VERFAHREN ZUR UV-VORBEHANDLUNG VON ULTRADÜNNEM OXYNITRID ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON SILIZIUMNITRIDSCHICHTEN

摘要

The oxynitride or oxide layer formed on a semiconductor substrate is pre-treated with UV-excited gas (such as chlorine or nitrogen) to improve the layer surface condition and increase the density of nucleation sites for subsequent silicon nitride deposition. The pre-treatment is shown to reduce the root mean square surface roughness of thinner silicon nitride films (with physical thicknesses below 36 Å, or even below 20 Å that are deposited on the oxynitride layer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).