Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device having a MOS structure includes preparing a substrate made of silicon carbide, and forming a channel region, a first impurity region, a second impurity region, a gate insulation layer, and a gate electrode to form a semiconductor element on the substrate. In addition, a film is formed on the semiconductor element to provide a material of an interlayer insulation layer, and a reflow process is performed at a temperature about 700° C. or over in an wet atmosphere so that the interlayer insulation layer is formed from the film and an edge portion of the gate electrode is rounded and oxidized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a silicon oxide film, with a substantially uniform film thickness and without being so influenced by dense sites and scattered sites in a pattern provided on an object to be processed, while keeping advantageous points of a plasma oxidation process performed under a lower-pressure and lower-oxygen-concentration condition. In this method, plasma of a processing gas is applied to a surface of the object having a concavo-convex pattern, in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, so as to oxidize silicon on the surface of the object, thereby forming the silicon oxide film. The plasma is generated under the condition that a ratio of oxygen in the processing gas is within a range of 0.1% to 10% and pressure is within a range of 0.133 Pa to 133.3 Pa.

Abstract: A method for growing an oxynitride film on a substrate includes positioning the substrate in a process chamber, heating the process chamber, flowing a first wet process gas comprising water vapor into the process chamber, and reacting the substrate with the first wet process gas to grow an oxide film on the substrate. The method further includes flowing a second wet process gas comprising water vapor and a nitriding gas comprising nitric oxide into the process chamber, and reacting the oxide film and the substrate with the second wet process gas to grow an oxynitride film. In another embodiment, the method further comprises annealing the substrate containing the oxynitride film in an annealing gas. According to one embodiment of the method where the substrate is silicon, a silicon oxynitride film can be formed that exhibits a nitrogen peak concentration of approximately 3 atomic % or greater.

Abstract: Disclosed is a producing method of a semiconductor device produced by transferring a plurality of substrates into a processing chamber, supplying oxygen-containing gas and hydrogen-containing gas into the processing chamber which is in a heated state to process the plurality of substrates by oxidation, and transferring the plurality of the oxidation-processed substrates out from the processing chamber, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied from a plurality of locations of a region corresponding to a substrate arrangement region in which the plurality of substrates are arranged in the processing chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a producing method of a semiconductor device produced by transferring a plurality of substrates into a processing chamber, supplying oxygen-containing gas and hydrogen-containing gas into the processing chamber to process the plurality of substrates by oxidation, and transferring the plurality of the oxidation-processed substrates out from the processing chamber, wherein in the oxidation-processing, the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied from a plurality of locations of a region which is in proximity to the inner wall of the processing chamber and which corresponds to a substrate arrangement region in which the plurality of substrates are arranged in the processing chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which comprises a step for carrying a plurality of substrates (1) in a process chamber (4), a step for supplying an oxygen-containing gas from the upstream side of the substrates (1) carried in the process chamber (4), a step for supplying a hydrogen-containing gas from at least one location corresponding to a position within the region where substrates (1) are placed in the process chamber (4), a step for oxidizing the substrates (1) by reacting the oxygen-containing gas with the hydrogen-containing gas in the process chamber (4), and a step for carrying the thus-processed substrates (1) out of the process chamber (4).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a radical oxide layer includes providing a substrate, forming an oxide layer over the substrate through a radical oxidation process, and performing a thermal treatment on the oxide layer by using oxygen (O2).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device including an insulating layer with a high dielectric strength voltage, a low dielectric constant, and low hygroscopicity. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic appliance with high performance and high reliability, which uses the semiconductor device. An insulator containing nitrogen, such as silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride oxide, and an insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine, such as silicon oxynitride added with fluorine or silicon nitride oxide added with fluorine, are alternately deposited so that an insulating layer is formed. By sandwiching an insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine between insulators containing nitrogen, the insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine can be prevented from absorbing moisture and thus a dielectric strength voltage can be increased. Further, an insulator contains fluorine so that a dielectric constant can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for preparing an oxynitride film on a substrate comprising forming the oxynitride film by exposing a surface of the substrate to oxygen radicals and nitrogen radicals formed by plasma induced dissociation of a process gas comprising nitrogen and oxygen using plasma based on microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slits.

Abstract: A method for selective oxidation of silicon containing materials in a semiconductor device is disclosed and claimed. In one aspect, a rapid thermal processing apparatus is used to selectively oxidize a substrate by in-situ steam generation at high pressure in a hydrogen rich atmosphere. Other materials, such as metals and barrier layers, in the substrate are not oxidized.

