Patent ID: 11961734
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 6:
7. A method of forming a metal gate structure, the method comprising:
forming a semiconductor structure formed on a substrate, comprising:
forming an interfacial layer on the substrate;
depositing a high-k gate dielectric layer on the interfacial layer;
depositing a high-K dielectric cap layer on the semiconductor structure;
performing a metal cap anneal process to harden and densify the high-K dielectric cap layer in a nitrogen (N2) ambient;
depositing a sacrificial silicon cap layer on and in contact with the high-K dielectric cap layer;
performing a post cap anneal process in a nitrogen (N2) ambient at a temperature of between 900° C. and 1000° C. to harden and densify the high-K dielectric cap layer and the sacrificial silicon cap layer;
removing the sacrificial silicon cap layer; and
depositing a metal layer.