LONG RANGE ORDERED AND EPITAXIAL OXIDES INCLUDING SIO2, ON SI, SIXGE1-X, GAAS AND OTHER SEMICONDUCTORS, MATERIAL SYNTHESIS, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF

摘要

A semiconductor processing method capable of producing highly ordered, ultra thin dielectrics, including gate oxide and other semiconductor dielectrics, and interphase phases with low defect density. The process includes a degrease step (21), an etch (22), a primary oxidation (24), and then a passivation step (26) which utilizes hydrofluoric acid to passivate the cleaned silicon surface with hydrogen. Dielectric layers may then be formed with low interface defect density, low flat-band voltages, and low fixed charge on semiconductor substrates. Ultra-thin layers of between 1/2 to 10 nm and thicker have been formed on Si(100). Devices, dielectrics and interphase phases formed using this process are claimed as well.