U.S. patent application number 11/498755 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-30 for method for fabricating semiconductor device and semiconductor device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Kenji Yoneda.
Application Number | 20060267074 11/498755 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33409975 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060267074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoneda; Kenji |
November 30, 2006 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device and semiconductor
device
Abstract
Part of a first oxide film formed by thermal oxidation is
removed by etching. A second oxide film is formed in the part of
substrate from which the first oxide film has been removed using
heated nitric acid. The two oxide films are nitrided by a nitrogen
plasma having a low energy so as to be first and second gate
insulating films, i.e., oxynitride films, respectively.
Inventors: |
Yoneda; Kenji; (Kyoto,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP
600 13TH STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3096
US
|
Assignee: |
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,
Ltd.
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
33409975 |
Appl. No.: |
11/498755 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10774522 |
Feb 10, 2004 |
7098154 |
|
|
11498755 |
Aug 4, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
257/315 ;
257/E21.251; 257/E21.268; 257/E21.285; 257/E21.625;
257/E21.639 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/02164 20130101;
H01L 21/02238 20130101; H01L 21/02332 20130101; H01L 21/31111
20130101; H01L 21/3144 20130101; H01L 21/31662 20130101; H01L
21/02255 20130101; H01L 29/6659 20130101; H01L 21/823857 20130101;
H01L 21/02258 20130101; H01L 21/0234 20130101; H01L 21/823462
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
257/315 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/788 20060101
H01L029/788 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 2003 |
JP |
2003-103744 |
Claims
1-19. (canceled)
20. A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a
gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a
gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, wherein the gate
insulating film contains silicon dioxide as a main component and
nitrogen and has a physical thickness of not less than 0.3 nm and
not more than 3 nm, wherein the concentration of the nitrogen
contained in the gate insulating film is maximum at a distance of 1
nm or less in the depth direction from a surface of the gate
insulating film on which the gate electrode is formed, wherein the
maximum concentration of the nitrogen is not less than 5 atomic %
and not more than 100 atomic %, and wherein the nitrogen
concentration at the interface between the semiconductor substrate
and the gate insulating film is 1.5 atomic % or less.
21. A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a
gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a
gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, wherein the
electrical thickness of the gate insulating film measured by a
capacitance-voltage measurement is 0.3 nm or more, where the
electrical thickness of the gate insulating film is not less than
0% and not more than 90% of the electrical thickness of a silicon
dioxide film of which the physical thickness is the same as the
physical thickness of the gate insulating film, and wherein a
leakage current flowing in the gate insulating film when a driving
voltage of not less than 0.5 V and not more than 2 V is applied is
not less than 1/10000 and not more than 1/3 of a leakage current
flowing in the silicon dioxide film.
22. The semiconductor device of claim 21, wherein the gate
insulating film contains silicon dioxide as a main component and
nitrogen.
23. A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a
gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a
gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, wherein the gate
insulating film contains silicon dioxide as a main component and
nitrogen and has a physical thickness of not less than 0.3 nm and
not more than 3 nm, and wherein the silicon dioxide is formed using
a solution containing an oxidizer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a
semiconductor device and a semiconductor device, and particularly
relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device
including an oxide film which is formed by solution oxidation and,
furthermore, into which nitrogen is introduced and the
semiconductor device.
[0002] Among a plurality of transistors formed on a semiconductor
substrate, for example, a transistor in a CMOS (complementary metal
oxide semiconductor) device has a gate insulating film having a
more and more reduced thickness for the purpose of improving the
driving ability of a semiconductor device. In recent years, a gate
insulating film having a thickness of 1-3 nm is required for such a
transistor. On the other hand, in another transistor which is not
required to perform a high speed operation but is required to use a
relatively high voltage such as an input/output signal, a gate
insulating film has to have a relatively great thickness in order
to suppress a leakage current in the gate insulating film. In this
case, a desired thickness of the gate insulating film is 7-10 nm.
Since these transistors described above are formed in the
semiconductor device, two or more different gate insulating films
having different thicknesses have to be formed on the same
substrate.
[0003] Conventionally, thermal oxidation (e.g., see S. M. Sze, VLSI
technology, McGraw-Hill, 1984, pp. 131-168) which allows formation
of an oxide film with excellent properties as a gate insulating
film has been mainly used in oxidizing a semiconductor device to
form a gate insulating film. To form two different gate insulating
films having different thicknesses on a semiconductor substrate, a
method is used in which after a first gate insulating film has been
formed by thermal oxidation, part of the first gate insulating film
is removed by patterning and then a second gate insulating film is
formed by thermal oxidation in a region of the semiconductor
substrate from which the first gate insulating film has been
removed. Moreover, besides thermal oxidation, use of various other
methods for forming a gate insulating film has been examined (e.g.,
see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2937817, Japanese Unexamined
Patent Publication No. 10-50701, Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 10-223629, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
No. 11-214386, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
2002-64093).
[0004] As a technique for reducing the thickness of a gate
insulating film for the purpose of improvement of the driving
ability of a semiconductor device, a method in which nitrogen is
introduced into a gate insulating film by annealing in nitrogen
monoxide so as to reduce an electrical film thickness has been
used. An electrical film thickness is a thickness measured in terms
of electrostatic capacity. Even with the same physical thickness,
the larger dielectric constant a film has, the smaller the
thickness of the film is indicated. Oxynitride into which nitrogen
is introduced has a larger dielectric constant than that of silicon
dioxide. Therefore, by introducing nitrogen, an electrical film
thickness is reduced, so that the driving ability of a transistor
is improved. As a method for introducing nitrogen into a gate
insulating film, i.e., a silicon dioxide film, a method using a
plasma is known (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
10-79509).
[0005] Moreover, when nitrogen is introduced into a gate insulating
film, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent No. 10-79509, a
dopant with which a gate electrode has been doped is prevented from
reaching a substrate through the gate insulating film. This will be
described further in detail.
[0006] In a CMOS transistor, a dual gate structure in which boron
is introduced as a dopant into a gate electrode of a p-channel
transistor and phosphorous is introduced as a dopant into a gate
electrode of an n-channel transistor is used. Boron has a larger
diffusion constant than that of phosphorous and thus is diffused in
a gate insulating film through thermal treatment performed after
the transistor has been formed. Thus, boron easily reaches a
channel region. This phenomenon is called boron leakage and causes
a large change in a threshold voltage, reduction in the driving
ability of a transistor and the like. Especially, the smaller
thickness a gate insulating film has, the larger the boron leakage
becomes. However, if nitrogen is introduced into a gate insulating
film, the boron leakage can be suppressed.
