Patent ID: 7888217
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a gate dielectric of a field effect transistor, comprising: (a) providing a silicon substrate; (b) removing a native oxide layer from the silicon substrate; (c) forming an oxide layer on the silicon substrate, wherein the oxide layer is formed in a plasma process comprising exposing the oxide layer to a plasma comprising at least one of oxygen, nitric oxide, or nitrous oxide; (d) forming a gate dielectric layer on the oxide layer; (e) oxidizing at least a portion of the gate dielectric layer using an oxygen-containing plasma; and (f) annealing the gate dielectric layer, the oxide layer, and interface between the oxide layer and the silicon substrate; wherein the silicon substrate is maintained in a vacuum environment between steps (c) through (e).