Title :
Thin-gate SiO2 films formed by in situ multiple rapid thermal processing
Author :
Fukuda, Hisashi ; Arakawa, Tomiyuki ; Ohno, Seigo
Author_Institution :
Oki Electr. Ind. Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
fDate :
1/1/1992 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A reliable method of forming very thin SiO2 films (<10 nm) has been developed by rapid thermal processing (RTP) in which in situ multiple RTP sequences have been employed. Sub-10-nm-thick SiO2 films formed by single-step RTP oxidation (RTO) are superior to conventional furnace-grown SiO2 on the SiO2 /Si interface characteristics, dielectric strength, and time-dependent dielectric-breakdown (TDDB) characteristics. It has been confirmed that the reliability of SiO2 film can be improved by pre-oxidation RTP cleaning (RTC) operated at 700-900°C for 20-60 s in a 1%HCl/Ar or H2 ambient. The authors discuss the dielectric reliability of the SiO2 films formed by single-step RTO in comparison with conventional furnace-grown SiO2 films. The effects and optimum conditions of RTC prior to RTO on the TDDB characteristics are demonstrated. The dielectric properties of nitrided SiO2 films formed via the N2O-oxynitridation process are described
Keywords :
dielectric thin films; electric breakdown of solids; incoherent light annealing; oxidation; reliability; semiconductor-insulator boundaries; silicon compounds; 20 to 60 s; 700 to 900 degC; N2O-oxynitridation; RTP oxidation; Si; SiO2-Si interface characteristics; SiOxNy; TDDB characteristics; dielectric strength; in situ multiple rapid thermal processing; pre-oxidation RTP cleaning; reliability; time-dependent dielectric-breakdown; very thin SiO2 films; Argon; Cleaning; Dielectric breakdown; Dielectric thin films; FETs; Furnaces; Nitrogen; Oxidation; Rapid thermal processing; Semiconductor films;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