Problems that the Invention is to Solve
[0007] In a method for forming a plurality of gate insulating films
according to the known method, a first gate insulating film is
etched through wafer cleaning performed after a photoresist has
been removed, so that the thickness of the first gate insulating
film is once reduced. Then, when a second gate oxide film is
formed, the thickness of the first insulating film is increased
this time. This causes reduction in controllability of the
thickness of the first gate insulating film, and also, in terms of
film quality, it is very difficult to control the film quality of
the first insulating film which has undergone through etching and
additional oxidation.
[0008] Furthermore, assume that three different gate insulating
films having different thicknesses (e.g., 7 nm, 3 nm and 1.5 nm)
are formed. A second gate insulating film has a relatively small
thickness, i.e., 3 nm. Thus, the second gate insulating film is
more largely influenced by reduction and increase in a filn
thickness caused in forming a third gate insulating film having a
thickness of 1.5 nm than a first gate insulating film having a
thickness of 7 nm. That is to say, it is very difficult to control
the thickness of the second gate insulating film so that the second
gate insulating film has a constant thickness at any time.
Accordingly, the ratio of an additional portion formed through
additional oxidation to the entire thickness of the second gate
insulating film is increased. Therefore, the quality of the entire
second gate insulating film is largely reduced.
[0009] Moreover, assume that the thickness of a gate insulating
film is reduced. When an oxynitride film is obtained as a gate
insulating film according to a method described in Japanese
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-79509, the electron energy of
a nitrogen plasma is very high, i.e., about 50-1000 eV and this
becomes a problem. For example, assume that a gate insulating film
into which nitrogen is to be introduced has a thickness of 1.5 nm.
Even when a nitrogen plasma has an energy of the lower limit of the
energy range described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
No. 10-79509, i.e., 50 eV, the nitrogen plasma easily goes thuough
the gate insulating film to nitride a silicon substrate as well. As
a result, even though the thickness of the gate insulating film was
about 1.5 nm before an exposure to the nitrogen plasma, the silicon
substrate has been nitrided after the exposure to the nitrogen
plasma, so that the total thickness of part of the gate insulating
film which has been nitrided is over 2 nm. Thus, even though an
oxide film having a thickness of 1.5 nm is formed, an oxynitride
film having a small thickness can not be obtained. As a matter of
course, the known method can not be used with a gate insulating
film having a thickness of about 1 nm. Furthermore, when a nitrogen
plasma has a higher energy than 50 eV, use of the known method is
out of question. Nnitriding of a silicon substrate causes not only
increase in a film thickness but also reduction in a driving force
resulting from reduction in mobility or reduction in
reliability.
[0010] The present invention has been devised in view of the
above-described problems. It is therefore an object of the present
invention is to provide a method for a fabricating a semiconductor
device in which a gate insulating film having a small thickness
allowing a high-speed operation can be formed with excellent film
thickness control and furthermore, nitriding can be performed so as
not to reach a semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor device
which includes a gate insulating film having a small thickness and
excellent quality and in which a semiconductor substrate is hardly
nitrided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A first method for fabricating a semiconductor device
according to the present invention is a method for fabricating a
semiconductor device including the steps of: forming an oxide film,
using a solution including an oxidizer, on a surface of a silicon
layer provided at least in part of a semiconductor substrate; and
making the oxide film into an oxynitride film by exposing the oxide
film to a plasma having an electron energy of 5 eV or less and
containing nitrogen.
[0012] The first method further includes, before the step of
forming an oxide film, the step of forming an isolation region
using STI process.
[0013] A second method for fabricating a semiconductor device
according to the present invention is a method for fabricating a
semiconductor device including the steps of: removing part of a
first oxide film formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate;
forming a second oxide film, using a solution including an
oxidizer, in part of the semiconductor substrate from which the
first oxide film has been removed; and making each of the first and
second oxide films into an oxynitride film by exposing the first
and second oxide films to a plasma having an electron energy of 5
eV and containing nitrogen.
[0014] The second method further includes: after the step of
forming a second oxide film, the step of removing part of the
second or first oxide film; and the step of forming a third oxide
film, using a solution including an oxidizer, in part of the
semiconductor substrate from which the first or second oxide film
has been removed. In the step of making each of the first and
second oxide films into an oxynitride film, the third oxide film is
also made into an oxynitride film.
[0015] The thickness of the second oxide film is smaller than that
of the first oxide film.
[0016] In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the
first oxide film is formed by thermal oxidation or plasma
oxidation.
[0017] In another preferable embodiment of the present invention,
the first oxide film is formed using a perchloric acid
solution.
[0018] The ion density of the plasma is not less than
5.times.10.sup.9 cm.sup.-3 and not more than 1.times.10.sup.12
cm.sup.-3.
[0019] The temperature of the plasma is not less than 0.degree. C.
and not more than 500.degree. C.
[0020] The plasma is selected one from the group consisting of an
inductively coupled plasma, a magnetron plasma, a helicon wave
plasma and a surface wave plasma.
[0021] The oxidizer is nitric acid.
[0022] The second method further includes, after the step of making
the oxide film into an oxynitride film, the step of performing
thermal treatment to the semiconductor substrate in an atmosphere
containing oxygen.
[0023] In the step of performing thermal treatment, a process
temperature is not less than 800.degree. C. and not more than
1100.degree. C. and a process time is not less than 10 seconds and
not more than 120 seconds.
[0024] A first semiconductor device according to the present
invention is a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor
substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor
substrate; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
In the first semiconductor device, the gate insulating film
contains silicon dioxide as a main component and nitrogen and has a
physical thickness of not less than 0.3 nm and not more than 3 nm,
the concentration of the nitrogen contained in the gate insulating
film is maximum at a distance of 1 nm or less in the depth
direction from a surface of the gate insulating film on which the
gate electrode is formed, the maximum concentration of the nitrogen
is not less than 5 atomic % and not more than 100 atomic %, and the
nitrogen concentration at the interface between the semiconductor
substrate and the gate insulating film is 1.5 atomic % or less.
[0025] A second semiconductor device according to the present
invention is a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor
substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor
substrate; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
In the second semiconductor device, the electrical thickness of the
gate insulating film measured by a capacitance-voltage measurement
is 0.3 nm or more, the electrical thickness of the gate insulating
film is not less than 0% and not more than 90% of the electrical
thickness of a silicon dioxide film of which the physical thickness
is the same as the physical thickness of the gate insulating film,
and a leakage current flowing in the gate insulating film when a
driving voltage of not less than 0.5 V and not more than 2 V is
applied is not less than 1/10000 and not more than 1/3 of a leakage
current flowing in the silicon dioxide film.
[0026] The gate insulating film contains silicon dioxide as a main
component and nitrogen.
[0027] The electrical thickness of the gate insulating film is not
less than 0.3 nm and not more than 3 nm.
[0028] A third semiconductor device according to the present
invention is a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor
substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor
substrate; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
In the third semiconductor device, the gate insulating film
contains silicon dioxide as a main component and nitrogen and has a
physical thickness of not less than 0.3 nm and not more than 3 nm,
and the silicon dioxide is formed using a solution containing an
oxidizer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIGS. 1A through 1E are cross-sectional views schematically
illustrating respective process steps according to a first example
of the present invention.
[0030] FIGS. 2A through 2D are cross-sectional views schematically
illustrating respective process steps according to a second example
of the present invention.
[0031] FIGS. 3A through 3D are cross-sectional views schematically
illustrating the first half of respective process steps according
to a third example of the present invention.
[0032] FIGS. 4A through 4C are cross-sectional views schematically
illustrating the latter half of respective process steps according
to the third example of the present invention.
[0033] FIGS. 5A through 5C are graphs showing distribution of
nitrogen concentration in the film thickness direction for gate
insulating films formed in the third example.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between oxide
film equivalent thickness and leakage current.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a fourth
example of the present invention.
[0036] FIGS. 8A through 8E are cross-sectional views schematically
illustrating respective process steps according to a comparative
example.
[0037] FIGS. 9A and 9B are graphs showing distribution of nitrogen
concentration in the film thickness direction for gate insulating
films formed in the comparative example.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0038] First, details on how the present inventor examined
reduction in the thickness of a gate oxide film (i.e., insulating
film) and plasma nitriding and then reached the present invention
will be described.
[0039] When three different gate oxide films having different
thicknesses are formed by thermal oxidation, the thickness of a
first gate oxide filn having the largest thickness and serving as
an input/output system is about 7 nm. Even after the first gate
oxide film has been etched by about 0.4 nm through wafer cleaning
after removal of a photoresist and then the thickness of the first
gate oxide film has been increased by 0.2 nm in forming a second
gate oxide film, the amount of a change in the thickness of the
first gate oxide film is about 3% of the original thickness
thereof. However, for example, with the second gate oxide film of a
thickness of 2.8 nm and the third gate oxide film of a thickness of
1.6 nm, the second gate oxide film has been etched by about 0.4 nm
through wafer cleaning after the removal of a photoresist and then
the thickness of the second gate oxide film has been increased by
0.1 nm through oxidation of 1.6 nm in forming a third gate oxide
film. As a result, the thickness of the second gate oxide film,
i.e., a thickness of 2.8 nm, is reduced by about 0.3 nm in total.
The reduction amount corresponds to 20% of the entire thickness of
the second gate oxide film. Therefore, a very large influence is
given to film quality as well as film thickness control.
[0040] Furthermore, a very thin gate insulating film having a
thickness of 1.6 nm, i.e., a third gate oxide film, a natural oxide
film having a thickness of about 0.3-1 nm and existing on a surface
of an active region has to be removed with hydrofluoric acid.
Reasons for this are as follows. First, an oxide film, for example,
having a thickness of 1.6 nm is considered to include a layer
having only about five to eight atoms. Thus, if a natural oxide
film is not removed, it is very difficult to control the thickness
of the third oxide film to be constant. Moreover, although the
natural film corresponds to several tens % of the thickness of the
third gate oxide film, the natural oxide film does not have
excellent properties which are required for a gate insulating film.
For those reasons, the removal of the natural oxide film on the
active region is necessary.
[0041] In this case, if the removal of a natural oxide film is
performed using hydrofluoric acid, the second oxide film is further
etched by about 1 nm, so that the thickness of the second gate
oxide film becomes about 1.5 nm i.e., half of the original
thickness. To finish a second gate oxide film with a thickness of
2.8 nm as designed, the thickness of the second gate oxide film has
to be made to initially have a thickness of 4.0 nm in consideration
of the etching amounts described above.
[0042] Moreover, in high temperature treatment such as thermal
oxidation, it is very difficult to form a third oxide film having a
very small thickness, i.e., a thickness of 1.6 nm, with excellent
controllability and uniformity. Therefore, apart from laboratory
experiments, in manufacturing processes, it is considered very
difficult to form, in order to further reduce the thickness of the
third oxide film, a gate oxide film having a thickness of 1 nm or
less by thermal oxidation according to the known method.
[0043] Thus, it has been clearly shown that the known method has a
problem in which the thickness of an already formed gate oxide film
is reduced through wafer cleaning performed before forming another
gate oxide film, a problem in which the thickness of the already
formed gate oxide film is increased due to additional thermal
oxidation, and furthermore, a problem in which it is difficult to
control the thickness and quality of a film in forming a very thin
gate oxide film having a thickness of 1.5 nm or less.
[0044] Next, as a comparative example, an examination of the
process step of forming a gate oxide film by thermal oxidation and
then performing nitriding using a plasma will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0045] FIGS. 8A through 8E are cross-sectional views illustrating
respective process steps for forming a dual oxide (two different
gate insulating films having different thicknesses) according to a
comparative example.
[0046] First, FIG. 8A illustrates how a first gate oxide film 73
serving as a high voltage system is formed on a silicon substrate
71 in which an isolation region 72 is formed using STI (shallow
trench isolation) process by thermal oxidation. The first gate
oxide film 73 is formed so as to have a thickness of 7 nm.
[0047] Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, part of the first gate oxide film
73 on a second gate insulating film formation region 74 (i.e., a
first oxide film removal region) of the silicon substrate is
removed with a hydrofluoric acid or the like. In removing the part
of the first gate oxide film 73, a photoresist 75 is used as a
mask. Thereafter, through a wet cleaning process for removing the
photoresist 75 and a wet cleaning process performed before forming
a second gate oxide film 76, the thickness of the gate oxide film
73 is reduced by about 0.4 nm from the original thickness of 7
nm.
[0048] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8C, a second gate oxide film 76
serving as a low voltage system and having a thickness of 2.2 nm is
formed by thermal oxidation. At this time, the thickness of the
first gate oxide film is increased by about 0.2 nm to be about 6.8
nm.
[0049] Then, as shown in FIG. 8D, the first and second gate oxide
films 73 and 76 are exposed to a nitrogen plasma 78 having an
electron energy of about 50-1000 eV so that nitrogen is introduced
into the first and second gate oxide films 73 and 76. Thus, the
first and second gate oxide films 73 and 76 are made into first and
second gate insulating films 81 and 82, respectively.
