Semiconductor blocking layer for preventing UV radiation damage to MOS gate oxides

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A system and apparatus is provided for preventing damage to gate oxide due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation associated with semiconductor processes.
Included is a substrate and a gate formed on the substrate.
The gate includes a gate material layer and a gate oxide layer positioned on the substrate.
A pair of spacers are situated on opposite sides of the gate.
Deposited over the gate and the spacers is a UV radiation blocking material for preventing the UV radiation from damaging the gate oxide layer of the gate.
Finally, at least one metal and intermetal oxide layer is positioned over the UV radiation blocking material.
In another embodiment, instead of the UV blocking material being deposited over the gate and the spacers, the spacers are constructed from the UV radiation blocking material for preventing the UV radiation from damaging the gate oxide layer of the gate.
In such embodiment, the UV radiation blocking material serves as both an insulating layer between the gate and upper layers of the semiconductor stack, and further protects the gate oxides against UV radiation associated with plasma etching.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention addresses the need for additional materials to use as protection against damage to gate oxides during semiconductor processes.
In particular, the present invention offers a plurality of materials which more effectively protect gate oxides against UV radiation associated with semiconductor processes.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and studying the various figures of the drawings.