Method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG pre-clean process

• US 6,991,991 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marlin Semiconductor Limited (f/k/a Sandyford Semiconductor Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chien, Chin-Cheng, Chen, Yu-Kun, Yang, Neng-Hui, Cheng, Ya-Lun
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALSAWMA, LALRINFAMKIM HMAR
• Application Number:
  US10/705,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 438/300, 438/303, 438/595, 438/749, 438/756, 438/757
• US Class Current: 438/303
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02052 Wet cleaning only H01L21/02085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31111 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/6653 using the removal of at least part of spacer, e.g. disposable spacer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/6656 using multiple spacer layers, e.g. multiple sidewall spacers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66628 recessing the gate by forming single crystalline semiconductor material at the source or drain location
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7834 with a non-planar structure, e.g. the gate or the source or the drain being non-planar

Abstract

A method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG preclean process is provided. This present invention utilizes HFEG solution to etch the first spacer and the second spacer simultaneously, which can prevent from producing a spacer undercut, meanwhile; a native oxide layer upon a surface of a semiconductor substrate is removed. Hence, the clean surface on the semiconductor substrate is obtained. This method includes the steps as follows: Firstly, the native oxide layer upon the surface of the semiconductor substrate is removed by DHF (HF in deionized water) solution. Then, etching the first spacer and the second spacer at the same time by HFEG (HF diluted by ethylene glycol) solution. Also, the native oxide upon the semiconductor substrate is removed. Therefore, it obtains the clean semiconductor surface without a serious spacer undercut.

Claims

1. A method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate;

forming a gate structure on said semiconductor substrate;

forming a spacer of double-film structure on a side-wall of said gate structure, wherein said spacer of double-film structure comprises a first spacer and a second spacer, said first spacer being formed between said side-wall of said gate structure and said second spacer;

removing a portion of a surface of said semiconductor substrate by using a DHF (hydrofluoric acid diluted in deionized water) solution to remove a native oxide layer on said surface of said semiconductor substrate; and

etching said first spacer and said second spacer, wherein an etching rate of said second spacer is faster than an etching rate of said first spacer.

2. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 1, wherein a volume ratio for hydrofluoric acid to deionized water is about 1:

10-1;

100 in said DHF solution.

3. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 1 wherein etching said first spacer and said second spacer comprises a HFEG (HF diluted by ethylene glycol) solution is utilized.

4. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 3, wherein a volume ratio for hydrofluoric acid to ethylene glycol is 0-4% in said HFEG solution.

5. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 1, wherein said first spacer comprises silicon dioxide.

6. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 5, wherein said second spacer comprises silicon nitride.

7. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 1, wherein formation of said raised source/drain is formed by selective epitaxial growth (SEG) method.

8. A method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate;

forming a gate structure on said semiconductor substrate, wherein said gate structure comprises a gate oxide and a polysilicon gate electrode, said polysilicon gate electrode on said gate oxide;

forming a first spacer comprising silicon dioxide on a side-wall of said polysilicon gate electrode and said gate oxide;

forming a second spacer comprising silicon nitride on a side-wall of said first spacer;

performing a first Pre-clean process, using a DHF solution to clean a surface of said semiconductor substrate;

performing a second Pre-clean process, using a HFEG solution to clean a portion of said surface of said semiconductor substrate and a portion of said first spacer and a portion of said second spacer; and

forming a raised source/drain on said surface of said semiconductor substrate.

9. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 8, wherein a volume ratio for hydrofluoric acid to deionized water is about 1:

10-1;

100 in said DHF solution.

10. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 8, wherein said raised source/drain is formed by selective epitaxial growth (SEG) method.

11. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 10, wherein said selective epitaxial growth (SEG) method for said raised source/drain is selected from a group consisting of low pressure chemical vapor deposition and ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition.

12. The method for preventing to form a spacer undert in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 10, wherein said raised source/drain comprises epitaxial silicon.

13. The method for preventing to form a spacer undercut in SEG Pre-clean process according to claim 8, wherein a volume ratio for hydrofluoric acid to deionized water is about 1:

10-1;

100 in said DHF solution. comprises epitaxial silicon.