Hydrogen-plasma process for surface preparation prior to insulator deposition on compound semiconductor materials
OwnerSharka M. Prokes, Erin Cleveland +1inventors
InventorsSharka M. Prokes, Erin Cleveland, Laura Ruppalt
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Abstract
A method of making a semiconductor material by pretreating a semiconductor substrate having a native oxide on the substrate surface under vacuum with hydrogen plasma to remove and/or modify the native oxide. After plasma exposure, a high-k dielectric is deposited in-situ onto the substrate using atomic layer deposition. There is no break in the vacuum between the plasma exposure and the atomic layer deposition. Also disclosed is the related semiconductor/dielectric material stack.
Claims16
A method of forming a semiconductor/dielectric material, comprising:
- loading a semiconductor substrate into an atomic layer deposition reactor and applying a vacuum, wherein the substrate may contain a native oxide on a surface of the substrate;
- exposing the substrate to a hydrogen plasma, wherein the hydrogen plasma removes, modifies, or removes and modifies the native oxide;
- and
- after plasma exposure, in-situ depositing a high-k dielectric onto the substrate using atomic layer deposition, wherein there is no break in the vacuum between the plasma exposure and the atomic layer deposition.
A semiconductor/dielectric material formed by the method, comprising:
- loading a semiconductor substrate into an atomic layer deposition reactor and applying a vacuum, wherein the substrate may contain a native oxide on a surface of the substrate;
- exposing the substrate to a hydrogen plasma, wherein the hydrogen plasma removes, modifies, or removes and modifies the native oxide;
- and
- after plasma exposure, in-situ depositing a high-k dielectric onto the substrate using atomic layer deposition, wherein there is no break in the vacuum between the plasma exposure and the atomic layer deposition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.