Substrate processing method and material for electronic device

Abstract

A method of processing a for an electronic device, comprising, at least: a nitridation step (a) of supplying nitrogen radicals on the surface of the electronic device substrate, to thereby form a nitride film on the surface thereof; and a hydrogenation step (b) of supplying hydrogen radicals to the surface of the electronic device substrate. By use of this method, it is possible to recover the degradation in the electric property of an insulating film due to a turnaround phenomenon which can occur at the time of nitriding an Si substrate, etc.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a processing chamber for plasma-processing a substrate for an electronic device;    substrate-holding pedestal for holding the substrate in the processing chamber;    plasma-generating unit for generating a plasma in the processing chamber;    gas supply opening for supplying a process gas including nitrogen gas into the processing chamber; and    evacuating means for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber;    wherein the processing chamber performs the steps of:    a) disposing the electronic device substrate on the substrate-holding pedestal in the processing chamber;    b) generating nitrogen radicals in the processing chamber by using the plasma-generating unit, and supplying the nitrogen radicals to the surface of the electronic device substrate so as to nitride the surface of the electronic device substrate, to thereby form a nitride film on the electronic device substrate; and    c) introducing a process gas comprising hydrogen gas into processing chamber via the gas supply opening, plasma-exciting the process gas by using the plasma-generating unit, so as to generate hydrogen radicals in the processing chamber, to thereby hydrogenate the nitride film with the hydrogen radicals in the chamber.    
     
     
         2 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen radicals are formed by the plasma in a mixture gas of an inert gas and nitrogen gas.  
     
     
         3 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the plasma is excited by microwave.  
     
     
         4 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, He, and Xe.  
     
     
         5 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plasma is generated by using a plane antenna.  
     
     
         6 . A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a processing chamber for plasma-processing a substrate an electronic device;    substrate-holding pedestal for holding the substrate in the processing chamber;    plasma-generating unit for generating a plasma in the processing chamber;    gas supply opening for supplying a process gas into the processing chamber; and    evacuating means for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber;    wherein the processing chamber performs the steps of:    a) disposing the electronic device substrate in the processing chamber;    b) introducing a process gas comprising nitrogen gas into processing chamber via the gas supply opening;    c) plasma-exciting the nitrogen gas so as to generate nitrogen radicals in the processing chamber;    d) nitriding the surface of the electronic device substrate with the nitrogen radicals, to thereby form a nitride film on the electronic device substrate;    e) introducing a process gas comprising hydrogen gas into processing chamber via the gas supply opening;    f) plasma-exciting the hydrogen gas so as to generate hydrogen radicals in the processing chamber; and    g) hydrogenating the nitride film with the hydrogen radicals.    
     
     
         7 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the plasma is excited by microwave.  
     
     
         8 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the plasma is generated by using a plane antenna member.  
     
     
         9 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of generating the nitrogen radicals and generating the hydrogen radicals is conducted at a pressure of 3-400 Pa.  
     
     
         10 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of generating the nitrogen radicals and generating the hydrogen radicals is conducted at room temperature to 600° C.  
     
     
         11 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the nitrogen radicals are formed by the plasma in a mixture gas of an inert gas and nitrogen gas.  
     
     
         12 . A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a processing chamber for plasma-processing a substrate an electronic device;    substrate-holding pedestal for holding the substrate in the processing chamber;    plasma-generating unit for generating a plasma in the processing chamber;    gas supply opening for supplying a process gas into the processing chamber; and    evacuating means for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber;    wherein the processing chamber performs the steps of:    a) disposing the electronic device substrate having an insulating film on the substrate-holding pedestal in the processing chamber;    b) introducing a process gas comprising an inert gas and nitrogen gas into processing chamber via the gas supply opening, generating a plasma of the process gas by using the plasma-generating unit, so as to generate nitrogen radicals on the electronic device substrate;    c) nitriding the surface of the electronic device substrate with the nitrogen radicals, to thereby form a nitride film on the electronic device substrate;    d) introducing a process gas comprising hydrogen gas into processing chamber via the gas supply opening, and generating a plasma of the process gas by using the plasma-generating unit, so as to generate hydrogen radicals; and    e) hydrogenating the nitride film with the hydrogen radicals.    
     
     
         13 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the plasma is generated by microwaves.  
     
     
         14 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the plasma is generated by using a plane antenna.  
     
     
         15 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the nitrogen-containing gas is selected from NH 3  and N 2 , and the hydrogen-containing gas is hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         16 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the nitrogen radicals are formed by the plasma in a mixture gas of an inert gas and nitrogen gas.  
     
     
         17 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen-containing gas is selected from NH 3  and N 2 , and the hydrogen-containing gas is hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         18 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the nitrogen-containing gas is selected from NH 3  and N 2 , and the hydrogen-containing gas is hydrogen gas.  
     
     
         19 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, He, and Xe.  
     
     
         20 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, He, and Xe.