Methods for chemical formation of thin film layers using short-time thermal processes
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorDaniel F. Downey
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Abstract
A method is provided for forming a thin film layer of a substrate. The method includes the steps of forming a thin surface layer containing a dopant material on the substrate, and short-time thermal processing of the doped surface layer with processing parameters selected to produce a reaction between the surface layer and the dopant material to form a dielectric film, a metal film or a silicide film. In one embodiment, short-time thermal processing is implemented by flash rapid thermal processing of the doped surface layer. In another embodiment, short-time thermal processing is implemented by sub-melt laser processing of the doped surface layer. The process may be used for forming dielectric layers having a thickness of 50 angstroms or less.
Claims31
A method for forming a thin film layer on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- forming a thin surface layer containing a dopant material on the substrate;
- and
- short-time thermal processing of the doped surface layer with processing parameters selected to produce a reaction between the surface layer and the dopant material to form a dielectric film, a metal film or a silicide film having a thickness of 50 angstroms or less.
A method for forming a thin film layer on a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of:
- forming on the silicon substrate a doped silicon oxide layer containing nitrogen;
- and
- short-time thermal processing of the doped silicon oxide layer with processing parameters selected to produce a reaction between the silicon oxide and the nitrogen to form silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or both, and to avoid significant diffusion of nitrogen into the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.