Abstract: A method of making a capacitor on a conductive surface, preferably on a polysilicon surface includes contamination cleaning the surface with a high density plasma (HDP) of a first gaseous agent, such as hydrogen, then growing a silicon nitride barrier layer on the surface using a high density plasma (HDP) of nitrogen. A layer of tantalum oxide is then deposited on the silicon nitride layer to form a capacitor dielectric layer. A second silicon nitride layer is then grown on the capacitor dielectric layer, also using an HDP nitrogen plasma with the addition of a silicon containing gas, such as silane. Finally, a conductive layer is deposited on the second silicon nitride layer to form the capacitor. The HDP plasma is heated using an inductively coupled radio frequency generator. The invention also includes a capacitor constructed on a conductive surface by the method of the invention.

Abstract: A method of constructing a gate dielectric on a semiconductor surface includes cleaning a silicon surface then growing a silicon nitride barrier layer on the silicon surface using a high density plasma (HDP) of nitrogen. A gate dielectric layer is then deposited on the silicon nitride layer and a second silicon nitride layer is then grown on the dielectric layer, also using an HDP nitrogen plasma, followed by deposition of the conductive gate layer. The HDP nitrogen plasma is heated using an inductively coupled radio frequency generator. The invention also includes a gated device including a gate dielectric constructed on a semiconductor surface by the method of the invention.