Method of producing high quality silicon surface for selective epitaxial growth of silicon

• US 5,780,343 A
• Filed: 12/20/1995
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bashir, Rashid
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, TRUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US08/575,900
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 438/269, 438/478, 438/481, 438/963, 438/974, 438/341, 438/413
• US Class Current: 438/269
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76294 using selective deposition of single crystal silicon, i.e. SEG techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/6609 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/963 Removing process residues from vertical substrate surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/974 Substrate surface preparation

Abstract

A method of producing a high quality silicon surface prior to carrying out a selective epitaxial growth of silicon process for forming an active device region on a substrate. The process flow of the present invention eliminates the need for the sacrificial oxidation layer typically used in such processes. After the etching of a seed hole through the isolation oxide layer using a reactive ion etch a short, low power C₂ F₆ etch is performed. The present invention provides a simple and cost-effective way to eliminate reactive ion etch damage prior to SEG growth because the dry C₂ F₆ etch can be done in the same etch reactor in which the seed hole oxide etch is performed. In addition, the re-oxidation (sacrificial oxide) step is eliminated, reducing the number of process steps.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer of isolation oxide on a silicon substrate;

etching an opening down to the substrate in the isolation oxide layer using a reactive ion etch process;

exposing the opening in the isolation oxide layer to a second dry etch process immediately following the first dry etch process, thereby removing polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate resulting from the reactive ion etch;

growing silicon in the opening using a selective epitaxial growth process; and

processing the silicon grown by the selective epitaxial growth process to produce an active device region for the semiconductor device.

2. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer of isolation oxide on a silicon substrate;

etching an opening down to the substrate in the isolation oxide layer using a first reactive ion etch process;

exposing the opening in the isolation oxide layer to a second reactive-ion etch process, thereby removing polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate resulting from the first reactive ion etch;

growing silicon in the opening using a selective epitaxial growth process; and

processing the silicon grown by the selective epitaxial growth process to produce an active device region for the semiconductor device.

4. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the second reactive ion etch is a C₂ F₆ reactive ion etch.

5. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the second reactive ion etch is performed at a pressure of 130 mT and a power of 150 watts.

3. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer of isolation oxide on a silicon substrate;

etching an opening down to the substrate in the isolation oxide layer using a reactive ion etch process;

exposing the opening in the isolation oxide layer to a plasma etch process, thereby removing polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate resulting from the first reactive ion etch;

growing silicon in the opening using a selective epitaxial growth process; and

processing the silicon grown by the selective epitaxial growth process to produce an active device region for the semiconductor device.

6. A method of growing high quality silicon for use in forming an active device region on a substrate, comprising:

opening a seed hole in a layer of oxide deposited on the substrate;

exposing the seed hole in the oxide layer to a dry etch process immediately following the opening of the seed hole, thereby removing the polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate which occurs during the opening of the seed hole; and

growing a high quality silicon body in the seed hole using a selective epitaxial growth process.

11. The method of growing high quality silicon of claim 6, wherein the seed hole is opened by a reactive ion etch process.

7. A method of growing high quality silicon for use in forming an active device region on a substrate, comprising:

opening a seed hole in a layer of oxide deposited on the substrate;

exposing the seed hole in the oxide layer to a reactive ion etch process, thereby removing the polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate which occurs during the opening of the seed hole; and

growing a high quality silicon body in the seed hole using a selective epitaxial growth process.

9. The method of growing high quality silicon of claim 7, wherein the reactive ion etch process is a C₂ F₆ reactive ion etch.

10. The method of growing high quality silicon of claim 9, wherein the C₂ F₆ reactive ion etch is performed at a pressure of 130 mT and a power of 150 watts.

8. A method of growing high quality silicon for use in forming an active device region on a substrate, comprising:

opening a seed hole in a layer of oxide deposited on the substrate;

exposing the seed hole in the oxide layer to a plasma etch process, thereby removing the polymers formed on the substrate and damage to the substrate which occurs during the opening of the seed hole; and

growing a high quality silicon body in the seed hole using a selective epitaxial growth process.

12. A method of treating a seed hole formed in an oxide layer overlying a silicon substrate to remove silicon damage and polymers formed during the formation of the seed hole prior to a selective epitaxial growth process, comprising exposing the seed hole in the oxide layer to a C₂ F₆ etch process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the C₂ F₆ etch is a reactive ion etch process.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the C₂ F₆ reactive ion etch process is performed at a pressure of 130 mT and a power of 150 watts.