Method for forming silicon oxynitride materials

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming silicon oxynitride materials on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a native oxide surface within a processing system containing a plurality of process chambers, and removing the native oxide surface to form a substrate surface free of native oxide during a clean process. The method further provides exposing the substrate to a first nitrogen-containing plasma to form a silicon nitride layer from the substrate surface during a first nitridation process, exposing the substrate to an oxygen source to form a silicon oxynitride layer from the silicon nitride layer during a thermal oxidation process, exposing the substrate to a second nitrogen-containing plasma during a second nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an annealing process.

1 . A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising: 
 positioning a substrate containing a native oxide surface within a processing system comprising a plurality of process chambers;    removing the native oxide surface to form a substrate surface free of native oxide during a cleaning process;    exposing the substrate to a first nitrogen-containing plasma to form a silicon nitride layer from the substrate surface during a first nitridation process;    exposing the substrate to an oxygen source to form a silicon oxynitride layer from the silicon nitride layer during a thermal oxidation process;    exposing the substrate to a second nitrogen-containing plasma during a second nitridation process; and    exposing the substrate to an annealing process.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is maintained within the processing system during the cleaning process, the first nitridation process, the thermal oxidation process, the second nitridation process, and the annealing process.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning process comprises exposing the substrate to a wet clean solution.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cleaning process comprises exposing the substrate to a hydrofluoric acid solution.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first nitrogen-containing plasma comprises nitrogen and the second nitrogen-containing plasma comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, water, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source comprises water vapor formed by combining hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and oxygen gas or hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and nitrous oxide gas.  
   
   
       8 . A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising: 
 positioning a substrate containing a native oxide surface within a processing system comprising a plurality of process chambers;    removing the native oxide surface to form a substrate surface free of native oxide during a cleaning process;    exposing the substrate to a plasma comprising nitrogen and oxygen to form a silicon oxynitride layer from the substrate surface during a plasma process;    exposing the substrate to an oxygen source during a thermal oxidation process;    exposing the substrate to a nitrogen-containing plasma during a nitridation process; and    exposing the substrate to an annealing process.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the substrate is maintained within the processing system during the cleaning process, the plasma process, the thermal oxidation process, the nitridation process, and the annealing process.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cleaning process comprises exposing the substrate to a wet clean solution.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the cleaning process comprises exposing the substrate to a hydrofluoric acid solution.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plasma comprising nitrogen and oxygen comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the oxygen source comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, water, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the oxygen source comprises water vapor formed by combining hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and oxygen gas or hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and nitrous oxide gas.  
   
   
       15 . A method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate, comprising: 
 positioning a substrate containing a native oxide surface within a processing system comprising a plurality of process chambers;    removing the native oxide surface to form a substrate surface free of native oxide during a cleaning process;    exposing the substrate to a nitrogen-containing plasma to form a silicon nitride layer from the substrate surface during a nitridation process;    exposing the substrate to an oxygen source to form a silicon oxynitride layer during a thermal oxidation process;    exposing the substrate to a plasma comprising nitrogen and oxygen during a plasma process; and    exposing the substrate to an annealing process.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is maintained within the processing system during the cleaning process, the nitridation process, the thermal oxidation process, the plasma process, and the annealing process.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cleaning process comprises exposing the substrate to a hydrofluoric acid solution.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plasma comprising nitrogen and oxygen comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the oxygen source comprises a reagent selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, water, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the oxygen source comprises water vapor formed by combining hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and oxygen gas or hydrogen gas, nitrogen gas, and nitrous oxide gas.