METHOD OF FORMING DIELECTRIC LAYERS ON A SUBSTRATE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
First Claim
1. A method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, comprising:
- providing a substrate having an exposed silicon oxide layer;
treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma; and
depositing a silicon nitride layer on the treated silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition at a temperature from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of forming dielectric layers on a substrate comprising silicon and oxygen are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate includes provide a substrate having an exposed silicon oxide layer; treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma; and depositing a silicon nitride layer on the treated silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition. The silicon nitride layer may be exposed to a plasma nitridation process. The silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers may be subsequently thermally annealed. The dielectric layers may be used as part of a gate structure.
331 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, comprising:
-
providing a substrate having an exposed silicon oxide layer; treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma; and depositing a silicon nitride layer on the treated silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition at a temperature from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, comprising:
-
providing a substrate comprising silicon; forming a silicon oxide layer on the substrate by annealing the substrate in an oxidizing atmosphere; treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma; depositing a silicon nitride layer on the treated silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition at a temperature from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius; exposing the silicon nitride layer to a plasma; and annealing the silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.
-
-
17. A method of forming a gate structure on a substrate, comprising:
-
providing substrate having an exposed silicon oxide layer treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma; depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition at a temperature from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius; and forming a gate electrode layer above the silicon nitride layer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24-28. -28. (canceled)
-
29. A method of forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, comprising:
-
providing a substrate having an exposed silicon oxide layer; treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma, wherein treating an upper surface of the silicon oxide layer with a plasma comprises exposing the upper surface of the silicon oxide layer to a plasma formed by a power supply operating in a pulsed wave mode and having a duty cycle as low as about 5 percent; and depositing a silicon nitride layer on the treated silicon oxide layer via atomic layer deposition. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
-
Specification