Patent ID: 8889565

Claim:
A method for selective oxidation, comprising: providing a partially-fabricated integrated circuit in a processing chamber, wherein the partially-fabricated integrated circuit includes an exposed metal-containing portion and an exposed silicon portion; exposing the partially-fabricated integrated circuit to an oxidant to convert at least a part of the exposed silicon portion to silicon oxide; and subsequently annealing the partially-fabricated integrated circuit while exposing the metal-containing portion and the silicon oxide converted from the silicon portion to a reducing agent, wherein the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of: N 2 H 4 ; (N 2 H 4-n (CH 3 ) n , wherein n=1-4); (N 2 H 4-n (C 2 H 5 ) n , wherein n=1-4); other organic hydrazines having carbon chains of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, saturated with hydrogen or one or more of the hydrogen atoms substituted by a halide and not containing oxygen; and combinations thereof.