Patent ID: 7176079
Filing Date: 2007-02-13
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising: depositing a dielectric film over an active region of a semiconductor substrate to form part of a gate of a transistor; subjecting the dielectric film to a densifying treatment to stabilize said film by heating the semiconductor substrate in a rapid thermal chamber at a first temperature; and subjecting said stabilized dielectric film to a wet oxidation with steam process in the rapid thermal process chamber at a second temperature to raise the oxygen content of said stabilized dielectric film, said steam being carried to the rapid thermal process chamber, wherein the first and second temperature of the rapid thermal process chamber is from approximately 450° C. to about 1050° C., wherein said stabilized dielectric film is subjected to said wet oxidation with steam process for a duration of about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds, wherein the ratio of steam to other gases in the rapid thermal process chamber is in the range from about 0.1 to about 0.5 and the pressure of said rapid thermal process chamber is held at about atmospheric pressure, and wherein said first temperature is greater than said second temperature so that properties of the stabilized dielectric film are not adversely affected by the wet oxidation with steam process.