Process for forming coatings on semiconductor devices
AssigneeAG Associates
InventorNitin B. Shah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for forming coatings and films from a gaseous reactant onto a semiconductor device is disclosed. The process includes preheating a gas to a temperature so that the gas will immediately react with the semiconductor wafer. After being preheated, the gas is contacted with the wafer under controlled conditions in order to form a uniform film. For instance, in one embodiment, a gas containing dinitrogen oxide is preheated until the dinitrogen oxide disassociates into nitric oxide. The nitric oxide is then contacted with the wafer to form an oxide coating. In an alternative embodiment, gaseous hydrogen and oxygen are preheated to a temperature sufficient to form steam, which subsequently chemically reacts with the wafer.
Claims29
A process for forming an oxynitride coating on a semiconductor device, said process comprising the steps of:
- placing a semiconductor wafer in a thermal processing chamber;
- heating said semiconductor wafer using light energy;
- preheating a gas containing dinitrogen oxide remote from said semiconductor wafer, said gas being preheated to a temperature sufficient to convert a substantial portion of said dinitrogen oxide into nitric oxide;
- and
- contacting said preheated gas with said semiconductor wafer while said wafer is being heated by said light energy, said nitric oxide reacting with said semiconductor wafer to form an oxide coating on said wafer.
A process for forming an oxynitride coating on a semiconductor device, said process comprising the steps of:
- placing a silicon wafer in a thermal processing chamber, said thermal processing chamber being in communication with at least one light source;
- heating said semiconductor wafer within said thermal processing chamber using light energy being emitted by said at least one light source;
- preheating a gas containing dinitrogen oxide remote from said semiconductor wafer, said gas being preheated to a temperature sufficient to convert a substantial portion of said dinitrogen oxide into nitric oxide;
- dispersing said preheated gas over a surface of said silicon wafer;
- and
- reacting said nitric oxide contained within said preheated gas with said surface of said silicon wafer to form a silicon oxynitride coating on said surface of said wafer, said wafer being reacted with said nitric oxide while said wafer is being heated within said thermal processing chamber.
A process for forming a coating on a semiconductor device by reacting said device with a gas, said process comprising the steps of:
- placing a semiconductor device in a thermal processing chamber, said thermal processing chamber including interior walls made from a substantially nonconductive material, said thermal processing chamber being in communication with at least one light source;
- heating said semiconductor device within said thermal processing chamber using light energy being emitted said at least one light source;
- preheating a gas being fed to said thermal processing chamber remote from said semiconductor device, said gas being preheated using essentially thermal energy, said gas being preheated to a temperature sufficient for at least one component contained within said gas to undergo a chemical change and form a gaseous chemical reactant;
- and
- contacting said semiconductor device with said preheated gas while said semiconductor device is being heated by said at least one light source, said gaseous chemical reactant reacting with said semiconductor device to form a coating on said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.