Methods and apparatus for lowering resistivity of a metal line, including: depositing a first metal layer atop a second metal layer to under conditions sufficient to increase a grain size of a metal of the first metal layer; etching the first metal layer to form a metal line with a first line edge roughness and to expose a portion of the second metal layer; removing impurities from the metal line by a hydrogen treatment process; and annealing the metal line at a pressure between 760 Torr and 76,000 Torr to reduce the first line edge roughness.

The present disclosure relates to methods of creating a biosensor. A palladium film is deposited onto a surface of a substrate. The palladium film is then treated with an air plasma to stabilize the palladium and reduce or eliminate its catalytic activity. The biosensor is created from the treated palladium film and the substrate.

The invention relates to a method for adhesion of a thin film or functional layer to a substrate by applying a pulsed and/or alternating voltage.

An image sensor for immersion lithography, the image sensor including: a grating; an absorber layer on the grating, the absorber layer configured to absorb radiation; and a liquidphobic coating at an upper surface of the image sensor, wherein a protective layer is provided between the absorber layer and the liquidphobic layer, the protective layer being less reactive than the absorber layer to an immersion liquid.

Exemplary deposition methods may include introducing a vapor of a metal alkoxide into a processing volume of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate defining a trench may be housed in the processing volume. The methods may include condensing the vapor into a liquid metal alkoxide within the trench on the substrate. The methods may include forming a plasma external to the processing volume of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include introducing plasma-generated species into the processing volume. The methods may include exposing the liquid metal alkoxide in the trench to the plasma-generated species. The methods may also include forming a metal oxide film in the trench through a reaction between the liquid metal alkoxide and the plasma-generated species.

A method for forming a low-resistivity tantalum thin film having the following steps: depositing a tantalum layer on a substrate, the tantalum of the layer having a β phase, treating the deposited tantalum layer by exposure to a radio frequency hydrogen plasma, such that the layer has tantalum in a mixed β-α phase, at least partially desorbing the hydrogen by carrying out at least one of the following steps: exposure to a radio frequency inert gas plasma, and thermal annealing. The treatment step being configured such that the tantalum layer is subjected to temperatures of less than or equal to 300° C.

Systems for depositing materials and related methods are described. The systems allow condensing or depositing a precursor on a substrate, and then curing condensed or deposited precursor to form a layer.

Embodiments of methods for depositing material in features of a substrate have been provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for depositing material in a feature of a substrate includes depositing a material in a feature of a substrate disposed in a process chamber by sputtering a target using a plasma formed from a first gas; and etching the deposited material in the process chamber using a plasma formed from a second gas, different than the first gas, to at least partially reduce overhang of the material in the feature, wherein an atomic mass of the second gas is greater than an atomic mass of the first gas.

This method of manufacturing an optical laminate comprising a transparent substrate, an adhesion layer, an optical functional layer, and an antifouling layer laminated in this order, includes an adhesion layer forming step of forming the adhesion layer, an optical functional layer forming step of forming the optical functional layer, a surface treatment step of treating the surface of the optical functional layer so that the rate of change in surface roughness represented by formula (1) is 1˜25%, and an antifouling layer forming step of forming the antifouling layer on the surface-treated optical functional layer; Rate of change of surface roughness (%)=((Ra2/Ra1)−1)×100 (%) Formula (1) (Formula (1), where Ra1 represents the surface roughness (Ra) of the optical functional layer before the surface thereof is treated, and Ra2 represents the surface roughness (Ra) of the optical functional layer after the surface thereof is treated.).

An image sensor for immersion lithography, the image sensor including: a grating; an absorber layer on the grating, the absorber layer configured to absorb radiation; and a liquidphobic coating at an upper surface of the image sensor, wherein a protective layer is provided between the absorber layer and the liquidphobic layer, the protective layer being less reactive than the absorber layer to an immersion liquid.