Method of reducing loss of metal silicide in pre-metal etching

A process of pre-metal etching for reducing loss of metal silicide, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a silicon substrate;
• (b) forming a polysilicon gate and doped source/drain electrode regions on the silicon substrate;
• (c) forming a metal silicide layer on the polysilicon gate and the doped source/drain electrode regions;
• (d) forming a protecting glass layer on the metal silicide layer;
• (e) dry etching the protecting glass layer to define a contact window while forming a damaged metal silicide layer in the metal silicide layer;
• (f) performing a rapid thermal process to repair the damaged metal silicide layer;
• and
• (g) performing a pre-metal etching process;
• wherein step (f) is performed after steps (a)-(e).

A process of pre-metal etching for reducing loss of metal silicide, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a partially-formed integrated circuit device including a polysilicon gate and doped source/drain electrode regions formed on a silicon substrate, a metal silicide layer formed directly on the polysilicon gate and the doped source/drain electrode regions, and a protective glass layer formed thereon;
• (b) dry etching the protective glass layer to define a contact window, the dry etching damaging the metal silicide layer under the contact window;
• (c) after step (b), performing a thermal process to repair the damaged metal silicide layer;
• (d) after step (c), performing pre-metal etching to remove an oxide layer on the surface of the repaired metal silicide layer;
• and
• (e) after step (d), depositing a metal layer on the etched metal silicide layer.