US5907792A
Expired / Lapsed
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Method of forming a silicon nitride layer
Assignee: NXP USA Inc
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Filing: 1997-08-25
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Granted: 1999-05-25
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Expires: 2017-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming a silicon nitride layer or film on a semiconductor wafer structure includes forming a silicon nitride layer on the surface of a wafer structure using a molecular beam of high purity elemental Si and an atomic beam of high purity nitrogen. In a preferred embodiment, a III-V compound semiconductor wafer structure is heated in an ultra high vacuum system to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of said compound semiconductor wafer structure and a silicon nitride layer is formed using a molecular beam of Si provided by either thermal evaporation or electron beam evaporation, and an atomic nitrogen beam provided by either RF or microwave plasma discharge.
Inventors
- 👤 Ravi Droopad
- 👤 Jonathan K. Abrokwah
- 👤 Matthias Passlack
- 👤 Zhiyi Jimmy Yu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6332; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/0641; C23C14/0652; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6339; H10P14/69; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/169; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/961
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer structure with a surface; and forming a silicon nitride layer on the surface of semiconductor wafer structure by depositing silicon nitride onto the wafer structure using a combination molecular beam and atomic beam technique to provide constituent atoms at the surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer structure with a surface; and forming a silicon nitride layer on the surface of semiconductor wafer structure by depositing silicon nitride onto the wafer structure using a combination molecular beam and atomic beam technique to provide constituent atoms at the surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the silicon nitride layer is formed using a molecular beam of elemental Si and an atomic beam of nitrogen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a semiconductor wafer structure includes providing a structure with a compound semiconductor material having a decomposition temperature and the step of forming a silicon nitride layer is is performed at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the compound semiconductor material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes the formation of a silicon nitride layer with a reduced level of hydrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes the formation of a silicon nitride layer with a low trap density <10 11 cm -2 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the semiconductor wafer structure includes providing a semiconductor wafer with a semiconductor device or a semiconductor device structure formed thereon.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a compound semiconductor wafer structure comprising the steps of: providing a compound semiconductor wafer structure with a surface; and forming a silicon nitride layer on the surface of compound semiconductor wafer structure by depositing silicon nitride onto the wafer structure using a combination molecular beam and atomic beam technique to provide constituent atoms at the surface.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a compound semiconductor wafer structure comprising the steps of: providing a compound semiconductor wafer structure with a surface; and forming a silicon nitride layer on the surface of compound semiconductor wafer structure by depositing silicon nitride onto the wafer structure using a combination molecular beam and atomic beam technique to provide constituent atoms at the surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of providing a compound semiconductor wafer structure includes providing a semiconductor wafer of GaAs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of providing a compound semiconductor wafer structure includes the growth of epitaxial compound semiconductor layers on the surface of a compound semiconductor wafer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of providing a compound semiconductor wafer structure includes the deposition of an amorphous layer on the surface of a compound semiconductor wafer structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer or film on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of forming a silicon nitride layer is compatible with the requirements of III-V compound semiconductors manufacturing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer or film on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of forming a silicon nitride layer is compatible with the UHV temperature and pressure requirements of compound semiconductor growth and surface preparation schemes applied to gate insulator and surface passivation applications.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer or film on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the compound semiconductor wafer structure has a decomposition temperature and the substrate deposition temperature is below the decomposition temperature of the compound semiconductor wafer structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer or film on a compound semiconductor wafer structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of forming the silicon nitride layer includes the formation of a silicon nitride layer fabricated on a stoichiometric upper surface of a compound semiconductor wafer structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4866006A
Cited
US4800100A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-24 | 2002-11-23 | 2003-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-24 | 2006-11-23 | 2007-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-24 | 2010-11-23 | 2011-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |