Method of alloying a semiconductor device

Abstract

A method for alloying a semiconductor substrate upon which wordlines enclosed in spacers have been formed, with the substrate exposed between the wordlines. A thin sealing layer is deposited over the substrate and the wordlines, the sealing layer helping to maintain the alloy in said substrate. The alloying material employed in the substrate is hydrogen and optionally monatomic hydrogen. Alloying the substrate with monatomic hydrogen may also be done after deposition of a metal layer, or at other process steps as desired.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor device, comprising: 
 a semiconductor substrate with at least one electrical device thereon, the semiconductor substrate having at least a portion thereof alloyed with a material comprising hydrogen; and    a sealing layer over the semiconductor substrate and the at least one electrical device, the sealing layer adapted to assist in retaining in the semiconductor substrate the alloyed material comprising hydrogen.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor device of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon substrate and the sealing layer comprises silicon nitride.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor device of  claim 1 , wherein the alloyed material comprises monatomic hydrogen.  
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor device of  claim 1 , wherein the alloyed material comprises monatomic hydrogen and ionized hydrogen.  
     
     
         5 . A semiconductor device, comprising: 
 a silicon substrate with at least one electrical device thereon, the silicon substrate having at least a portion thereof alloyed with a material comprising monatomic hydrogen and ionized hydrogen; and    a sealing layer comprising silicon nitride over the silicon substrate and the at least one electrical device, the sealing layer adapted to assist in retaining in the silicon substrate the alloyed material comprising monatomic hydrogen and ionized hydrogen.    
     
     
         6 . A semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit device, comprising: 
 a silicon substrate with at least one electrical device thereon, the silicon substrate having at least a portion thereof alloyed with a material comprising monatomic hydrogen; and    a sealing layer comprising silicon nitride over the silicon substrate and the at least one electrical device, the sealing layer adapted to assist in retaining in the silicon substrate the alloyed material comprising monatomic hydrogen.    
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor device of  claim 6 , wherein the alloyed material comprises monatomic hydrogen and ionized hydrogen.