Method for improving a physical property defect value of a gate dielectric

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for improving a physical property of a substrate, a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit manufactured using the aforementioned method. In one aspect of the invention, the method for improving a physical property of a substrate includes subjecting the substrate to effects of a plasma process 830 , wherein the substrate has a physical property defect value associated therewith subsequent to the plasma process. The method further includes exposing the substrate to an ultraviolet (UV) energy source 840 to improve the physical property defect value.

1 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . An integrated circuit, comprising: 
 a semiconductor substrate having gate structures located thereover; and    at least one plasma dielectric layer located over said semiconductor substrate, wherein said integrated circuit has a negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) shift of less than about 20% for a given operating voltage of 1.8 volts or less.    
   
   
       32 . The integrated circuit as recited in  claim 31  wherein said integrated circuit has a negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) shift of less than about 10% for a given operating voltage of 1.8 volts or less.  
   
   
       33 . The integrated circuit as recited in  claim 32  wherein said integrated circuit has a negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) shift of less than about 10% for a given operating voltage of 1.5 volts or less.  
   
   
       34 . The integrated circuit as recited in claim  30  wherein said at least one plasma dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of materials consisting of: 
 fluorosilicate glass (FSG),    organosilicate glass (OSG),    phosphosilicate glass (PSG),    undopedsilicate glass (USG),    PETEOS, and    PENitride.