Importance

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Abstract

A method is disclosed to form a plurality of oxides of different thicknesses with one step oxidation. In a first embodiment, a substrate is provided having a high-voltage cell area and a peripheral low-voltage logic area separated by a trench isolation region. The substrate is first nitrided. Then the nitride layer over the high-voltage area is removed, and the substrate is wet cleaned with HF solution. The substrate surface is next oxidized to form a tunnel oxide of desired thickness over the high-voltage. In a second embodiment, a sacrificial oxide is used over the substrate for patterning the high voltage cell area and the low-voltage logic area. The sacrificial oxide is removed from the low-voltage area and the substrate is nitrided after cleaning with a solution not containing HF, thus forming a nitride layer over the low-voltage area. Then, the sacrificial oxide is removed from the high-voltage area with an HF dip, and tunnel oxide of desired thickness is formed over the same area. In this manner, oxides of multiple thicknesses are provided for the high-voltage cell area and the low-voltage peripheral logic area with one oxidation step. At the same time, with a judicious use of cleaning and nitridation, any detrimental effects of the native oxide are circumvented.

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First Claim