Patent ID: 6878575
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate to form an improved semiconductor device, said method comprising the sequential method steps of: a first method step of performing a two-stage cleaning process comprising: (i) removing a natural oxide layer formed on said semiconductor substrate; and, (ii) thereafter removing an oxide layer generated by the step of removing the natural oxide layer to produce a cleaned substrate surface; a second method step of subjecting the cleaned substrate surface to a hydrogen annealing process to form a hydrogen passivation layer and for further reducing the roughness of the cleaned substrate surface; a third method step of forming a gate oxide layer on the cleaned hydrogen-annealed substrate surface; a fourth method step of performing a nitridation process on the gate oxide layer formed on the cleaned, hydrogen-annealed substrate surface to reduce the susceptibility of the semiconductor substrate to ion permeation during a later gate electrode forming step; and, a fifth method step of performing a subsequent thermal process on the nitridation-processed gate oxide layer to stabilize a surface of the gate oxide layer.