Methods for calibrating a process for growing an epitaxial silicon film and methods for growing an epitaxial silicon film

A method for growing an epitaxial silicon-comprising film, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first silicon substrate that has a first non-crystalline-silicon structure that extends beyond a surface of said first silicon substrate;
• etching a first trench in said first silicon substrate proximate to said first non-crystalline-silicon structure;
• growing a first epitaxial silicon-comprising film within said first trench while providing a flow rate of hydrochloric acid to said first silicon substrate, the step of growing performed for a time period;
• determining if said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film has grown beyond said first trench and along said first non-crystalline-silicon structure, the step of determining performed after the step of growing;
• measuring a thickness of said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film, the step of measuring performed after the step of growing;
• adjusting said flow rate of hydrochloric acid to an adjusted flow rate if it is determined that said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film has grown beyond said first trench and along said first non-crystalline-silicon structure;
• adjusting said time period to an adjusted time period based on said adjusted flow rate and said thickness of said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film;
• providing a second silicon substrate that has a second non-crystalline-silicon structure that extends beyond a surface of said second silicon substrate;
• etching a second trench in said second silicon substrate proximate to said second non-crystalline-silicon structure;
• and
• growing a second epitaxial silicon-comprising film within said second trench while providing said adjusted flow rate of hydrochloric acid to said second silicon substrate, the step of growing performed for said adjusted time period.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on and within a silicon substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first silicon substrate that has a first gate stack disposed thereon and a first non-crystalline-silicon spacer disposed about sidewalls of said first gate stack;
• etching a first trench in said first silicon substrate using said first gate stack and said first non-crystalline-silicon spacer as an etch mask;
• growing a first epitaxial silicon-comprising film within said first trench while providing a first flow rate of hydrochloric acid to said first silicon substrate, the step of growing performed for a first time period;
• determining if said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film has popped in relation to said first non-crystalline-silicon spacer, the step of determining performed after the step of growing;
• measuring a thickness of said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film, the step of measuring performed after the step of growing;
• adjusting said first flow rate of hydrochloric acid to a second flow rate if it is determined that said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film has popped;
• adjusting said first time period to a second time period based on said second flow rate and said thickness of said first epitaxial silicon-comprising film;
• providing a second silicon substrate that has a second gate stack that is disposed thereon and a second non-crystalline-silicon spacer disposed about sidewalls of said second gate stack;
• etching a second trench in said second silicon substrate using said second gate stack and said second non-crystalline-silicon spacer as an etch mask;
• and
• growing a second epitaxial silicon film within said second trench while providing said second flow rate of hydrochloric acid to said second silicon substrate, the step of growing performed for said second time period.