Dopant activation anneal to achieve less dopant diffusion (better USJ profile) and higher activation percentage
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a doped semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- disposing the doped semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber;
providing a cleaning gas comprising a mixture of ammonia, nitrogen trifluoride, and a carrier gas to the processing chamber;
converting a portion of the cleaning gas to neutral radicals by applying RF power;
forming a sublimation layer on the doped semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to the cleaning gas while cooling the substrate;
forming an oxygen-free surface on the doped semiconductor substrate by heating the sublimation layer; and
activating the dopants in the doped semiconductor substrate by an annealing process, wherein a partial pressure of oxidizing gases is maintained below about 1 mTorr during the aforementioned disposing, providing, converting, forming, forming, and activating.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming a semiconductor device. A semiconductor substrate is implanted with dopants. The substrate is subjected to a cleaning process employing electrically neutral nitrogen and fluorine radicals to produce an oxygen-free surface having dangling bonds. Before any further exposure to oxidizing gases, the substrate is annealed by thermal treatment to activate and distribute the dopants. A gate oxide layer is formed over the annealed surface. The apparatus performs all such treatments without breaking vacuum.
227 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of processing a doped semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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disposing the doped semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; providing a cleaning gas comprising a mixture of ammonia, nitrogen trifluoride, and a carrier gas to the processing chamber; converting a portion of the cleaning gas to neutral radicals by applying RF power; forming a sublimation layer on the doped semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to the cleaning gas while cooling the substrate; forming an oxygen-free surface on the doped semiconductor substrate by heating the sublimation layer; and activating the dopants in the doped semiconductor substrate by an annealing process, wherein a partial pressure of oxidizing gases is maintained below about 1 mTorr during the aforementioned disposing, providing, converting, forming, forming, and activating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A process for forming a device on a substrate, comprising:
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implanting dopants into a surface of the substrate; terminating the implanted surface with dangling bonds by exposing the substrate to a reducing gas at a temperature less than about 100°
C.;activating the dopants by heating the implanted surface of the substrate; and forming an oxide layer over the implanted surface. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of forming a device on a substrate, comprising:
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implanting dopants into a surface of the substrate; disposing the substrate in a processing chamber configured to produce a charge-free reducing gas comprising neutral radicals; applying RF energy at a remote location to form neutral radicals comprising nitrogen and fluorine; flowing the neutral radicals into the processing chamber and exposing the doped surface of the substrate to the neutral radicals; reacting the neutral radicals with the substrate surface at a temperature less than about 100°
C. to form a thin film;removing the thin film by heating a fixture of the processing chamber, positioning the fixture near the substrate surface, and heating the substrate surface; generating dangling bonds on the substrate surface; activating the dopants using a furnace annealing process; and forming an oxide layer over the implanted surface. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification