Methods of forming a nitrogen enriched region
First Claim
1. A method of forming a nitrogen-enriched region within a silicon-oxide-containing layer, comprising:
- providing the silicon-oxide-containing layer over a substrate;
the silicon-oxide-containing layer having a bare upper surface above the substrate and a lower surface on the substrate;
exposing the silicon-oxide-containing layer to an activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the silicon-oxide-containing layer and form a nitrogen-enriched region, the nitrogen-enriched region being only in an upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer;
subsequent to the introduction of nitrogen into the silicon-oxide-containing layer, thermally annealing the nitrogen within the nitrogen-enriched region, while the bare upper surface of the silicon-oxide-containing layer remains bare, to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen;
the nitrogen-enriched region remaining confined to the upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing; and
wherein the nitrogen-enriched region is formed only in the upper third of the silicon-oxide-containing layer by the exposing and remains confined to the upper third of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing.
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Abstract
The invention encompasses a method of incorporating nitrogen into a silicon-oxide-containing layer. The silicon-oxide-containing layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer. The nitrogen is subsequently thermally annealed within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon within the layer. The invention also encompasses a method of forming a transistor. A gate oxide layer is formed over a semiconductive substrate. The gate oxide layer comprises silicon dioxide. The gate oxide layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer, and the layer is maintained at less than or equal to 400° C. during the exposing. Subsequently, the nitrogen within the layer is thermally annealed to bond at least a majority of the nitrogen to silicon. At least one conductive layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. Source/drain regions are formed within the semiconductive substrate, and are gatedly connected to one another by the at least one conductive layer. The invention also encompasses transistor structures.
172 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of forming a nitrogen-enriched region within a silicon-oxide-containing layer, comprising:
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providing the silicon-oxide-containing layer over a substrate;
the silicon-oxide-containing layer having a bare upper surface above the substrate and a lower surface on the substrate;exposing the silicon-oxide-containing layer to an activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the silicon-oxide-containing layer and form a nitrogen-enriched region, the nitrogen-enriched region being only in an upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer; subsequent to the introduction of nitrogen into the silicon-oxide-containing layer, thermally annealing the nitrogen within the nitrogen-enriched region, while the bare upper surface of the silicon-oxide-containing layer remains bare, to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen;
the nitrogen-enriched region remaining confined to the upper half of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing; andwherein the nitrogen-enriched region is formed only in the upper third of the silicon-oxide-containing layer by the exposing and remains confined to the upper third of the silicon-oxide-containing layer during the annealing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification