Method of forming a thin oxide layer having improved reliability on a semiconductor surface

摘要

A method for forming a reliable and ultra-thin oxide layer, such as a gate oxide layer of an MOS transistor, comprises an annealing step immediately performed prior to oxidizing a substrate. The annealing step is performed in an inert gas ambient to avoid oxidation of the semiconductor surface prior to achieving a required low oxidizing temperature. Preferably, the annealing step and the oxidizing step are carried out as an in situ process, thereby minimizing the thermal budget of the overall process.