Transistor Structures
First Claim
1. A method of incorporating nitrogen into a silicon-oxide-containing layer, comprising:
- exposing the silicon-oxide-containing layer to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer;
the layer being maintained at less than or equal to 400°
C. during the exposing; and
thermally annealing the nitrogen within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen.
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Abstract
The invention encompasses a method of incorporating nitrogen into a silicon-oxide-containing layer. The silicon-oxide-containing layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer. The nitrogen is subsequently thermally annealed within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon within the layer. The invention also encompasses a method of forming a transistor. A gate oxide layer is formed over a semiconductive substrate. The gate oxide layer comprises silicon dioxide. The gate oxide layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer, and the layer is maintained at less than or equal to 400° C. during the exposing. Subsequently, the nitrogen within the layer is thermally annealed to bond at least a majority of the nitrogen to silicon. At least one conductive layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. Source/drain regions are formed within the semiconductive substrate, and are gatedly connected to one another by the at least one conductive layer. The invention also encompasses transistor structures.
101 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of incorporating nitrogen into a silicon-oxide-containing layer, comprising:
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exposing the silicon-oxide-containing layer to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer;
the layer being maintained at less than or equal to 400°
C. during the exposing; and
thermally annealing the nitrogen within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of forming a nitrogen-enriched region within a silicon-oxide-containing layer, comprising:
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providing the silicon-oxide-containing layer over a substrate;
the layer having an upper surface above the substrate and a lower surface on the substrate;
exposing the layer to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer and form a nitrogen-enriched region, the nitrogen enriched region being only in an upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer; and
thermally annealing the nitrogen within the nitrogen-enriched region to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen;
the nitrogen-enriched region remaining confined to the upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing;
the thermal annealing comprising either (1) thermal processing at a temperature of less than 1100°
C. for a time of at least 3 seconds, or (2) rapid thermal processing at a ramp rate of at least about 50°
C./sec to a process temperature of less than 1000°
C., with the process temperature being maintained for at least about 30 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of forming a transistor, comprising:
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forming a gate oxide layer over a semiconductive substrate, the gate oxide layer comprising silicon dioxide;
exposing the gate oxide layer to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer, the layer being maintained at less than or equal to 400°
C. during the exposing;
thermally annealing the nitrogen within the layer to bond at least a majority of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen;
forming at least one conductive layer over the gate oxide; and
forming source/drain regions within the semiconductive substrate;
the source/drain regions being gatedly connected to one another by the conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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29. A method of forming a transistor, comprising:
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forming a gate oxide layer over a semiconductive substrate, the gate oxide layer comprising silicon dioxide;
the gate oxide layer having an upper surface and a lower surface;
exposing the gate oxide layer to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the gate oxide layer and form a nitrogen-enriched region, the nitrogen enriched region being only in an upper half of the gate oxide layer;
thermally annealing the nitrogen within the nitrogen-enriched region to bond at least a majority of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen;
the nitrogen-enriched region remaining confined to the upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing;
forming at least one conductive layer over the gate oxide layer; and
forming source/drain regions within the semiconductive substrate;
the source/drain regions being gatedly connected to one another by the conductive layer.
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41. A transistor structure, comprising:
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a gate oxide layer over a semiconductive substrate, the gate oxide layer comprising silicon dioxide;
the gate oxide layer having a nitrogen-enriched region which is only in an upper half of the gate oxide layer;
at least one conductive layer over the gate oxide layer; and
source/drain regions within the semiconductive substrate;
the source/drain regions being gatedly connected to one another by the conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification