Patent ID: 7745318
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forming a first material for a gate insulator on a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer being made of germanium or gallium arsenide having a first oxide-generating Gibbs free energy required to become an oxide, said first material containing an element having a second oxide-generating Gibbs free energy required to become an oxide and becoming insulative when the element is oxidized; and annealing the first material in an atmosphere containing hydrogen atoms, or heavy hydrogen atoms, and oxygen atoms in a temperature range where the first oxide-generating Gibbs free energy is higher than the second oxide-generating Gibbs free energy, the annealing being conducted to oxidize the first material and to prevent forming an oxide of the semiconductor layer at an interface between the semiconductor layer and the first material; wherein in the annealing of the first material, the first material is annealed in an atmosphere containing H radicals, O radicals, and OH radicals; or D radicals, OD radicals, and O radicals; the H radicals, O radicals, and OH radicals are generated by discharging in an atmosphere containing water; or the D radicals, OD radicals, and the O radicals are generated by discharging in an atmosphere containing heavy water, wherein the first material contains at least one material from among Si, Zr, Hf, Ti, Al, La, Pr, Y, Ce, Sr, Dy, Er, Lu and Gd.