Abstract: Silicon enriched silicon oxynitride is used in applications both as an independent etch stop and as a cap layer and sidewall component over polysilicon gate electrodes in order to prevent insulator thinning and shorts caused by a mis-aligned contact mask. In one embodiment a silicon enriched silicon oxynitride layer is placed over a polysilicon gate with conventional sidewalls and insulative cap. In another embodiment the insulative cap and the sidewalls are formed of a silicon enriched silicon oxinitride. Etching of contact openings in the subsequently deposited insulative layer is suppressed by the silicon enriched silicon oxynitride if it is engaged because of a mis-aligned contact mask. In another embodiment a polysilicon stack edge of a memory device is protected by a conformal silicon oxynitride layer during etching of a self-aligned-source (SAS) region. These embodiments are accomplished with minimal and virtually negligible increase in process complexity or cost.

Abstract: A Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma method for removing from semiconductor substrates oxidized organic residues such as oxidized photoresist residues, and the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma which is employed within the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma method. A semiconductor substrate upon whose surface resides an oxidized organic residue such as an oxidized photoresist residue is provided into a Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma chamber. Also provided into the chamber is a concentration of oxygen and a concentration of moisture. Finally, a radio frequency excitation of sufficient magnitude is provided to the concentration of oxygen and the concentration of moisture to form a plasma. The oxidized organic residue which resides upon the semiconductor substrate is then removed through etching in the Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) plasma.