[0050] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8E, first and second gate
electrodes 91 and 92 are formed on the first and second gate
insulating films 81 and 82, respectively. Then, through the process
steps of forming an LDD (lightly doped drain), a sidewall 85, and
source and drain, a semiconductor device 500 including a plurality
of transistors (two transistors in this embodiment) is formed.
[0051] In FIG. 9, the SIMS (secondary-ion mass spectrometry)
profiles of the nitride concentrations of the first and second gate
insulating films 81 and 82 formed in the above-described manner are
shown under the assumption that the power and time of the plasma 78
are adjusted so that a peak concentration is 5 atomic %. The
electron energy of the plasma 78 is about 10 eV at this time, i.e.,
one fifth of the lower limit electron energy of the plasma
described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
10-79509.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 9A, the nitrogen concentration distribution
of the first gate insulating film 81 (having a thickness of 7 nm)
has a peak at a distance of about 2 nm from a surface of the first
gate insulating film 81 (i.e. the interface with the gate electrode
91) and the nitrogen concentration is almost 0 around 4 nm.
Therefore, in the case of the first gate insulating film 81 having
a thickness of 7 nm, even if the known technology is used, the
nitrogen concentration around the interface between the first gate
insulating film 81 and the silicon substrate 71 is almost 0.
Therefore, the silicon substrate 71 is no way nitrided.
[0053] However, as shown in FIG. 9B, the nitrogen concentration
distribution of the second gate insulating film 82 (having a very
small thickness, i.e., 2.2 nm) has a peak at a depth of 2 nm from
the interface with the gate electrode 92. This peak position
substantially corresponds to the interface between the second gate
insulating film 82 and the silicon substrate 71 and shows that a
tail of nitrogen extends in the silicon substrate 71. This is
because the energy of the nitrogen plasma 78 is not as low as that
required for the thickness of the second gate insulating film 82,
so that the nitrogen plasma 78 goes through the second gate
insulating film 82 to nitride the silicon substrate 71. In this
state, the electrical thickness of the second gate insulating film
82 measured by a high-frequency CV measurement (a
capacitance-voltage measurement) includes a serial capacitance
formed by nitriding the silicon substrate 71 and is greater than
the electrical thickness of the second gate insulating film 82
which does not includes a serial capacitance. Thus, effects of
reduction in and nitriding of the thickness of the gate oxide film
76 can not be utilized.
[0054] Then, the present inventor conducted various examinations
based on the above-described findings. As a result, the present
inventor has reached the present invention relating to a gate
insulating film with excellent film controllability, uniformity of
film thickness and film quality.
[0055] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the
following enbodiments.
[0056] (Embodiment 1)
[0057] EMBODIMENT 1 relates to a semiconductor device including two
different gate insulating films having different thicknesses.
[0058] First, a substrate including a silicon layer at least on a
surface thereof is prepared. The substrate may be a silicon
substrate or an SOI substrate. Moreover, if an epitaxial wafer in
which a surface layer of a silicon layer is an epitaxial layer is
used, no deficiency is generated in the surface layer. Accordingly,
a gate insulating film with excellent film quality can be
preferably formed.
[0059] Next, an isolation region is formed in the substrate using
STI process.
[0060] Thereafter, a first oxide film for dealing with a relatively
high voltage signal such as an input/output signal is formed on the
surface of the substrate by thermal oxidation. The thickness of the
oxide film is about 7-10 nm. Note that a method for forming a first
oxide film is not limited to thermal oxidation but may be plasma
oxidation, oxidation using perchloric acid solution or the like.
With these oxidation methods, a relatively thick oxide film can be
formed in a short time and the film quality of an obtained oxide
film is good. Therefore, these methods are preferable as methods
for forming a first oxide film.
[0061] Thereafter, a phlotoresist is provided as a mask on part of
the first oxide film which is to be left as a first gate insulating
film and then other part of the first oxide film is removed by
etching.
[0062] After the photoresist has been removed, the substrate is
immersed in heated nitric acid serving as an oxidizer and then a
second oxide film is formed by solution oxidation in part of the
substrate from which the first oxide film has been removed. Here,
instead of immersing the substrate in heated nitric acid, heated
nitric acid may be sprayed to the substrate or be made to flow on
the substrate. The thickness of the second oxide film is about
0.3-2 nm. Note that through the solution oxidation, the thickness
of the first oxide film is hardly increased. In this oxidation
process, as an oxidizer, heated nitric acid is preferably used.
However, perchloric acid may be used.
[0063] Next, the substrate in which the two oxide films have been
formed is placed at room temperature (i.e., about 20.degree. C.)
and then the substrate is exposed to a plasma containing nitrogen
having an electron energy of 5 eV or less to nitride the substrate.
In this plasma nitriding, the lower limit of the energy of the
plasma is a level at which a plasma state can be maintained. As the
plasma, an inductively coupled plasma, a magnetron plasma, a
helicon wave plasma or a surface wave plasma is preferable. If the
electron energy of the plasma is not less than 0.5 eV and not more
than 3 eV, introduction of nitrogen further to the substrate under
the second oxide film can be reliably avoided. Therefore, the
electron energy of not less than 0.5 eV and not more than 3 eV is
more preferable. The density of nitrogen ions in the plasma is
preferably not less than 5.times.10.sup.9 cm.sup.-3 and not more
than 1.times.10.sup.12 cm.sup.-3.
[0064] Thereafter, the nitrided substrate is subjected to thermal
treatment for 10-120 seconds in an oxygen atmosphere in which a
temperature is set to be not less than 800.degree. C. and not more
than 1100.degree. C. The thermal treatment is performed so that Si
reliably binds to N. Note that in this thermal treatment, the
atmosphere may be a low pressure oxygen atmosphere. Moreover,
although effects are slightly reduced, the thermal treatment may be
performed using a non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen and argon.
[0065] Next, a polysilicon film has been deposited on the substrate
and then an impurity introduction and patterning are performed to
form gate electrodes.
[0066] According to this embodiment, a second oxide film, i.e., a
very thin oxide film, can be formed so as to have excellent
reproducibility and uniformity of film thickness, and even an oxide
film having a thickness of 1.6 nm or less, which is difficult to be
formed by thermal oxidation, can be formed in a simple manner.
Moreover, an oxide film fomned by solution oxidation has excellent
film quality and also nitriding is perfonred using a low-energy
high-density nitrogen plasma, so that the electrical thickness of
the oxide film measured by a capacitance-voltage measurement can be
reduced. Therefore, a leakage current can be suppressed to a low
level. Note that although the electrical thickness of a silicon
dioxide film is in general a thickness obtained by adding 0.2-0.3
nm to the physical thickness of the silicon dioxide film, the
electrical thickness of the nitrided oxide film of this embodiment
is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the physical
thickness of the nitrided oxide film.
