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US6168980B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor device and method for forming the same

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-09-26
•
Granted: 2001-01-02
•
Expires: 2016-09-26
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Abstract

Abstract A low temperature process for fabricating a high-performance and reliable semiconductor device in high yield, comprising forming a silicon oxide film as a gate insulator by chemical vapor deposition using TEOS as a starting material under an oxygen, ozone, or a nitrogen oxide atmosphere on a semiconductor coating having provided on an insulator substrate; and irradiating a pulsed laser beam or an intense light thereto to remove clusters of such as carbon and hydrocarbon to thereby eliminate trap centers from the silicon oxide film. Also claimed is a process comprising implanting nitrogen ions into a silicon oxide film and annealing the film thereafter using an infrared light, to thereby obtain a silicon oxynitride film as a gate insulator having a densified film structure, a high dielectric constant, and an improved withstand voltage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
  • 👤 Hongyong Zhang

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 19:08
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922; H10P14/6927; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0321; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6518; H10P14/6524; H10P14/6526; H10P14/6536; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6684; H10P14/6686; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0436; H10P14/6329; H10P14/6336; H10P14/6538; H10P14/6542; H10P14/6682; H10P14/69215

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim 113 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film including said portion wherein said metal diffuses through said semiconductor film; patterning the crystallized semiconductor film into said active layer; forming a silicon oxide film containing chlorine on the active layer by chemical vapor deposition; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film; and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxide film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 113 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film including said portion wherein said metal diffuses through said semiconductor film; patterning the crystallized semiconductor film into said active layer; forming a silicon oxide film containing chlorine on the active layer by chemical vapor deposition; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film; and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxide film.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 122 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film with said metal containing material wherein said metal diffuses through said portion during the crystallization; patterning the crystallized film into said active layer; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the active layer; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film is doped with a gettering material.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 122 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film with said metal containing material wherein said metal diffuses through said portion during the crystallization; patterning the crystallized film into said active layer; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the active layer; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film is doped with a gettering material.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 105 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material; crystallizing said semiconductor film wherein said metal diffuses through said portion during the crystallization; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the crystallized semiconductor film by chemical vapor deposition; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film is deposited with chlorine.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 105 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate, said semiconductor film having a portion to become an active layer of said semiconductor device; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material; crystallizing said semiconductor film wherein said metal diffuses through said portion during the crystallization; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the crystallized semiconductor film by chemical vapor deposition; nitriding only in the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film is deposited with chlorine.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 88 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film wherein said metal diffuses through the semiconductor film during the crystallization; forming an insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the crystallized semiconductor film by chemical vapor deposition wherein a gettering material is added into said insulating film; and nitriding only in a vicinity of a surface of said insulating film.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 88 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film over a substrate; providing said semiconductor film with a metal containing material for promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film wherein said metal diffuses through the semiconductor film during the crystallization; forming an insulating film comprising silicon oxide on the crystallized semiconductor film by chemical vapor deposition wherein a gettering material is added into said insulating film; and nitriding only in a vicinity of a surface of said insulating film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, gold, and silver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, gold, and silver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, gold, and silver.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, gold, and silver.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 53 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 53 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein said gate insulating film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the nitriding process is performed by implantation of a nitrogen ion into said gate insulating film.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 59 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; introducing a nitrogen element into said gate insulating film for nitriding only the vicinity of a surface thereof; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 59 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; introducing a nitrogen element into said gate insulating film for nitriding only the vicinity of a surface thereof; and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 12 , wherein said gate insulating film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 12 , wherein said nitrogen element is a nitrogen ion.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 56 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a silicon oxide film over said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon oxynitride film by nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film, and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxynitride film.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 56 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a silicon oxide film over said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon oxynitride film by nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film, and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxynitride film.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein said silicon oxide film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein said oxynitride film is expressed by SiO x N y , wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 0 to 4/3.
Claim 25
Independent Claim 61 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 26
Independent Claim 61 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said gate insulating film, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 18 , wherein said silicon oxide film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 18 , wherein the nitriding process is performed by implantation of a nitrogen ion into said gate insulating film.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to claim 18 , wherein said halogen element is chlorine.
Claim 30
Independent Claim 67 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; introducing a nitrogen element into said gate insulating film for nitriding only the vicinity of a surface thereof, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 31
Independent Claim 67 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a gate insulating film comprising silicon oxide over said crystalline semiconductor film; introducing a nitrogen element into said gate insulating film for nitriding only the vicinity of a surface thereof, and forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film, wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 22 , wherein said silicon oxide film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 22 , wherein said nitrogen element is a nitrogen ion.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to claim 22 , wherein said halogen element is chlorine.
Claim 35
Independent Claim 64 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a silicon oxide film over said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon oxynitride film by nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film, and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxynitride film; wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 36
Independent Claim 64 words
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon; forming a silicon oxide film over said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon oxynitride film by nitriding only the vicinity of a surface of said silicon oxide film, and forming a gate electrode on said silicon oxynitride film; wherein said gate insulating film contains halogen element.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 26 , wherein said silicon oxide film is formed by a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method according to claim 26 , wherein said oxynitride film is expressed by SiO x N y , wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 0 to 4/3.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to claim 26 , wherein said halogen element is chlorine.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-01-02 2004-07-03 2005-01-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-01-02 2008-07-03 2009-01-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-01-02 2012-07-03 2013-01-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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