Patent ID: 8119461

Claim:
A method of forming a gate electrode using a gate replacement technique, the method comprising: performing a first heat treatment on a silicon-containing semiconductor layer having a dielectric layer formed on its surface in the presence of hydrogen; forming a first dielectric layer above said silicon-containing semiconductor layer after said first heat treatment; forming a gate electrode structure above said first dielectric layer and silicon-containing semiconductor layer, the gate electrode being surrounded by a dielectric material; removing said gate electrode structure and said first dielectric layer beneath said gate electrode structure to expose a surface of said silicon-containing semiconductor layer beneath said gate electrode structure; performing a second heat treatment on said exposed surface of said silicon-containing semiconductor layer in the presence of hydrogen; forming a second gate insulation layer on said exposed surface of said silicon-containing semiconductor layer after performing said second heat treatment; and forming a replacement gate electrode structure above said second gate insulation layer to form said gate electrode, said second gate insulation layer having a thickness differing from a thickness of a first gate insulation layer comprising the dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer.