Method for growing thin silicon oxides on a silicon substrate using chlorine precursors
AssigneesImec Vzw, ASM International N.V., Olin Corporation
InventorsPaul Mertens, Michael McGeary, Hessel Sprey, Karine Kenis, Marc Schaekers, Marc Heyns
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Abstract
A method of growing a silicon oxide layer on a silicon substrate by means of a thermal oxidation in a furnace in the presence of a gaseous mixture, said mixture comprising oxygen and Cl2, said Cl2 being generated by an organic chlorine-carbon source, particularly oxalyl chloride. This method is directed to the growth of (ultra) thin silicon oxides and/or the cleaning of a substrate using a low oxidation power. Consequently the method disclosed is especially suited for temperature below 700° C. and for oxidation ambients containing only small amounts of oxygen.
Claims15
A method of growing a silicon oxide layer on a silicon substrate by thermal oxidation in a furnace having a single chamber, comprising the steps of:
- heating said substrate in said chamber;
- providing a gaseous mixture in said chamber, said mixture comprising oxygen and an organic chlorine-carbon source at a temperature below 700° C., wherein the oxygen has a volume concentration in the range from 0.1 to 5%, and wherein the ratio of the total number of Cl atoms to the total number of O atoms in the gaseous mixture is about 0.1 or below;
- and
- holding said silicon substrate in said chamber until said silicon oxide layer on said substrate is formed, said silicon oxide layer having a thickness in the range from 0.1 nm to 8 nm and a haze of less than 0.87 ppm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.