Method of processing a transistor gate dielectric film with stem

A method of processing a transistor gate dielectric film, the method comprising:

• depositing an oxygen-deficient transistor gate dielectric film layer over an active region of a semiconductor substrate;
• providing steam to a vicinity of the oxygen-deficient transistor gate dielectric film layer while the substrate undergoes a first heat treatment in a rapid thermal process chamber with a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas at a temperature greater than about 450° C., wherein said mixture is a ratio from 0.1 to approximately 0.80 of hydrogen gas to oxygen gas;
• and
• subjecting the oxygen-deficient transistor gate dielectric film to a second heat treatment in an ambient comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of N2, O2, O3, NO, and N2O.

A method of processing a transistor gate dielectric film, the method comprising:

• depositing a high-dielectric transistor gate film layer over an active region of a semiconductor substrate;
• applying steam to a vicinity of the high-dielectric transistor gate film layer while the substrate undergoes a first heat treatment in a rapid thermal process chamber at a temperature from about 500° C. to less than 700° C., said steam comprising a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas;
• and
• subjecting the high-dielectric transistor gate film to a second heat treatment in an ambient comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of N2, O2, O3, NO, and N2O.