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Abstract

A method of forming a gate oxide layer is disclosed, which introduces a rapid laser annealing process, performed on the surface of the gate SiON layer, prior to a high-temperature annealing process performed on the gate SiON layer. This enables the method of the invention to remove the intrinsic oxide layer, protect the doped nitrogen atoms from the adverse influence of organic absorption, and lead to the formation of an amorphized surface layer which is able to prevent nitrogen atoms located around the surface from escaping by volatilization and nitrogen atoms beneath the surface from diffusing towards the SiO₂/Si boundary. Therefore, the gate SiON layer formed by the method of the invention can ensure a high and stable nitrogen content, thus achieving the objective to obtain a gate SiON layer with a more precisely trimmed dielectric constant and hence improve the electrical properties of the semiconductor device being fabricated.

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First Claim