Amorphous and polycrystalline silicon nanolaminate
OwnerOmer H. Dokumaci, Oleg Gluschenkov +2inventors
InventorsOmer H. Dokumaci, Oleg Gluschenkov, Michael Belyanksy, Bruce B. Doris
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Abstract
A method for forming a uniform layered structure comprising an ultra-thin layer of amorphous silicon and its thermal oxide is disclosed. In one aspect, a method for forming a nanolaminate of silicon oxide on a substrate is disclosed. In another aspect, a method for forming a patterned hard mask on a substrate is disclosed. The patterned hard mask includes a nanolaminate of silicon and silicon oxide. The methods are characterized by the oxidation of an amorphous silicon layer using atomic oxygen.
Claims19
A method for forming a nanolaminate of a silicon-containing material and an oxide on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing a film containing amorphous silicon onto the substrate, the film having an initial thickness;
- oxidizing the amorphous silicon-containing film by exposing the substrate to a gaseous mixture comprising atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen, wherein the ratio of atomic oxygen to molecular oxygen is about 0.00001 to 100, thereby forming a layer of oxide on the film, wherein after oxidation the film has a final thickness less than the initial thickness;
- and
- removing the oxide.
A method for forming a patterned hard mask on a substrate, the patterned hard mask including a nanolaminate of a silicon-containing material and an oxide, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing a film containing amorphous silicon onto the substrate, the film having an initial thickness;
- oxidizing the amorphous silicon-containing film by exposing the substrate to a gaseous mixture comprising atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen, wherein the ratio of atomic oxygen to molecular oxygen is about 0.00001 to 100, thereby forming a layer of oxide on the film, wherein after oxidation the film has a final thickness less than the initial thickness;
- and
- patterning the layer of oxide using a lithography process, thereby exposing preselected areas of the amorphous silicon-containing film.
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a polycrystalline silicon-containing film on said substrate, the silicon-containing film having a thickness of less than about 100 Å and a thickness variation of less than about 30%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.