A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.

There is provided a technique that includes: performing a set a plurality of times, the set including: (a) loading at least one substrate into a process container; (b) performing a process of forming a nitride film on the at least one substrate by supplying a film-forming gas to the at least one substrate supported by a support in the process container; (c) unloading the processed at least one substrate from an interior of the process container; and (d) supplying an oxidizing gas into the process container from which the processed at least one substrate has been unloaded so as to oxidize one part of the nitride film formed inside the process container in (b) into an oxide film and maintain another part of the nitride film, which is different from the one part of the nitride film, as it is without oxidizing the another part.

A PECVD equipment includes: a process chamber, a sample transfer passage and a vacuum valve. The process chamber is formed, in a wall thereof, with a sample inlet communicated with the process chamber, and the process chamber is provided therein with a first plate electrode and a second plate electrode that are opposite to each other. The sample transfer passage is communicated with the sample inlet so that a sample is transferred from the sample transfer passage to the process chamber through the sample inlet. The vacuum valve is detachably provided at the sample transfer passage and includes a first flat valve gate. The vacuum valve is configured so that, when the PECVD equipment is in an operating state, the first flat valve gate is moved to a position, that is closer to the sample inlet, in the sample transfer passage to seal the sample inlet.

Exemplary methods for laterally etching tungsten may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber may include a trench formed between two vertical columns and tungsten slabs arranged within a plurality of recesses defined by at least one of the two vertical columns. At least two of the tungsten slabs may be connected by tungsten lining a portion of sidewalls of the trench. The methods may further include oxidizing the tungsten connecting the at least two of the tungsten slabs with the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include flowing a halide precursor into the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include laterally etching the oxidized tungsten from the sidewalls of the trench.

Exemplary methods for etching a variety of metal-containing materials may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber may include a trench formed between two vertical columns and a metal-containing material arranged within a plurality of recesses defined by the two vertical columns. The plurality of recesses may include a first recess and a second recess adjacent to the first recess. The metal-containing material arranged within the first recess and the metal-containing material arranged within the second recess may be connected by the metal-containing material lining a portion of sidewalls of the trench. The methods may further include oxidizing the metal-containing material with the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may also include flowing a halide precursor into the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include laterally etching the oxidized metal-containing material lining the portion of the sidewalls of the trench.

Apparatus and methods of processing a substrate in a plasma enhanced spatial atomic layer deposition chamber. A substrate is moved through one or more plasma processing regions and one or more non-plasma processing regions while the plasma power is pulsed to prevent a voltage differential on the substrate from exceeding a breakdown voltage of the substrate or device being formed on the substrate.

Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus including a plurality of microwave radiating mechanisms configured to radiate microwaves output from an output unit in a surface wave plasma source into a processing container. The plasma processing apparatus includes a controller configured to generate plasma, while a plasma processing is not performed on a substrate, by radiating microwaves with total power which is 1/50 or less of total power of microwaves per unit area radiated when the plasma processing is performed on the substrate.

An apparatus for measuring contaminants on a surface of a component is provided. An extraction vessel for holding a measurement fluid has an opening adapted to form a meniscus using the measurement fluid. An actuator moves at least one of the extraction vessel and the component to a position where the meniscus is in contact with the surface of the component. A transducer is positioned to provide acoustic energy to the measurement fluid.

A method of forming a thin film using a substrate processing apparatus includes placing the substrate on the electrostatic chuck, depositing the thin film on the substrate, transferring the substrate, and performing a hardening process. The depositing the thin film on the substrate applies a first DC power source to chuck the substrate, supplies a process gas and applies a first RF power source to form a first plasma to deposit the thin film on the substrate. The transferring the substrate transfers the substrate on which the thin film has been deposited outside the process chamber. The performing a hardening process applies a second DC power source, supplies a purge gas, and applies a second RF power source to form the plasma to harden a deposition film formed in an interior of the process chamber.

Semiconductor processing apparatuses and methods are provided in which a pre-clean chamber receives a semiconductor wafer from a metal gate layer deposition chamber and at least partially removes an oxide layer on a metal gate layer. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus includes a plurality of metal gate layer deposition chambers. Each of the metal gate layer deposition chambers is configured to form a metal gate layer on a semiconductor wafer. At least one pre-clean chamber of the apparatus is configured to receive the semiconductor wafer from one of the metal gate layer deposition chamber and at least partially remove an oxide layer on the metal gate layer.