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Patent US6037235A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6037235A
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Hydrogen anneal for curing defects of silicon/nitride interfaces of semiconductor devices
Assignee: Vanguard Semiconductor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1998-09-14
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2018-09-14
Abstract
Abstract A method for improving the interface between a silicon nitride film and a silicon surface is described. According to the present invention a silicon nitride film is formed on a silicon surface of a substrate. While said substrate is heated the silicon nitride film is exposed to an ambient comprising hydrogen (H 2 ). In a prefered embodiment of the present invention the ambient comprises H 2 and N 2 .
Inventors
- 👤 Pravin K. Narwankar
- 👤 Randall S. Urdahl
- 👤 Turgut Sahin
- 👤 Wong-Cheng Shih
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:39
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01336; H10D64/0134; H10D64/01342; H10D64/01344; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/681; H10D64/685; H10D64/691; H10D64/693; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/682; H10D1/684; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6316; H10P14/6322; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6529; H10P14/69; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of forming a capacitor comprising: forming a silicon nitride film on a silicon surface of a substrate; while heating said substrate, exposing said silicon nitride film to an ambient comprising of H 2 and N 2 ; and after exposing said silicon nitride film forming a capacitor electrode above said ambient exposed silicon nitride film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of forming a capacitor comprising: forming a silicon nitride film on a silicon surface of a substrate; while heating said substrate, exposing said silicon nitride film to an ambient comprising of H 2 and N 2 ; and after exposing said silicon nitride film forming a capacitor electrode above said ambient exposed silicon nitride film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said ambient has between 1-10% H 2 and greater than 90% N 2 by volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon surface is a doped polysilicon film of said substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is heated to a temperature between 700-850° C. while exposing said silicon nitride film to said ambient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon nitride film is exposed to said ambient in a rapid thermal processor for between 60-180 seconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon nitride film is exposed to said ambient in a furnace for approximately 30 minutes.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of forming a semiconductor device, on a substrate comprising: exposing a silicon nitride film formed on a silicon surface to an ambient comprising hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) while heating said substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said ambient exposed silicon nitride film.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of forming a semiconductor device, on a substrate comprising: exposing a silicon nitride film formed on a silicon surface to an ambient comprising hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) while heating said substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said ambient exposed silicon nitride film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said ambient comprises between 1-10% hydrogen by volume and more than 90% nitrogen by volume.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of heating said substrate to a temperature between 700-850° C. while exposing said silicon nitride film to said ambient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said silicon surface is a doped polysilicon film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said silicon surface is monocrystalline silicon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said silicon nitride film has a thickness between 10-25 Å.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said dielectric is a transition metal oxide dielectric.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said silicon nitride film is exposed to said ambient for between 60-180 seconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of annealing said dielectric layer.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of forming a capacitor, comprising: forming a silicon nitride film on a doped polysilicon bottom electrode of a substrate; heating said substrate to a temperature between 700-850° C.; while heating said substrate exposing said silicon nitride film to an ambient comprising hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ); forming a transition metal dielectric on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said dielectric.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of forming a capacitor, comprising: forming a silicon nitride film on a doped polysilicon bottom electrode of a substrate; heating said substrate to a temperature between 700-850° C.; while heating said substrate exposing said silicon nitride film to an ambient comprising hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ); forming a transition metal dielectric on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said dielectric.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of annealing said transition metal oxide dielectric.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of forming a stacked capacitor on a substrate comprising: forming a silicon nitride layer having a thickness between 10-25 Å on a doped polysilicon bottom electrode of a substrate; heating said substrate to a temperature between 700-850° C.; while heating said substrate, exposing said silicon nitride layer to an ambient consisting of hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) wherein said ambient has less than 10% H 2 and more than 90% N 2 by volume; forming a transition metal oxide dielectric on said ambient exposed silicon nitride layer; annealing said transition metal oxide dielectric layer; and forming the top capacitor electrode over said transition metal oxide dielectric.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of forming a stacked capacitor on a substrate comprising: forming a silicon nitride layer having a thickness between 10-25 Å on a doped polysilicon bottom electrode of a substrate; heating said substrate to a temperature between 700-850° C.; while heating said substrate, exposing said silicon nitride layer to an ambient consisting of hydrogen (H 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) wherein said ambient has less than 10% H 2 and more than 90% N 2 by volume; forming a transition metal oxide dielectric on said ambient exposed silicon nitride layer; annealing said transition metal oxide dielectric layer; and forming the top capacitor electrode over said transition metal oxide dielectric.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said silicon nitride film is formed to the temperature of less than 950° C.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of forming a capacitor comprising: exposing a silicon nitride film formed on a silicon surface to a ambient comprising at least 1% H 2 , by volume while heating said substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said dielectric layer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of forming a capacitor comprising: exposing a silicon nitride film formed on a silicon surface to a ambient comprising at least 1% H 2 , by volume while heating said substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said ambient exposed silicon nitride film; and forming a capacitor electrode above said dielectric layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ambient consists of H 2 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ambient comprises H 2 and Ar.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ambient comprises H 2 and He.
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