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A plasma oxidation processing method is performed, on a structural object including a silicon layer and a refractory metal-containing layer, to form a silicon oxide film. A first plasma oxidation process is performed by use of a process gas including at least hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and a process pressure of 1.33 to 66.67 Pa. A second plasma oxidation process is performed by use of a process gas including at least hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and a process pressure of 133.3 to 1,333 Pa, after the first plasma oxidation process.

Abstract: After forming a field insulating film 12 on a substrate, sacrificing or gate oxidation films are formed as oxidation films 14a and 14b. An ion implantation layer 18 is formed by one or plurality of implantation process of argon (or fluoride) ion in an element hole 12a using a resist layer 16 as a mask via the oxidation film 14a. When the oxidation films 14a and 14b are used as sacrificing oxidation films, gate oxidation films are formed in the element holes 12a and 12b after removing the resist film 16 and the oxidation films 14a and 14b. When the oxidation films 14a and 14b are used as gate oxidation films, the oxidation films are once thinned by etching and then thickened after removing the resist layer 16. The gate oxidation film 14a is thicker than the gate oxidation film 14b by forming the ion implantation layer 18.

Abstract: Methods for reducing defects on the surface of a silicon oxynitride film are disclosed. In one embodiment, the methods include forming a silicon oxynitride film on a semiconductor substrate and heating the silicon oxynitride film to increase a hydrophilicity of a surface of the silicon oxynitride film prior to treating the surface of the silicon oxynitride film with a hydrofluoric acid.

Abstract: An oxidizing method for an object to be processed according to the present invention includes: an arranging step of arranging a plurality of objects to be processed in a processing container whose inside can be vacuumed, the processing container having a predetermined length, a supplying unit of an oxidative gas being provided at one end of the processing container, a plurality of supplying units of a reducing gas being provided at a plurality of positions in a longitudinal direction of the processing container; an atmosphere forming step of supplying the oxidative gas and the reducing gas into the processing container in order to form an atmosphere having active oxygen species and active hydroxyl species in the processing container; and an oxidizing step of oxidizing surfaces of the plurality of objects to be processed in the atmosphere.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a Si crystal having a crystal surface in the vicinity of a (111) surface, and an insulation film formed on said crystal surface, at least a part of said insulation film comprising a Si oxide film containing Kr or a Si nitride film containing Ar or Kr.

Abstract: A heat processing method for a semiconductor process includes placing a plurality of target substrates stacked at intervals in a vertical direction within a process field of a process container. Each of the target substrates includes a process object layer on its surface. Then, the method includes supplying an oxidizing gas and a deoxidizing gas to the process field while heating the process field, thereby causing the oxidizing gas and the deoxidizing gas to react with each other to generate oxygen radicals and hydroxyl group radicals, and performing oxidation on the process object layer of the target substrates by use of the oxygen radicals and the hydroxyl group radicals. Then, the method includes heating the process object layer processed by the oxidation, within an atmosphere of an annealing gas containing ozone or oxidizing radicals, thereby performing annealing on the process object layer.

Abstract: A gate insulating film made of silicon oxynitride is disposed on the partial surface area of a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is disposed on the gate insulating film. Source and drain regions are disposed on both sides of the gate electrode. An existence ratio of subject nitrogen atoms to a total number of nitrogen atoms in the gate insulating film is 20% or smaller, wherein three bonds of each subject nitrogen atom are all coupled to silicon atoms and remaining three bonds of each of three silicon atoms connected to the subject nitrogen atom are all coupled to other nitrogen atoms.

