Using high temperature H2 anneal to recrystallize S/D and remove native oxide simultaneously

A method for simultaneously annealing a source/drain region and removing an overlying native oxide layer using a H2anneal in the fabrication of integrated circuits is described. Semiconductor device structures are provided in and on a semiconductor substrate wherein the semiconductor device structures include gate electrodes and associated source and drain regions. A resist protective dielectric layer is deposited overlying the semiconductor device structures. The resist protective dielectric layer is etched away where it is not covered by a mask exposing a top surface of the gate electrode and a surface of the semiconductor substrate overlying the source and drain regions wherein a native oxide layer forms on the exposed surfaces. The substrate is annealed using H2whereby the native oxide is removed and whereby the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate is recrystallized. Thereafter, a metal layer is deposited overlying the resist protective oxide layer, the exposed surface of the gate electrode, and the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate and silicided. The metal layer is removed where it is not transformed to a metal silicide leaving the metal silicide overlying the gate, source and drain regions to complete fabrication of the integrated circuit device.