266 results about "Hydrogen radical" patented technology

A method of manufacturing a high performance MOS device and transistor gate stacks comprises forming a gate dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate; forming a barrier layer over the gate dielectric layer by an ALD type process; and forming a gate electrode layer over the barrier layer. The method enables the use of hydrogen plasma, high energy hydrogen radicals and ions, other reactive radicals, reactive oxygen and oxygen containing precursors in the processing steps subsequent to the deposition of the gate dielectric layer of the device. The ALD process for forming the barrier layer is performed essentially in the absence of plasma and reactive hydrogen radials and ions. This invention makes it possible to use oxygen as a precursor in the deposition of the metal gates. The barrier film also allows the use of hydrogen plasma in the form of either direct or remote plasma in the deposition of the gate electrode. Furthermore, the barrier film prevents the electrode material from reacting with the gate dielectric material. The barrier layer is ultra thin and, at the same time, it forms a uniform cover over the entire surface of the gate dielectric.

A method for forming a conductive thin film includes depositing a metal oxide thin film on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method further includes at least partially reducing the metal oxide thin film by exposing the metal oxide thin film to a gaseous inorganic reducing agent, thereby forming a metal layer. In preferred arrangements, the reducing agent comprises of thermal hydrogen (H2), hydrogen radicals (H*) and / or carbon monoxide (CO).

A method of forming a silicon nitride film is described. According to the present invention, a silicon nitride film is deposited by thermally decomposing a silicon / nitrogen containing source gas or a silicon containing source gas and a nitrogen containing source gas at low deposition temperatures (e.g., less than 550° C.) to form a silicon nitride film. The thermally deposited silicon nitride film is then treated with hydrogen radicals to form a treated silicon nitride film.

A chamber passivation method particularly useful for hydrogen plasma cleaning of low-k dielectrics prior to coating a barrier layer into a via hole with hydrogen radicals are provided from a remote plasma source. For each wafer, the chamber is passivated with water vapor (or other gas even more chemabsorbed on plasma facing walls) passed through the remote plasma source prior to the ignition of the hydrogen plasma. The water vapor is absorbed on walls, such as alumina and quartz parts of the remote plasma source, and forms a protective mono-layer that endures sufficiently long to protect the walls during the generation of the hydrogen plasma. Thereby, the plasma facing walls, particularly of a dielectric such as alumina, are protected from etching.