Scientific LSI Processing for Intelligent Electronic Systems

我们提出了基于被称为Flexware的新概念电子电路的智能电子系统，这是一种新概念的柔性硬件，类似于人脑。为了实现新的电子系统，我们在首席研究员的带领下，开发了基于超清洁技术的高精度、高性能半导体制造技术。首先，我们从科学的角度研究了半导体加工中的基本问题，阐明了工艺系统的必要条件。我们发明并开发了两种新的等离子体处理系统，满足了这两个必要条件。一种是采用径向线缝隙天线的微波等离子体工艺系统，用于等离子体CVD、氧化、氮化和光刻胶灰化工艺；另一种是平衡电子漂移磁控等离子体工艺系统，用于反应离子刻蚀和溅射沉积工艺。本工作发展的微波等离子体激发技术是划时代的，因为它能够以较低的电子温度产生理想的大面积均匀等离子体。我们利用基于新的等离子体激发技术和超清洁技术的新型工艺设备，在硅表面进行了直接氧化和氮化。结果表明，在400℃的极低温度下，我们成功地制备出了性能优良的栅氧化膜，其性能优于常规的1000℃热氧化和400℃低温下的高完整性栅氧化膜，并具有优异的电学性能。这些新技术实现了500℃以下的整体低温加工，并为在超高性能器件上实现智能电子系统铺平了道路。

We have proposed intelligent electronic systems based on new concept electronic circuits called flexware, which is new concept flexible hardware like a human brain. To realize the new electronic systems we have developed high-precision high-performance semiconductor manufacturing technologies based on ultra clean technology led by the head investigator. At first, we investigated the essential problems in semiconductor processing with a scientific point of view and clarified the conditions necessary for the process systems. We invented and developed novel two plasma process systems fulfilling the essential conditions. One was microwave plasma process system utilizing a radial line slot antenna for plasma CVD, oxidation, nitridation, and photo-resist ashing processes, the other was balanced electron drift magnetron plasma process system for reactive ion etching and sputter deposition processes. Microwave plasma excitation technique developed in this work was epoch-making since it enabled to generate ideal large-area uniform plasmas with fairly low electron temperatures. We have developed direct oxidation and nitridation on silicon surfaces with the novel process equipment based on the new plasma excitation technology and the ultra clean technology. As a result, we succeeded to form excellent gate oxide films at extremely low temperature of 400℃ with better properties than those formed by conventional thermal oxidation at 1000℃ and high-integrity gate nitride films at low temperature of 400℃ with excellent electric characteristics. The new technologies enabled total low temperature processing below 500℃ and made way to realize the intelligent electronic systems base don the ultra high performance devices.