 words
A continuous method of forming a thin uniform layer of oxynitride over a semiconductor device, comprising: placing said device in a reaction chamber; introducing O 3 into said reaction chamber; heating the interior of the reaction vessel to a temperature of approximately 400° C., thereby cleaning said device; elevating the temperature of the interior of the reaction chamber to about 1050° C. for under 48 seconds, thereby forming an initial layer of silicon oxide; introducing NH 3 into the interior of the reaction vessel; elevating the temperature of the interior of the reaction vessel to about 1100° C., thereby forming a non-uniform nitrided silicon oxide layer; reducing the temperature of the reaction chamber to about 1050° C.; introducing an oxidizing agent, selected from the group of O 2 and O 3 into the reaction vessel, thereby forming a silicon oxynitride layer of substantially uniform composition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
145 words
A continuous method of forming a thin uniform layer of oxynitride over a semiconductor device, comprising: placing said device in a reaction chamber; introducing O 3 into said reaction chamber; heating the interior of the reaction vessel to a temperature of approximately 400° C., thereby cleaning said device; elevating the temperature of the interior of the reaction chamber to about 1050° C. for under 48 seconds, thereby forming an initial layer of silicon oxide; introducing NH 3 into the interior of the reaction vessel; elevating the temperature of the interior of the reaction vessel to about 1100° C., thereby forming a non-uniform nitrided silicon oxide layer; reducing the temperature of the reaction chamber to about 1050° C.; introducing an oxidizing agent, selected from the group of O 2 and O 3 into the reaction vessel, thereby forming a silicon oxynitride layer of substantially uniform composition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 16 wherein elevation of the temperature of the interior of the reaction chamber from approximately 400° C. to approximately 1050° C. occurs at over 200° C./second.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 wherein elevation and reduction of the temperature of the interior of the reaction chamber occurs at over 200° C./second.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3962713A
Cited
US4113515A
Cited
US4980307A
Cited
US4996081A
Cited
US5028560A
Cited
US4990463A
Cited
US5091761A
Cited
US5254506A
Cited
US5160987A
Cited
US5198392A
Cited
US5032545A
Cited
US5219783A
Cited
US5256563A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-10-02 | 1999-04-03 | 1999-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-10-02 | 2003-04-03 | 2003-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-10-02 | 2007-04-03 | 2007-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |