US Patent 7416988 Semiconductor device and fabrication process thereof

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of modifying a damaged layer containing carbon and formed at a semiconductor surface by exposing the damaged layer to oxygen radicals to form a modified layer, and removing the modified layer by a wet etching process, wherein the modifying step is conducted by adding an active specie of an element that would obstruct formation of double bond between a Si atom and an oxygen atom by causing a chemical bond with Si atoms on the semiconductor surface.