System and method for applying a pre-gate plasma etch in a semiconductor device manufacturing process
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a gate oxide layer during a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:
- growing a sacrificial oxide layer over a silicon substrate;
applying a pre-gate plasma etch process to said sacrificial oxide layer that does not substantially remove said sacrificial oxide layer;
stripping away said sacrificial oxide layer from said silicon substrate; and
growing said gate oxide layer over said silicon substrate.
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Abstract
A system and method is described for applying a pre-gate plasma etch in a semiconductor device manufacturing process in order to increase the integrity of a subsequently grown gate oxide layer. During the manufacture of a semiconductor device a sacrificial oxide layer is grown over a silicon substrate. The pre-gate plasma etch process is applied to the sacrificial oxide layer. Then the sacrificial oxide layer is stripped away and a gate oxide layer is grown over the silicon substrate. The gate oxide layer has an increased integrity due to the application of the pre-gate plasma etch process.
34 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a gate oxide layer during a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:
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growing a sacrificial oxide layer over a silicon substrate; applying a pre-gate plasma etch process to said sacrificial oxide layer that does not substantially remove said sacrificial oxide layer; stripping away said sacrificial oxide layer from said silicon substrate; and growing said gate oxide layer over said silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for manufacturing a gate oxide layer during a manufacturing process of a shallow trench in a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:
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etching a shallow trench in a silicon substrate; growing a liner oxide layer over said silicon substrate of said shallow trench; depositing a layer of tetra-ethyl-oxysilane (TEOS) material in said shallow trench; chemical mechanical polishing said TEOS material to a desired level; growing a sacrificial oxide layer over surfaces of said silicon substrate not covered by said TEOS material; applying a pre-gate plasma etch process to said sacrificial oxide layer that does not substantially remove said sacrificial oxide layer; stripping away said sacrificial oxide layer from said silicon substrate; and growing said gate oxide layer over said silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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