[0067] Moreover, the gate insulating film of this embodiment
contains silicon dioxide as a main component and nitrogen. To
contain silicon dioxide as a main component and nitrogen means that
the mole percent of nitrogen to silicon contained in silicon
dioxide is not less than 1% and not more than 50%. Therefore, it
has been shown that the gate insulating film is not a silicon
nitride film.
[0068] The isolation region of this embodiment is formed using STI
process. STI process is a method of burying an insulator into a
silicon layer. In a high temperature process such as thermal
oxidation, an oxidizer even oxidizes an inner wall of the isolation
region. Due to the oxidation of the inner wall of the isolation
region, cubical expansion occurs in the isolation region, so that a
stress is generated. Then, if in order to relax the stress, a
temperature is increased to make a viscous flow, an impurity is
diffused this time. This is also not preferable. In this
embodiment, however, the second oxide film is formed by solution
oxidation at a relatively low temperature. Thus, the oxidizer is
not diffused in the isolation region and the inner wall of the
isolation region is not oxidized, so that no stress is generated.
Therefore, there is no need to perform stress relaxation.
[0069] Moreover, in this embodiment, the semiconductor substrate
may be a substrate containing Si at least on the surface thereof.
For example, a SiGe substrate may be used.
[0070] (Embodiment 2)
[0071] EMBODIMENT 2 is different from EMBODIMENT 1 in that three
different oxide films having different thicknesses are formed.
EMBODIMENT 2 will be described with a focus on this different point
of EMBODIMENT 2 from EMBODIMENT 1.
[0072] First and second oxide films are formed in a substrate as in
the same manner as in EMBODIMENT 1.
[0073] Next, a photoresist is provided as a mask so as to cover
parts of the first and second oxide films which are to be left as
first and second gate insulating films, respectively, and then
other parts of the first oxide film and/or the second oxide film
are removed by etching.
[0074] After the photoresist has been removed, the substrate is
immersed in heated nitric acid serving as an oxidizer and then a
third oxide film is formed in parts of the substrate from which the
first oxide film and/or the second oxide film have been removed by
solution oxidation. The thickness of the third oxide film is
preferably smaller than that of the second oxide film, i.e., about
0.3-3 nm.
[0075] Thereafter, nitriding and gate electrode formation are
performed in the same manner as in EMBODIMENT 1.
[0076] In this embodiment, the second and third oxide films can be
formed so as to have excellent reproducibility and uniformity of
film thickness, and even an oxide film having a thickness of 1.6 nm
or less, which is difficult to be formed by thermal oxidation, can
be formed in a simple manner. Specifically, when the third oxide
film is formed, the second oxide film is only etched and the
thickness of the second film is not increased. Thus, the thickness
of the second oxide film can be controlled in a simple manner, and
also the quality of the second oxide film can be kept good.
Moreover, an oxide film formed by solution oxidation has excellent
film quality and also nitriding is performed using a low-energy
high-density nitrogen plasma, so that the electrical thickness of
the oxide film measured by a capacitance-voltage measurement can be
reduced. Therefore, a leakage current can be suppressed to a low
level.
EXAMPLES
[0077] Hereinafter, examples according to the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In
the following drawings, each component having substantially the
same function is identified by the same reference numeral for the
purpose of simplification.
(First Example)
[0078] A first example of the present invention which relates to a
semiconductor device 100 including two different gate insulating
films 11 and 12 having different thicknesses will be described with
reference to cross-sectional views shown in FIG. 1 and
schematically illustrating respective process steps for fabricating
a semiconductor device.
[0079] First, as shown in FIG. 1A, in an epitaxial wafer (a
semiconductor substrate) 1 in which an epitaxial layer having a
resistivity of 10-15 .OMEGA.cm and a thickness of 5 .mu.m was
formed on a silicon substrate of which the principal surface was
the (100) plane and which has a p-type resistivity of 0.01-0.02
.OMEGA.cm, isolation regions 2 having a depth of 250 nm were formed
using STI (shallow trench isolation) process, so that an isolation
width between adjacent two of the isolation regions 2 was 200 nm.
Furthennore, well formation and introduction of an impurity into an
active region by ion implantation for adjusting a threshold voltage
were performed. This semiconductor substrate 1 was cleaned using an
SC-1 cleaning liquid (NH.sub.4OH: H.sub.2O.sub.2: H.sub.2O) of a
temperature of 50.degree. C. and then a natural oxide film was
removed from the surface of the substrate using diluted
hydrofluoric acid. Thereafter, in an RTP apparatus, thermal
oxidation was performed at a temperature of 1050.degree. C. and in
an H.sub.2/O.sub.2 mixed atmosphere to form a first gate oxide film
(a first oxide film) 3 having a thickness of 7.2 nm. Note that the
cleaning method using an SC-1 cleaning liquid is a known cleaning
method called "RCA cleaning" (W. Kern and D. A. Plutien, RCA review
31, p. 187, 1970).
[0080] In this case, the first oxide film 3 was grown to extend in
each of regions into which the substrate was divided by the
isolation regions 2, i.e., a region of the substrate in which a
first gate insulating film 11 was to be formed and a region of the
substrate in which a second gate insulating film 12 was to be
formed. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1B, a photoresist 5 was formed
as a mask on the region in which a first gate insulating film 11
was to be formed, and then etching using diluted hydrofluoric acid
was performed to remove part of the first oxide filn 3 located on
the region in which a second gate insulating film 12 was to be
formed.
[0081] Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, after the photoresist 5 was
removed using a 130.degree. C. mixed solution of sulfuric acid and
hydrogen peroxide solution, the substrate was immersed in 50%
heated nitric acid 7 of a temperature of 80.degree. C. for 30
minutes and then an SiO.sub.2 film, i.e., a second gate oxide film
(a second oxide film) 6 having a thickness of 1.4 nm, was formed in
a region 4 of the substrate from which the first oxide film 3 had
been removed. The film thickness uniformity of the second oxide
film 6 measured by ellipsometry was 0.01 nm (.sigma.) in a 200 mm
wafer surface. At this time, on the other hand, the average
thickness of the first oxide film 3 was 7 nm.
[0082] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1D, the first and second oxide
films 3 and 6 were exposed for 20 seconds to a nitrogen plasma 8
generated by an inductively coupled plasma (at 12.56 MHz and of 500
W) at room temperature (i.e., 30.degree. C.) and having an electron
energy of 1.0 eV. The temperature then was room temperature
(30.degree. C.) and the ion density of the nitrogen plasma 8 was
5.times.10.sup.10 cm.sup.-3. Note that in this exposure, helium was
used as an addition gas. Through the exposure to the nitrogen
plasma 8, the first and second oxide films 3 and 6 were made into
oxynitride films 11 and 12, i.e., first and second gate insulating
films.
