Defect compensation method for semiconductor element

• US 6,331,474 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Ryo, Saito, Keishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Christianson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/630,525
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 438/57, 438/61, 438/62, 438/149, 438/162, 438/408, 438/471, 438/476, 438/477, 438/765, 438/906, 438/910, 438/972
• US Class Current: 438/476
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/306 Chemical or electrical treatment, e.g. electrolytic etching to form insulating layers H01L21/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3221 of silicon bodies, e.g. for gettering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67057 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78672 Polycrystalline or microcrystalline silicon transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78684 having a semiconductor body comprising semiconductor materials of Group IV not being silicon, or alloys including an element of the group IV, e.g. Ge, SiN alloys, SiC alloys H01L29/7869 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/186 Particular post-treatment for the devices, e.g. annealing, impurity gettering, short-circuit elimination, recrystallisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A defect compensation method for a semiconductor element to compensate for defects of the semiconductor element, in which hot water is conducted with the semiconductor element to accomplish defect compensation. On the basis of this treatment, excessive progress of oxidation of the crystal grain boundary and retention of water and OH⁻ groups in the film are provented.

Claims

1. A defect compensation method for a semiconductor element to compensate defect of the semiconductor element, wherein hot water is contacted with semiconductor element to make the defect compensation of the semiconductor element.

2. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the defect compensation is carried out by controlling a temperature of the semiconductor element.

3. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the defect compensation is carried out bubbling with at least one species of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe as an inert gas, one species of oxygen-containing gas, nitrogen-containing gas, and carbon-containing gas in the hot water.

4. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein an atmospheric pressure, when the defect compensation is carried out by contacting hot water with the semiconductor element, ranges from 1 atm. to 100 atm.

5. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the hot water ranges from 30 to 300°

C.

6. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein oxygen-containing gas is contained in the hot water.

7. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 6, wherein the oxygen-containing gas is O₂.

8. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the hot water is acidic.

9. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element comprises silicon atoms.

10. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element comprises germanium atoms.

11. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element is a transistor.

12. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 2, wherein the defect compensation is carried out bubbling with at least one species of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe as an inert gas, one species of oxygen-containing gas, nitrogen-containing gas, and carbon-containing gas in the hot water.

13. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 3, wherein an atmospheric pressure, when the defect compensation is carried out by contacting hot water with the semiconductor element, ranges from 1 atm. to 100 atm.

14. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the hot water ranges from 30 to 300°

C.

15. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 4, wherein the temperature of the hot water ranges from 30 to 300°

C.

16. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 3, wherein oxygen-containing gas is contained in the hot water.

17. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 4, wherein oxygen-containing gas is contained in the hot water.

18. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 5, wherein oxygen-containing gas is contained in the hot water.

19. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 3, wherein the hot water is acidic.

20. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 4, wherein the hot water is acidic.

21. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 5, wherein the hot water is acidic.

22. The defect compensation method for the semiconductor element according to claim 6, wherein the hot water is acidic.