Method of forming an oxide film on a gate side wall of a gate structure

A method of forming an oxide film on a gate structure side wall, comprising the steps of:

• successively forming an insulating film, a conductor layer, and a metal silicide layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure including a gate insulating film, a gate conductor layer, and a gate silicide layer by etching the conductor layer and the metal silicide layer;
• placing said substrate in a rapid thermal processing furnace;
• and
• forming an oxide film on the side wall of the gate structure, using a rapid thermal processing technology, by forming a thin oxide film on the side wall of the gate structure by the heat treatment of the entire substrate including the gate structure with a first heat treatment condition followed by the heat treatment of the entire substrate with a second heat treatment condition to thicken the thin oxide film, wherein
• the first heat treatment condition is a low-temperature annealing process and the second heat treatment is a high-temperature annealing process, and
• wherein the first heat treatment condition includes an inert atmosphere containing oxygen and the second heat treatment condition includes an active atmosphere and wherein the thin oxide film is not formed prior to the first heat treatment.

A method of forming an oxide film on a gate structure side wall, comprising the steps of:

• successively forming an insulating film, a conductor layer, and a metal silicide layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure including a gate insulating film, a gate conductor layer, and a gate silicide layer by etching the conductor layer and the metal silicide layer;
• placing said substrate in a rapid thermal processing furnace;
• and
• forming an oxide film on the side wall of the gate structure, using a rapid thermal processing technology, by forming a thin oxide film on the side wail of the gate structure by the heat treatment of the entire substrate including the gate structure with a first heat treatment condition followed by the heat treatment of the entire substrate with a second heat treatment condition to thicken the thin oxide film, wherein
• the first heat treatment condition is a low-temperature annealing process and the second heat treatment is a high-temperature annealing process, and
• wherein the first heat treatment condition includes an inert atmosphere containing nitrogen and the second heat treatment condition includes an active atmosphere containing oxygen.