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US 8,043,981 B2Granted
Dual frequency low temperature oxidation of a semiconductor device
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsKai Ma, Yoshitaka Yokota, Christopher S. Olsen
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate are disclosed. A two frequency plasma source is used to form a plasma in a plasma reactor. In various embodiments, different quantities of power are supplied to a power source operating at the first frequency and a power source operating at the second frequency over time.
Claims26
A method of forming an oxide layer on a stack on a semiconductor substrate by low temperature plasma oxidation, comprising:
- placing the semiconductor substrate on a substrate support in a chamber of a plasma reactor;
- introducing a gas into the chamber, the gas consisting essentially of oxygen and an optional second gas selected from hydrogen, helium, argon, krypton, neon and xenon;
- supplying power to a power source operating at a first frequency to generate a first plasma containing ionized oxygen within the chamber;
- supplying power to a power source operating at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is higher than the first frequency;
- and
- growing the oxide layer at a temperature below 700° C. on the stack on the semiconductor substrate by oxidizing the stack including a pair of sidewalls and the power supplied at the first frequency and the second frequency is selected to provide sufficient energy to cover the sidewalls and to prevent damage to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the oxide layer is formed in a first step in which no power is supplied at the first frequency while power is supplied at the second frequency and in a second step in which power is supplied at the first frequency and the second frequency.
3 more elements
A method of forming an oxide layer on a stack on a semiconductor substrate by low temperature plasma oxidation, comprising:
- placing the semiconductor substrate on a substrate support in a chamber of a plasma reactor;
- introducing a gas into the chamber, the gas consisting essentially of oxygen and an optional second gas selected from hydrogen, helium, argon, krypton, neon and xenon;
- supplying power to a power source operating at a first frequency to generate a first plasma containing ionized oxygen within the chamber;
- supplying power to a power source operating at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is higher than the first frequency;
- and
- growing the oxide layer at a temperature below 700° C. on the stack on the semiconductor substrate by oxidizing the stack including a pair of sidewalls and the power supplied at the first frequency and the second frequency is selected to provide sufficient energy to cover the sidewalls and to prevent damage to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the oxide layer is formed in a first step in which no power is supplied at the first frequency while power is supplied at the second frequency followed by a second step in which power at the first frequency is gradually increased and substantially constant power is supplied at the second frequency followed by a third step in which substantially constant power is supplied at the first frequency and the second frequency.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.