Methods for precleaning a substrate prior to metal silicide fabrication process

摘要

Methods for precleaning native oxides or other contaminants from a surface of a substrate prior to forming a metal silicide layer on the substrate. In one embodiment, a method for removing native oxides from a substrate includes transferring a substrate having an oxide layer disposed thereon into a processing chamber, performing a pretreatment process on the substrate by supplying a pretreatment gas mixture into the processing chamber, performing an oxide removal process on the substrate by supplying a cleaning gas mixture into the processing chamber, wherein the cleaning gas mixture includes at least an ammonium gas and a nitrogen trifluoride, and performing a post treatment process on the cleaned substrate by supplying a post treatment gas mixture into the processing chamber.

主权项

1. A method for removing native oxides from a substrate, comprising:
transferring a substrate having an oxide layer disposed thereon into a processing chamber; performing a multiple step cleaning process in the processing chamber to remove the oxide layer, wherein the multiple step cleaning process comprises:
performing a pretreatment process on the substrate by supplying a pretreatment gas mixture into the processing chamber to form a plasma during the pretreatment process to activate the oxide layer on the substrate;performing an oxide removal process on the substrate by supplying a cleaning gas mixture into the processing chamber, wherein the cleaning gas mixture includes at least an ammonium gas and a nitrogen trifluoride to remove the activated oxide layer from the substrate; andperforming a post treatment process on the cleaned substrate by supplying a post treatment gas mixture into the processing chamber to form a plasma during the post treatment process after removal of the oxide layer.