Embodiments are described herein to reshape spacer profiles to improve spacer uniformity and thereby improve etch uniformity during pattern transfer associated with self-aligned multiple-patterning (SAMP) processes. For disclosed embodiments, cores are formed on a material layer for a substrate of a microelectronic workpiece. A spacer material layer is then formed over the cores. Symmetric spacers are then formed adjacent the cores by reshaping the spacer material layer using one or more directional deposition processes to deposit additional spacer material and using one or more etch process steps. For one example embodiment, one or more oblique physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes are used to deposit the additional spacer material for the spacer profile reshaping. This reshaping of the spacer profiles allows for symmetric spacers to be formed thereby improving etch uniformity during subsequent pattern transfer processes.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a multilayer stack used as a mask in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and methods for forming a multilayer stack. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a carbon layer over a film stack, forming a metal rich oxide layer on the carbon layer by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, forming a metal oxide photoresist layer on the metal rich oxide layer, and patterning the metal oxide photoresist layer. The metal oxide photoresist layer is different from the metal rich oxide layer and is formed by a process different from the PVD process. The metal rich oxide layer formed by the PVD process improves adhesion of the metal oxide photoresist layer and increases the secondary electrons during EUV lithography, which leads to decreased EUV dose energies.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to selective removal of material of a layer, such as a carbon-containing layer. The layer can be over a patterned structure of two different materials. Treating the layer to cause the removal agent to be catalytically activated by a first area of the patterned structure to remove material of the organic material over the first area at a greater rate than over a second area of the patterned structure having a different composition from the first area.

A semiconductor device includes a lower structure, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) on the lower structure, first pattern regions extending inside the first ILD in a first direction, the first pattern regions being spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the first pattern regions including at least one first pattern, and both ends of the at least one first pattern in the first direction being concave, and second pattern regions extending inside the first ILD in the first direction, the second pattern regions being spaced apart from each other in the second direction and alternating with the first pattern regions in the second direction, and each of the second pattern regions including at least one second pattern.

A method for preparing a semiconductor device is provided. The method for preparing the semiconductor device includes: providing a substrate, and forming a first dielectric layer on one side of the substrate, where the substrate includes an array area and a peripheral area arranged outside of the array area; forming an initial mask pattern on one side of the first dielectric layer away from the substrate; performing at least two patterning processes on the initial mask pattern, to form a first mask pattern in the array area and to form a second mask pattern in the peripheral area. The first mask pattern has a first height, the second mask pattern has a second height, and the second height is greater than the first height. Both of the array area and the peripheral area are exposed by using each of the at least two patterning processes.

Equipment for coating a wafer is disclosed, where the equipment includes a wafer holder configured to spin the wafer while holding the wafer; a rotary drive configured to spin the wafer holder; a nozzle configured to pour liquid onto a surface to be coated of the wafer; an annular duct disposed circumferentially around the wafer when the wafer is spun by the wafer holder, the duct configured to collect material ejected off an edge of the wafer; and an air knife disposed proximate a backside, the backside being opposite the side to be coated, where the air knife is configured to blow an air curtain through a slot onto an exposed edge region of the backside at a grazing angle of incidence to flow gas radially outward along the backside toward the annular duct.

A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, a first plug and two metal lines. The substrate has a shallow trench isolation and an active area, and the gate structure is disposed on the substrate to cover a boundary between the active area and the shallow trench isolation. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate, to cover the gate structure, and the first plug is disposed in the first dielectric layer to directly in contact with a conductive layer of the gate structure and the active area. The second dielectric layer is disposed on the first dielectric layer, with the first plug and the gate being entirely covered by the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The two metal lines are disposed in the second dielectric layer.

An exemplary semiconductor fabrication stack includes underlying layers; an organic planarization layer atop the underlying layers; a metal oxide hardmask atop the organic planarization layer and doped with both carbon and nitrogen; and an organic photoresist directly atop the doped metal oxide hardmask. In one or more embodiments, the doped metal oxide hardmask exhibits a water contact angle of greater than 80°.

In a method of coating a photo resist over a wafer, dispensing the photo resist from a nozzle over the wafer is started while rotating the wafer, and dispensing the photo resist is stopped while rotating the wafer. After starting and before stopping the dispensing the photo resist, a wafer rotation speed is changed at least 4 times. During dispensing, an arm holding the nozzle may move horizontally. A tip end of the nozzle may be located at a height of 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm from the wafer.

In a method of coating a photo resist over a wafer, dispensing the photo resist from a nozzle over the wafer is started while rotating the wafer, and dispensing the photo resist is stopped while rotating the wafer. After starting and before stopping the dispensing the photo resist, a wafer rotation speed is changed at least 4 times. During dispensing, an arm holding the nozzle may move horizontally. A tip end of the nozzle may be located at a height of 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm from the wafer.