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US 5,966,623 AGranted
Metal impurity neutralization within semiconductors by fluorination
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsRajinder P. Khosla, Liang-Sun Hung
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Abstract
Fluorination can be used to neutralize transition metal impurities in Si. Fluorine is incorporated into the near-surface region of Si by implantation or annealing in a fluorine containing ambient. Thermal treatments at appropriate temperatures are used to initiate the interdiffusion and reaction between fluorine and metal contaminants. The impurities readily react with fluorine to form a compound or complex, thus significantly reducing the number of mid-gap impurities.
Claims11
A method of neutralizing transition metal defects within semiconductors comprising the steps of:
- providing a semiconductor substrate with a surface containing etched circuitry;
- placing the semiconductor substrate containing etched circuitry into a chamber;
- neutralizing transition metal impurities in the semiconductor substrate containing etched circuitry by incorporating fluorine into the surface of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- thermally treating the semiconductor substrate containing etched circuitry at predetermined temperatures within a range of 400-900.degree. C. to initiate interdiffusion and reaction between fluorine and metal impurities at the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.