# US 12,009,204 B2 · Bias temperature instability of SiO2 layers

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- Number: US 12,009,204 B2
- Document ID: US12009204B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/369,709
- Filed: 2021-07-07
- Published: 2022-06-09
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-04
- Assignees: Imec Vzw
- Applicants: Imec Vzw
- Inventors: Jacopo Franco; Jean-Francois de Marneffe; Tibor Grasser
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009204B2

## CPC

- H10D 64/0134: {with a treatment, e.g. annealing, after the formation of the insulator and before the formation of the conductor}
- H10P 14/6532: {by exposure to a plasma}
- H10P 14/69215: {the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2}
- H10P 95/94: {Hydrogenation or deuterisation, e.g. using atomic hydrogen from a plasma}
- H10D 64/01336: {on single crystalline silicon, e.g. chemical oxidation using a liquid}
- H10D 64/01346: {in a gaseous ambient using an oxygen or a water vapour, e.g. oxidation through a layer (H10D64/01344 takes precedence)}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A method for improving a bias temperature instability of a SiO2 layer comprises exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for improving a bias temperature instability of a SiO2 layer, the method comprising:
exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen from a remote plasma source, wherein the exposure is at a low first temperature; and
after exposure to atomic hydrogen, sintering the SiO2 layer in a presence of molecular hydrogen at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the low first temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen is performed at a temperature between 100 and 300° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen is performed for a duration of between 10 s and 10 min.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen comprises exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen from a remote plasma.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein before exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen, the method comprises:
growing the SiO2 layer at a temperature of 600° C. or lower.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the SiO2 layer has not been exposed to a temperature of more than 300° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen is performed for a duration of between 10 s and 10 min.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen comprises exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen from a remote plasma.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein before exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen, the method comprises:
growing the SiO2 layer at a temperature of 600° C. or lower.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the SiO2 layer has not been exposed to a temperature of more than 300° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein sintering the SiO2 layer is performed at a temperature between 300° C. and 500° C.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein sintering the SiO2 layer is performed for a duration of between 15 and 25 min.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the SiO2 layer has a thickness between 0.5 and 2.5 nm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method for forming a SiO2 layer for a metal-oxide-semiconductor, the method comprising:
depositing a SiO2 layer, and
improving a bias temperature instability of the SiO2 layer using the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the metal-oxide-semiconductor is a p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor.