Ultra low thermal budget rapid thermal processing for thin gate oxide dielectrics:: Reduction of suboxide transition regions in low temperature processed Si/SiO2 structures by a 900°C 30 second rapid thermal anneal

Device quality gate dielectric heterostructures have been prepared using a three step plasma/rapid thermal sequence [1] in which kinetic effects determine the time-temperature aspects of the processing. The steps for forming the interface and for depositing dielectric layers have been performed at low temperature, similar to 300 degrees C, by plasma-assisted processing. Following this a low rapid thermal anneal (RTA) provides interface and bulk dielectric chemical and structural relaxations, thereby yielding device performance and reliability essentially the same as obtained using higher thermal budget conventional or rapid thermal processing.