Patent ID: 6861319

Claim:
A method of fabricating a gate electrode comprising the steps of: (a) forming a gate oxide film at a surface of a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a multi-layered structure on said gate oxide film, said multi-layered structure including a polysilicon layer formed on said gate oxide film, a refractive metal silicide layer formed on said polysilicon layer, and a silicon nitride layer formed on said refractive metal silicide layer; (c) thermally annealing said multi-layered structure in a nitrogen atmosphere and forming a silicon nitride film only on sidewalls of said polysilicon layer and said refractive metal silicide layer; and (d) rapidly thermally oxidizing said semiconductor substrate and said multi-layered structure after said step (c) so that said silicon nitride film prevents penetration of oxygen into said polysilicon layer and said refractive metal silicide layer.