Reversible oxidation protection of microcomponents

1. A method for the reversible oxidation protection of microcomponents, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate to be protected;

applying a silicon nitride layer on said substrate for protecting said substrate against oxidation;

applying an insulation layer to said silicon nitride layer; and

after the insulation layer is applied to said silicon nitride layer, carrying out a reoxidation process, in which oxygen radicals are generated and in which said oxygen radicals generated are passed through said insulation layer to said silicon nitride layer in order to convert silicon nitride of said nitride layer into silicon dioxide.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising semiconductor components as said microcomponents.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising a silicon substrate as said substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising, after applying said insulation layer to said silicon nitride layer and before carrying out said reoxidation process, the step of densifying and converting chemically said applied insulation layer in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at high temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising performing said reoxidation process at a low process temperature in the range of 700° C. to 850° C.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising performing said reoxidation process at a low process temperature at a process temperature of approximately 750° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing an oxygen radical oxidation process or an ISSG process as said reoxidation process.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising continuing said reoxidation process until the entire silicon nitride of said silicon nitride layer has been converted into said silicon dioxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising choosing the process parameters of said reoxidation process such that said oxygen radicals generated diffuse completely through said insulation layer and are passed as far as said silicon nitride layer and said silicon nitride layer is completely converted into silicon dioxide by means of said oxygen radicals without oxidizing said substrate lying below said silicon nitride layer by said oxygen radicals.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen radicals are generated by means of a plasma at low pressure.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said insulation layer comprises at least one of silicon dioxide or a material comprising silicon dioxide.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising annealing said insulation layer, after being applied to said silicon nitride layer, for densifying said insulation layer.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising, before applying said silicon nitride layer on said substrate, applying a thin silicon dioxide layer to said substrate.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said silicon nitride layer is present as a buried silicon nitride layer after applying said insulation layer to said silicon nitride layer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said silicon nitride layer has a layer thickness of 0.1 nm to 100 nm.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said silicon nitride layer has a layer thickness of approximately 1 nm to 2 nm.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises at least one trench with trench walls and said silicon nitride layer is applied in the region of said at least one trench on at least parts of said trench walls.

18. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing a patterned silicon substrate as said substrate.

19. The method of claim 10 , comprising using a pressure in the range of 0.1 torr to 1000 torr for generating said plasma.

20. The method of claim 10 , comprising using a pressure in the range of 1 torr to 100 torr for generating said plasma.

21. The method of claim 12 , comprising annealing said insulation layer at process temperatures in the range of 800° C. to 1050° C.

22. The method of claim 12 , comprising annealing said insulation layer at process temperatures in the range of 850° C. to 950° C.