초록 ▼

A method is described for cleaning a silicon surface of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum chamber while radiantly heating said silicon surface to maintain it within a first temperature range in the presence of hydrogen gas; then quickly cooling the wafer down to a second temperature range by reducin

A method is described for cleaning a silicon surface of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum chamber while radiantly heating said silicon surface to maintain it within a first temperature range in the presence of hydrogen gas; then quickly cooling the wafer down to a second temperature range by reducing the radiant heat; and then forming a layer of either polysilicon or oxide over the cleaned surface within this second temperature range without removing the cleaned wafer from the chamber. By cleaning the wafer and then depositing polysilicon or growing oxide over the cleaned silicon surface in the same vacuum chamber, formation of oxides and other contaminants on the cleaned silicon surface between the cleaning step and the deposition or growth step is inhibited, resulting in a higher quality polysilicon or oxide layer formed over the cleaned silicon surface.

대표청구항 ▼

[What is claimed is:] [5.]a) placing said substrate in a vacuum chamber having at least one single-wall portion transparent to light of at least infrared frequency to allow external radiant heating of said wafer;b) radiantly heating said silicon surface to a first temperature of from about 800.degre

[What is claimed is:] [5.]a) placing said substrate in a vacuum chamber having at least one single-wall portion transparent to light of at least infrared frequency to allow external radiant heating of said wafer;b) radiantly heating said silicon surface to a first temperature of from about 800.degree. C. to about 950.degree. C. by infra-red energy passing through said at least one single-wall portion of said vacuum chamber to clean said silicon surface on said substrate to remove oxide and any other contaminants from said surface when hydrogen gas is flowed through said chamber;c) after heating said silicon surface to said first temperature, commencing the flow of hydrogen gas through said vacuum chamber for a period of from about 0.5 to about 4 minutes while maintaining said chamber at a pressure within a range of from about 5 Torr to about 100 Torr and while maintaining said substrate at said first temperature to thereby clean said silicon surface on said substrate;d) thereafter, without removing said substrate from said vacuum chamber, cooling said silicon surface down to a second temperature low enough to permit formation of a layer over said cleaned silicon surface; ande) then forming a layer on said cleaned silicon surface of said semiconductor substrate in said same vacuum chamber while continuing said heating of said silicon surface to maintain said surface at said second temperature.