[0083] Subsequently, thermal treatment was performed for 20 seconds
at a temperature of 1000.degree. C. and in an oxygen atmosphere of
5 Torr.
[0084] Next, as shown in FIG. 1E, a polycrystalline silicon film
was deposited to a thickness of 150 nm at 620.degree. C., an
N-channel gate and a P-channel gate were doped with phosphorous and
boron, respectively, and then patterning using a photolithography
and dry-etching were performed in a known manner. Thus, gate
electrodes 21 and 22 were formed.
[0085] Thereafter, ion implantation into an LDD region was
performed and, furthermore, low pressure CVD using TEOS (tetra
ethyl ortho silicate) at a temperature of 650.degree. C. and etch
back were performed, thereby forming a sidewall 15. Then, arsenic
ions and boron ions were implanted into the N-channel and the
P-channel, respectively, thereby forming source/drain regions.
Thereafter, regular process steps of forming an interlevel film and
an interconnect were performed.
[0086] When the respective electrical thicknesses of the first and
second gate insulating films 11 and 12 formed in the
above-described manner were measured by a high-frequency CV
measurement (a capacitance-voltage measurement), the first gate
insulating film had a 7.2 nm electrical thickness and the second
gate insulating film had a 1.4 nm electrical thickness. Note that
the measurement was conducted with the silicon dioxide having a
dielectric constant of 3.9. The physical thicknesses of the first
gate insulating film 11 and the second gate insulating film 12 were
7.0 nm and 1.4 nm, respectively. Note that when a high-frequency CV
measurement was conducted for a silicon dioxide film having a
physical thickness of 1.4 nm, the electrical thickness thereof was
1.6 nm. Moreover, the respective nitrogen profiles of the first and
second gate insulating films 11 and 12 in the depth direction were
measured by SIMS. From the measurement, a nitrogen concentration
distribution having a peak of 10 atomic % at a distance of 0.5 nm
from each of surfaces of the first and second gate insulating films
11 and 12 on which the gate electrodes 21 and 22 were formed,
respectively was confirmed. Moreover, the nitrogen concentration of
an interface portion between the first gate insulating film 11 and
the semiconductor substrate 1 was 0.01 atomic % or less and the
nitrogen concentration of an interface portion between the second
gate insulating film 12 and the semiconductor substrate was 1.0
atomic % or less. The semiconductor substrate in each of the
interface portions was hardly nitrided.
(Second Example)
[0087] A second example of the present invention which relates to a
semiconductor device 200 including a gate insulating film 32 will
be described with reference to cross-sectional views shown in FIG.
2 and schematically illustrating respective process steps for
fabricating a semiconductor device.
[0088] First, as shown in FIG. 2A, in an epitaxial wafer (a
semiconductor substrate) 1 in which an epitaxial layer having a
resistivity of 10-15 .OMEGA.cm and a thickness of 5 .mu.m was
formed on a silicon substrate of which the principal surface was
the (100) plane and which has a p-type resistivity of 0.01-0.02
.OMEGA.cm, isolation regions 2 having a depth of 250 nm were formed
using STI (shallow trench isolation) process, so that an isolation
width between adjacent two of the isolation regions 2 was 200 nm.
Furthermore, well formation and introduction of an impurity into an
active region by ion implantation for adjusting a threshold voltage
were performed.
[0089] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2B, the semiconductor substrate
1 was cleaned using an SC-1 cleaning liquid (NH.sub.4OH:
H.sub.2O.sub.2: H.sub.2O) of a temperature of 50.degree. C. and
then a natural oxide film was removed from the surface of the
substrate using diluted hydrofluoric acid. Then, the substrate was
immersed in 50% heated nitric acid 7 of a temperature of 80.degree.
C. for 10 minutes to deposit an SiO.sub.2 film, i.e., a gate oxide
film 31 having a thickness of 1.1 nm. The thickness of the gate
oxide film 31 was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. At this
time, the film thickness distribution in the wafer surface was 0.01
nm (.sigma.).
[0090] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2C, the gate oxide film 31 was
exposed for 15 seconds to a nitrogen plasma 18 generated by an
inductively coupled plasma at 13.56 MHz and of 300 W so that the
gate oxide film 31 was made into an oxynitride film 32. The
temperature then was room temperature (30.degree. C.) and the ion
density of the nitrogen plasma 18 was 3.times.10.sup.10 cm.sup.-3.
Note that in this exposure, the plasma was generated using only
nitrogen without any addition gas. The electron energy was
estimated to be 1 eV or less.
[0091] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2D, a polycrystalline silicon
film was deposited to a thickness of 150 nm at a temperature of
620.degree. C., an N-channel gate or a P-channel gate was doped
with phosphorous or boron, and then patterning using a
photolithography and dry-etching were performed in a known manner.
Thus, a gate electrode 24 was formed.
[0092] Then, ion implantation into LDD regions 27 was performed
and, furthermore, low pressure CVD using TEOS (tetra ethyl ortho
silicate) at a temperature of 650.degree. C. and etch back were
performed, thereby forming a sidewall 15. Then, arsenic ions and
boron ions were implanted into the N-channel and the P-channel,
respectively, thereby forming source/drain regions 26. Thereafter,
regular process steps of forming an interlevel film and an
interconnect were performed.
[0093] When the electrical thickness of the gate insulating film 32
formed in the above-described manner was measured by a
high-frequency CV measurement (a capacitance-voltage measurement),
the electrical thickness thereof was 1.1 nm. The physical thickness
of the gate insulating film 32 was 1.1 nm. Note that when a
high-frequency CV measurement was conducted for a silicon dioxide
film having a physical thickness of 1.1 nm, the electrical
thickness thereof was 1.3 nm. Moreover, the nitrogen profile of the
gate insulating film 32 in the depth direction was measured by
SIMS. From the measurement, a nitrogen concentration distribution
having a peak of 8 atomic % at a distance of 0.5 nm from surfaces
of the gate insulating film 32 on which the gate electrode 24 was
formed was confirmed. Moreover, the nitrogen concentration of an
interface portion between the gate insulating film 32 and the
semiconductor substrate 1 was 1.0 atomic %. This showed that the
semiconductor substrate 1 was hardly nitrided.
(Third Example)
[0094] A third example of the present invention which relates to a
semiconductor device 300 including three different gate insulating
films 11, 12 and 13 having different thicknesses will be described
with reference to cross-sectional views shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and
schematically illustrating respective process steps for fabricating
a semiconductor device.
