Patent ID: 6835674
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: C23C,C30B,H01L

Abstract:
A method for treating a plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates, comprising:providing a reaction chamber comprising a pair of opposing sidewalls, the opposing sidewalls being a first sidewall and second sidewall, the reaction chamber comprising an inlet extending through the first sidewall and an outlet extending through the second sidewall, the first sidewall having a surface area that is reduced by at least about 50% due to the inlet, the second sidewall having a surface area that is reduced by at least about 50% due to the outlet; placing the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates in the reaction chamber; flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the chamber through the inlet to simultaneously expose the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to the silicon-containing precursor and form a silicon-containing mass across at least some exposed surfaces of the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates, the discrete semiconductor substrates being at a first temperature during the exposing to the silicon-containing precursor, the first temperature being from 300Â° C. to 700Â° C.; exhausting the silicon-containing precursor through the outlet to remove the silicon-containing precursor from the reaction chamber; and after the removing, flowing a nitrogen-containing precursor into the chamber through the inlet to simultaneously expose the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to the nitrogen-containing precursor and convert the silicon-containing mass to silicon nitride, the discrete semiconductor substrates being within 100Â° C. of the first temperature during the exposing to the nitrogen-containing precursor.