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Growth-modified thermal oxidation for thin oxides

  • US 5,132,244 A
  • Filed: 06/12/1991
  • Issued: 07/21/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure including a relatively thin thermal oxide layer grown on a silicon surface, the method including the steps of:

  • a) providing a silicon surface at a first ambient temperature in the range of 600°

    -750°

    C.;

    b) increasing the ambient temperature to a second value required for oxidation in the range of 900°

    -950°

    C.;

    c) initiating and maintaining oxide growth by subjecting the silicon surface to an oxygen ambient for a period of time related to the desired thickness of the grown oxide; and

    d) removing the oxygen ambient to terminate the oxide growthcharacterized in that the process includes performing an in situ preoxidation silicon surface treatment before initiating the oxide growth of step c), the steps including1) gettering the silicon surface in a chlorine-containing ambient, at the first ambient temperature, to remove contaminants at said silicon surface; and

    2) annealing, at the second temperature, the silicon surface gettered in step

         1), the annealing to minimize local stress variations in said silicon surface.

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