Thin films of silicon dioxide are used extensively as insulators in the fabrication of many semiconductor devices. Silicon dioxide films deposited by chemical vapor deposition typically require temperatures near 800 C. However, some processes, such as the fabrication of devices with multilevel aluminum interconnects, require deposition temperatures below 350 C. Several techniques that have been developed for low-temperature deposition of silicon dioxide include plasma-assisted deposition, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, and photo-assisted chemical vapor deposition. Some photochemical deposition reaction use Hg vapor as a photochemical catalyst to decompose nitrous oxide in the pressure of silane. Films deposited with these reactions have been found to have adhesion problems, and tend to be in completely oxidized. Several other deposition reactions using photodissociation of molecular oxygen or disilane have been reported. (jes).

As feature dimensions of integrated circuits shrink, the associated geometrical constraints on junction depth impose severe restrictions on the thermal budget for processing such devices. Furthermore, due to the relatively low melting point of the first aluminum metallization level, such restrictions extend to the fabrication of multilevel structures that are now essential in increasing packing density of interconnect lines. The fabrication of ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) devices under thermal budget restrictions requires the reassessment of existing and the development of new microelectronic materials and processes. This book addresses three broad but interrelated areas. The first area focuses on the subject of rapid thermal processing (RTP), a technology that allows minimization of processing time while relaxing the constraints on high temperature. Initially developed to limit dopant redistribution, current applications of RTP are shown here to encompass annealing, oxidation, nitridation, silicidation, glass reflow, and contact sintering. In a second but complementary area, advances in equipment design and performance of rapid thermal processing equipment are presented in conjunction with associated issues of temperature measurement and control. Defect mechanisms are assessed together with the resulting properties of rapidly deposited and processed films. The concept of RTP integration for a full CMOS device process is also examined together with its impact on device characteristics.

Laser Processing and Chemistry gives an overview of the fundamentals and applications of laser-matter interactions, in particular with regard to laser material processing. Special attention is given to laser-induced physical and chemical processes at gas-solid, liquid-solid, and solid-solid interfaces. Starting with the background physics, the book proceeds to examine applications of laser techniques in micro-machining, and the patterning, coating, and modification of material surfaces. This third edition has been revised and enlarged to cover new topics such as the synthesis of nanoclusters and nanocrystalline films, ultrashort-pulse laser processing, laser polishing, cleaning, and lithography. Graduate students, physicists, chemists, engineers, and manufacturers alike will find this book an invaluable reference work on laser processing.

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