Germanium mediated de-oxidation of silicon
AssigneePsiquantum, Corp.
InventorsYong Liang, Vimal Kumar Kamineni
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Abstract
A method for removing a native oxide film from a semiconductor substrate includes repetitively depositing layers of germanium on the native oxide and heating the substrate causing the layer of germanium to form germanium oxide, desorbing a portion of the native oxide film. The process is repeated until the oxide film is removed. A subsequent layer of strontium titanate can be deposited on the semiconductor substrate, over either residual germanium or a deposited germanium layer. The germanium can be converted to silicon germanium oxide by exposing the strontium titanate to oxygen.
Claims11
A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising:
- positioning the substrate in a deposition chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a top layer of silicon germanium oxide, a middle layer of silicon germanium and a bottom layer of silicon;
- depositing a layer of germanium on the top layer of silicon germanium oxide;
- and
- heating the substrate to a temperature below 850° C., thereby causing at least a portion of the top layer of silicon germanium oxide to react with the layer of germanium to form germanium oxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.