Hydrogen free integration of high-k gate dielectrics
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsLuigi Colombo, James J. Chambers, Mark R. Visokay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention pertains to forming a transistor in the absence of hydrogen, or in the presence of a significantly reduced amount of hydrogen. In this manner, a high-k material can be utilized to form a gate dielectric layer in the transistor and facilitate device scaling while mitigating defects that can be introduced into the high-k material by the presence of hydrogen and/or hydrogen containing compounds.
Claims24
A method of processing a transistor gate structure formed upon a semiconductor substrate having a high-k gate dielectric, comprising:
- forming a first oxide layer over the gate structure and portions of the substrate adjacent to the gate structure not covered by the gate structure in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- forming a nitride layer over the first oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- forming a second oxide layer over the nitride layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- etching the second oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds to form sidewall spacers adjacent to the gate structure;
- etching the nitride layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- and
- etching the first oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds.
A method of processing a transistor gate structure formed upon a semiconductor substrate having a high-k gate dielectric, comprising:
- forming a nitride layer between a first oxide layer and a second oxide layer wherein at least one of the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer includes SiO2 and is formed utilizing deuterated precursors;
- etching the second oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds to form sidewall spacers adjacent to the gate structure;
- etching the nitride layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- and
- etching the first oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds.
A method of processing a transistor gate structure formed upon a semiconductor substrate having a high-k gate dielectric, comprising:
- forming a first oxide layer over the gate structure and portions of the substrate adjacent to the gate structure not covered by the gate structure in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- forming a nitride layer over the first oxide layer wherein the nitride layer includes Si3N4 and is formed utilizing deuterated precursors;
- forming a second oxide layer over the nitride layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- etching the second oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds to form sidewall spacers adjacent to the gate structure;
- etching the nitride layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds;
- and
- etching the first oxide layer in the absence of hydrogen or hydrogen containing compounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.