[0095] First, as shown in FIG. 3A, in an epitaxial wafer (a
semiconductor substrate) 1 in which an epitaxial layer having a
resistivity of 10-15 .OMEGA.cm and a thickness of 5 .mu.m was
formed on a silicon substrate of which the principal surface was
the (100) plane and which a p-type resistivity of 0.01-0.02
.OMEGA.cm, isolation regions 2 having a depth of 250 nm were formed
using STI (shallow trench isolation) process, so that an isolation
width between adjacent two of the isolation regions 2 was 200 nm.
Furthennore, well formation and introduction of an impurity into an
active region by ion implantation for adjusting a threshold voltage
were performed. This semiconductor substrate 1 was cleaned using an
SC-1 cleaning liquid (NH.sub.4OH: H.sub.2O.sub.2: H.sub.2O) of a
temperature of 50.degree. C. and then a natural oxide film was
removed from the surface of the substrate using diluted
hydrofluoric acid. Thereafter, in an RTP apparatus, thermal
oxidation was performed at a temperature of 1050.degree. C. and in
an H.sub.2/O.sub.2 mixed atmosphere to form a first gate oxide film
(a first oxide film) 3 having a thickness of 5.5 nm.
[0096] In this case, the first oxide film 3 was grown to extend in
all of regions into which the substrate was divided by the
isolation regions 2, i.e., a region of the substrate in which a
first gate insulating film 11 was to be formed, a region of the
substrate in which a second gate insulating film 12 was to be
formed, and a region of the substrate in which a third gate
insulating film 13 was to be formed. Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
3B, a photoresist 5 was formed as a mask on the region in which a
first gate insulating film 11 was to be formed, and then etching
using diluted hydrofluoric acid was performed to remove parts of
the first oxide film 3 located on the region in which a second gate
insulating film 12 was to be formed and the region in which a third
gate insulating film 13 was to be formed.
[0097] Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, after the photoresist 5 was
removed using a 130.degree. C. mixed solution of sulfuric acid and
hydrogen peroxide solution, the semiconductor substrate 1 was
immersed in 50% heated nitric acid 7 of a temperature of 80.degree.
C. for 60 minutes and then an SiO.sub.2 film, i.e., a second gate
oxide film (a second oxide film) 6 having a thiclkess of 2 nm, was
formed in a region 4 of the substrate from which the first oxide
film 3 had been removed.
[0098] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3D, a photoresist 25 was formed
as a mask over the regions in which a first gate insulating film 11
was to be formed and in which a second gate insulating film 12 was
to be formed, and then etching using diluted hydrofluoric acid was
performed to remove part of the second oxide film 6 located on the
region in which a third gate insulating film 13 was to be
formed.
[0099] Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, after the photoresist 25 was
removed using a 130.degree. C. mixed solution of sulfuric acid and
hydrogen peroxide solution, the substrate was immersed in 50%
heated nitric acid 7 of a temperature of 80.degree. C. for 10
minutes and then an SiO.sub.2 film, i.e., a third gate oxide film
(a third oxide film) 9 having a thickness of 1.1 nm, was formed in
a portion 14 of the substrate from which the second oxide film 6
had been removed. In this case, the average thicknesses of the
first oxide film 3 and the second oxide film 6 were still 5.5 nm
and 2 nm, respectively.
[0100] Each of the film thickness uniformities of the second oxide
film 6 and the third oxide film 9 measured by ellipsometry was 0.01
nm (.sigma.) in a 200 nm wafer surface.
[0101] In this process step, three different gate oxide films,
i.e., the first oxide film 3 having a thickness of 5.5 nm, the
second oxide film 6 having a thickness of 2 nm and the third oxide
film 9 having a thickness of 1.1 nm were formed.
[0102] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4B, the substrate 1 in which
the oxide films 3, 6 and 9 were formed was exposed for 10 seconds
to a nitrogen plasma 28 of 1500 W and at a temperature of
400.degree. C., i.e., a microwave excitation surface wave plasma.
In this case, argon was used as an addition gas. The estimated
electron energy then was about 1 eV and the ion density of the
nitrogen plasma 28 was 7.times.10.sup.10 cm.sup.-.
[0103] Subsequently, thermal treatment was performed for 20 seconds
at a temperature of 1000.degree. C. and in an oxygen atmosphere of
5 Torr.
[0104] Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, a polycrystalline silicon film
was deposited to a thickness of 150 nm at 620.degree. C., an
N-channel gate and a P-channel gate were doped with phosphorous and
boron, respectively, and then patterning using a photolithography
and dry-etching were performed in a known manner. Thus, gate
electrodes 21, 22 and 23 were formed.
[0105] Thereafter, ions were implanted into an LDD region and,
furthermore, low pressure CVD using TEOS (tetra ethyl ortho
silicate) at a temperature of 650.degree. C. and etch back were
performed, thereby forming a sidewall 15. Then, arsenic ions and
boron ions were implanted into the N-channel and the P-channel,
respectively, thereby forming source/drain regions. Thereafter,
regular process steps of forming an interlevel film and an
interconnect were perfonned.
[0106] When the respective electrical thicknesses of the first,
second and third gate insulating films 11, 12 and 13 formed in the
above-described manner were measured by a high-frequency CV
measurement (a capacitance-voltage measurement), the electrical
thickness of the first gate insulating film 11 was 5.7 nm, the
electrical thickness of the second gate insulating film 12 was 1.9
nm and the electrical thickness of the third gate insulating film
13 was a 1.0 nm. The physical thicknesses of the first gate
insulating film 11, the second gate insulating film 12 and the
third gate insulating film 13 were 5.5 nm, 2.0 nm and 1.1 nm,
respectively. Note that when a high-frequency CV measurement was
conducted for a silicon dioxide film having a physical thickness of
2.0 nm, the electrical thickness thereof was 2.2 nm. The electrical
thickness of a silicon dioxide film having a physical thickness of
1.1 nm was 1.3 nm.
[0107] FIG. 5 shows SIMS distribution of nitrogen concentration in
the film thickness direction for the three different gate
insulating films 11, 12 and 13 of the semiconductor device of the
present invention. In the SIMS distribution of each of the gate
insulating films 11, 12 and 13, a peak position of the nitrogen
concentration was located at a distance of about 0.5 nm from the
surface of a film (the interface with a gate electrode) as in the
first example, and the peak concentration was 12 atomic %. The
three different gate insulating films had about the same nitrogen
concentration profile. For the third gate insulating film 13 having
the smallest thickness, i.e., a thickness of 1.1 nm, the nitrogen
concentration at the interface between the gate insulating film 13
and the semiconductor substrate 1 was 1 atomic % or less. Also,
almost no nitriding in the substrate 1 was observed. From the
results described above, for the electrical thickness measured by a
high-frequency CV measurement, a very small value, i.e., 1.0 nm was
obtained. As for a leakage current in the third gate insulating
film 13, a reduction by two orders in magnitude (about 1/100),
compared to a thermal oxide film having the same physical thickness
as that of the third gate insulating film 13 was observed.
