Low-temperature formation of high-quality gate oxide by ultraviolet irradiation on spin-on-glass

Abstract

Although a UV cure was found to effectively convert a perhydropolysilazane (PHPS) spin-on-glass film into a dense SiOx film at low temperature, the electrical characteristics were never reported in order to recommend the use of PHPS as a gate-oxide material that can be formed at low temperature. We have formed a high-quality gate oxide by UV irradiation on the PHPS film, and obtained an interface midgap trap density of 3.4 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1 by the UV wet oxidation and UV post-metallization annealing (PMA), at a temperature as low as 160 °C. In contrast to the UV irradiation using short-wavelength UV light, which is well known to enhance oxidation by the production of the excited states of oxygen, the UV irradiation was carried out using longer-wavelength UV light from a metal halide lamp. The UV irradiation during the wet oxidation of the PHPS film generates electron-hole pairs. The electrons ionize the H2O molecules and facilitate dissociation of the molecules into H and OH−. The OH− ions are highly reactive with Si and improve the stoichiometry of the oxide. The UV irradiation during the PMA excites the electrons from the accumulation layer, and the built-in electric field makes the electron injection into the oxide much easier. The electrons injected into the oxide recombine with the trapped holes, which have caused a large negative flat band voltage shift after the UV wet oxidation, and also ionize the H2O molecules. The ionization results in the electron stimulated dissociation of H2O molecules and the decreased interface trap density.