Applied Materials, Inc.
TREATMENTS TO ENHANCE MATERIAL STRUCTURES

Abstract:

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate, forming an interfacial layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the substrate, depositing a high-.kappa. dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms in the deposited high-.kappa. dielectric layer, and performing a post-nitridation anneal process to passivate chemical bonds in the plasma nitridated high-.kappa. dielectric layer.