Patent ID: 6670289
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for affecting a factor for determining at least a part of a threshold voltage for a transistor in a semiconductor device during an anneal process in a chamber, said transistor having at least one transistor gate structure including a silicon oxide layer and having a film of silicon nitride used as at least one of a sidewall spacer and a capping layer for a field-effect transistor gate located on a portion thereof, and having a silicon nitride film deposited as a final layer over at least a portion of said semiconductor device, said method comprising:exerting a diffusion pressure on said transistor, said diffusion pressure in said chamber higher than a prevailing ambient atmospheric pressure outside said chamber during said anneal process; exposing said transistor having at least one transistor gate structure including a silicon oxide layer and having a film of silicon nitride used as at least one of a sidewall spacer and a capping layer for a field-effect transistor gate located on a portion thereof, and having a silicon nitride film deposited as a final layer over at least a portion of said semiconductor device, to a hydrogen-containing atmosphere during said exerting a diffusion pressure in said chamber, wherein said diffusion pressure has a partial pressure of hydrogen within said hydrogen-containing atmosphere of a minimum of 20 percent of the total pressure; and dissipating a charge trapped in relation to said silicon oxide layer using hydrogen from said hydrogen-containing atmosphere.