A new process for gate dielectric fabrication named in situ steam generation （ISSG） is reported. Based on the Deal-Grove model, an oxidation mechanism is proposed to break the Si- Si bond by an active atomic O and form a Si- O - Si bond during the oxidation process. The breakdown characteristics are investigated through a MOS-capacitor for both ISSG and furnace wet oxidation. The gate dielectric material generated by ISSG oxidation has a superior electrical performance owing to sufficient oxidation of weak Si-Si bonds relative to furnace wet oxidation,indicating a promising application in sub-micron IC device manufacturing.
MMT （modified magnetron typed） plasma nitridation and NO anneal are used to treat ultra-thin gate oxides in MOSFETs （metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors）. Dual-peak and single-peak N distributions are formed after nitridation. The dual-peak N distribution shows excellent electrical properties and superior reliability in terms of drain current,channel carrier mobility, and TDDB characteristics. The results indicate a means to extend silicon oxynitride as a promising gate dielectric for developing ultralarge scale integrated （ULSI） technology.