Therefore, it has been confirmed that base oxide film formation and
subsequent nitriding using a high density nitrogen plasma having a
low energy were very effective in reduction for a leakage current
in a very thin gate insulating film and reduction in an electrical
thickness.
[0108] Next, the leakage current will be described.
[0109] FIG. 6 is a graph of leakage currents in a silicon oxide
film formed by thermal oxidation and an oxynitride film (gate
insulating film) formed in a method according to the present
invention and having a thickness of 0.8-1.8 nm in terms of oxide
film equivalent thickness when driving voltage is 2V. The oxide
film equivalent thickness of a film is indicated by a physical
thickness of a silicon dioxide film having the same electrical
thickness as that of the film.
[0110] In general, reduction in the thickness of a gate oxide film
causes increase in a leakage current flowing in the gate oxide
film. Although the conduction mechanism of a silicon dioxide film
normally is due to a Fowler-Nordheim tunnel current, in a region of
a film having a thickness of 3.5 nm or less, a direct tunnel
current is dominant. Accordingly, as the thickness of the film is
reduced by 0.2 nm, a leakage current is increased by one order in
magnitude. Therefore, in a filn having a thickness of 2.6 nm or
less, a gate leakage current flowing in a gate insulating film
among leakage currents in a transistor can not be disregarded. In a
known gate insulating film, reduction in such a leakage current is
one of big challenges. However, it has been confirmed that a
leakage current in an oxynitride film formed according to the
present invention is smaller by about 1.5-2 orders in magnitude
than that in a silicon oxide film formed by thermal oxidation.
Within a range shown in FIG. 6, a leakage current in the oxynitride
film of the present invention is about 1/20- 1/100 of a leakage
current in a thermal oxide film having the same physical thickness
as that of the oxynitride film. This shows excellent film quality
of a chemical oxide film formed using heated nitric acid and
effectiveness of oxynitride film formation by exposure to a
nitrogen plasma having a low energy.
(Fourth Example)
[0111] A fourth example of the present invention will be described
with reference to FIG.
[0112] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of a semiconductor
device 400 having a MIS structure as an exemplary field effect
transistor or capacitor having a metal-insulating
film-semiconductor structure. In FIG. 7, source and drain, an LDD,
a well, an isolation and the like which were actually provided in
the semiconductor device and do not directly relate to the present
invention are omitted. On a semiconductor substrate 1 made of
silicon, provided was an oxide film formed by immersing the
substrate in 50% heated nitric acid of a temperature of 80.degree.
C. and having a thickness of 1.5 nm. The oxide film was exposed to
a nitrogen plasma generated from a mixture of nitrogen gas and
helium gas by an inductively coupled plasma and having an ion
density of 2.times.10.sup.10 cm.sup.31 3, thereby introducing
nitrogen atoms into the oxide film. Thus, the oxide film was made
into a gate insulating film 51. At this time, an adjustment was
made so that a peak of nitrogen D is located at a distance of 0.5
nm from a surface of the gate insulating film 51. The nitrogen
concentration at the peak P was 16 atomic %. Moreover, the nitrogen
concentration at the interface S between the gate insulating film
51 and the semiconductor substrate 1 was 0.9 atomic %.
[0113] Thereafter, as a gate electrode 52, a polycrystalline
silicon film doped with boron as an impurity was deposited.
[0114] Thus, for the nitrogen concentration profile in the gate
insulating film 51, a part of the gate insulating film 51 located
closer to the electrode is made to have a high concentration and
the nitrogen concentration at the interface S between the silicon
substrate 1 and the gate insulating film 51 is made to be about 1
atomic %, so that diffusion of boron in the polycrystalline silicon
film, i.e., the electrode 52 can be suppressed by nitrogen
contained in the part of the gate insulating film 51 at a high
concentration. Accordingly, boron is diffused in the gate
insulating film 51 and then in silicon of the substrate 1 directly
under the gate insulating film 51, thereby preventing reduction in
mobility and change in a threshold voltage. Moreover, due to
nitrogen contained in the part of the gate insulating film 51 at a
high concentration, the gate insulating film 51 exhibits a higher
dielectric constant than the dielectric constant unique to a
silicon dioxide film, i.e., 3.9. As a result, with an equivalent
physical thickness to that of a silicon dioxide film, a higher
static capacitance can be obtained. In other words, a smaller
electrical thickness than that of a silicon dioxide film can be
obtained, thus improving the driving ability of a transistor.
[0115] Moreover, when high concentration nitrogen exists at the
interface between the gate insulating film 51 and the silicon
substrate 1, change in the mobility and threshold voltage of the
transistor are caused due to diffusion of an impurity, the
generation of an interface level, the generation of fixed charge
resulting from the existence of high concentration nitrogen.
However, when the nitrogen concentration at the interface is about
1 atomic %, as in this sample, deterioration of interface
properties caused by dangling or broken bonds due to a disturbance
of binding at the interface can be suppressed. This is because
nitrogen exists at the interface at an amount enough to terminate a
binding end of a dangling or broken bond. If an excessive amount of
nitrogen exists, not only a binding end of a dangling or broken
bond is terminated but also a normal binding is replaced with
nitrogen, thus resulting in adverse side effects. Moreover, due to
nitrogen contained in the gate insulating film at a high
concentration, a leakage current is also reduced. Accordingly, with
the gate insulating film of this example, a low leakage current and
a high dielectric constant which can not be obtained in a known
silicon dioxide film can be obtained. Therefore, the performance of
the transistor can be far improved.
[0116] As has been described, an oxide film is formed using heated
nitric acid serving as an oxidizer and then the oxide film is
exposed to a plasma having an electron energy of 5 eV and
containing nitrogen, so that a gate insulating film, i.e., an
oxynitride film is formed. Using the gate insulating film, a
semiconductor device is formed. Therefore, for the gate insulating
film of the semiconductor device, uniformity of a film thickness
can be achieved and the same thickness can be obtained as excellent
reproducibility. Also, at the same time, the gate insulating film
has an excellent film quality and a small electrical thickness, so
that a leakage current can be reduced.
* * * * *