Abstract: In methods of forming an oxide layer and an oxynitride layer, a substrate is loaded into a reaction chamber having a first pressure and a first temperature. The oxide layer is formed on the substrate using a reaction gas while increasing a temperature of the reaction chamber from the first temperature to a second temperature under a second pressure. Additionally, the oxide layer is nitrified in the reaction chamber to form the oxynitride layer on the substrate. When the oxide layer and/or the oxynitride layer are formed on the substrate, minute patterns of a semiconductor device, for example a DRAM device, an SRAM device or an LOGIC device may be easily formed on the oxide layer or the oxynitride layer.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprises; a process of heat-treating a semiconductor substrate under the ordinary pressure and in an oxidizing atmosphere; and a process of heat-treating the semiconductor substrate under the ordinary pressure and in an inert atmosphere, wherein heat-treating time or heat-treating temperature in heat treatment in the oxidizing atmosphere is changed based on the fluctuation of atmospheric pressure, and the heat-treating time in the inert atmosphere is determined based on the heat-treating time or the heat-treating temperature in the oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for oxidation of an object to be processed is provided wherein an oxide film can provide favorable film quality and a laminate structure of nitride film and oxide film can be obtained by a thermal oxidation of a nitride film. In a method for oxidation of a surface of an object to be processed in a single processing container 8 which can contain a plurality of objects to be processed, at least a nitride film is exposed on said surface, and said oxidation is performed by mainly using active hydroxyl/oxygen species in a vacuum atmosphere, setting a processing pressure to 133 Pa or below, and setting a processing temperature to 400° C. or above. Under these conditions, high interplanar uniformity is maintained and oxide films with favorable film quality are obtained by oxidizing nitride films on the surfaces of a plurality of objects to be processed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing N2O from becoming super critical during a high pressure oxidation stage within a high pressure oxidation furnace is disclosed. The method and apparatus utilize a catalyst to catalytically disassociate N2O as it enters the high pressure oxidation furnace. This catalyst is used in an environment of between five atmosphere to 25 atmosphere N2O and a temperature range of 600° to 750° C., which are the conditions that lead to the N2O going super critical. By preventing the N2O from becoming super critical, the reaction is controlled that prevents both temperature and pressure spikes. The catalyst can be selected from the group of noble transition metals and their oxides. This group can comprise palladium, platinum, iridium, rhodium, nickel, silver, and gold.

Abstract: This invention is embodied in an improved process for growing high-quality silicon dioxide layers on silicon by subjecting it to a gaseous mixture of nitrous oxide (N2O) and ozone (O3). The presence of O3 in the oxidizing ambiance greatly enhances the oxidation rate compared to an ambiance in which N2O is the only oxidizing agent. In addition to enhancing the oxidation rate of silicon, it is hypothesized that the presence of O3 interferes with the growth of a thin silicon oxynitride layer near the interface of the silicon dioxide layer and the unreacted silicon surface which makes oxidation in the presence of N2O alone virtually self-limiting The presence of O3 in the oxidizing ambiance does not impair oxide reliability, as is the case when silicon is oxidized with N2O in the presence of a strong, fluorine-containing oxidizing agent such as NF3 or SF6.

Abstract: A process for forming a strained semiconductor layer. The process includes implanting ions into a semiconductor layer prior to performing a condensation process on the layer. The ions assist in diffusion of atoms (e.g. germanium) in the semiconductor layer and to increase the relaxation of the semiconductor layer. After the condensation process, the layer can be used as a template layer for forming a strained semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a MOS transistor is provided that achieves high-speed devices by reducing nitrogen diffusion to a silicon substrate interface due to redistribution of nitrogen and further suppressing its diffusion to a polysilicon interface, which prevents realization of faster transistors. An oxide film is exposed to a nitriding atmosphere to introduce nitrogen into the oxide film, and a thermal treatment process is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere. The thermal treatment process temperature in the oxidizing atmosphere is made equal to or higher than the maximum temperature in all the thermal treatment processes that are performed later than that thermal treatment process step.

Abstract: A transistor gate selective re-oxidation process includes the steps of introducing into the vacuum chamber containing the semiconductor substrate a process gas that includes oxygen while maintaining a vacuum pressure in the chamber. An oxide insulating layer on the order of several Angstroms in thickness is formed by generating a plasma in a plasma generation region within the vacuum chamber during successive “on” times, and allowing ion energy of the plasma to decay during successive “off” intervals separating the successive “on” intervals, the “on” and “off” intervals defining a controllable duty cycle. During formation of the oxide insulating layer, the duty cycle is limited so as to limit formation of ion bombardment-induced defects in the insulating layer, while the vacuum pressure is limited so as to limit formation of contamination-induced defects in the insulating layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication. More particularly, the present invention relates to system and method of selectively oxidizing one material with respect to another material formed on a semiconductor substrate. A hydrogen-rich oxidation system for performing the process are provided in which innovative safety features are included to avoid the dangers to personnel and equipment that are inherent in working with hydrogen-rich atmospheres.

Abstract: A novel process for forming a robust, sub-100 Å oxide is disclosed. Native oxide growth is tightly controlled by flowing pure nitrogen during wafer push and nitrogen with a small amount of oxygen during temperature ramp and stabilization. First, a dry oxidation is performed in oxygen and 13% trichloroethane. Next, a wet oxidation in pyrogenic steam is performed to produce a total oxide thickness of approximately 80 Å. The oxide layer formed is ideally suited for use as a high integrity gate oxide below 100 Å. The invention is particularly useful in devices with advanced, recessed field isolation where sharp silicon edges are difficult to oxidize. For an oxide layer of more than 100 Å, a composite oxide stack is used which comprises 40-90 Å of pad oxide formed using the above novel process, and 60-200 Å of deposited oxide.