Patent ID: 7556048
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: B08B

Abstract:
1. A process for removing contaminants from a surface of a first material layer during fabrication of an integrated circuit prior to depositing a second material layer thereover, the process comprising steps of: (a) cleaning the surface; (b1) forming a hydrogen termination on the surface; (b2) stabilizing the surface at about 700° C. through physical contact with a hot plate and with a flow of nitrogen gas in a deposition chamber, wherein contaminants are formed on the surface from the hot plate or the nitrogen gas; (c1) exposing the surface to a nitrogen-containing gas comprising nitrogen fluoride at a temperature of between about 500° C. and 800° C. and pressure of about 275 Torr to remove the contaminants from the surface; (c2) exposing the surface to a high temperature hydrogen bake, wherein step c2 is done between exposing the surface to the nitrogen-containing gas and depositing the second material layer; (d) depositing the second material layer within the temperature range of the step (c1); and (e) wherein the steps (c) and (d) are performed in a single deposition chamber.