A method includes forming a first high-k dielectric layer over a first semiconductor region, forming a second high-k dielectric layer over a second semiconductor region, forming a first metal layer comprising a first portion over the first high-k dielectric layer and a second portion over the second high-k dielectric layer, forming an etching mask over the second portion of the first metal layer, and etching the first portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask protects the second portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask is ashed using meta stable plasma. A second metal layer is then formed over the first high-k dielectric layer.

A method includes forming a first high-k dielectric layer over a first semiconductor region, forming a second high-k dielectric layer over a second semiconductor region, forming a first metal layer comprising a first portion over the first high-k dielectric layer and a second portion over the second high-k dielectric layer, forming an etching mask over the second portion of the first metal layer, and etching the first portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask protects the second portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask is ashed using meta stable plasma. A second metal layer is then formed over the first high-k dielectric layer.

A semiconductor wafer has a base material with a first thickness and first and second surfaces. A wafer scribe mark is disposed on the first surface of the base material. A portion of an interior region of the second surface of the base material is removed to a second thickness less than the first thickness, while leaving an edge support ring of the base material of the first thickness and an asymmetric width around the semiconductor wafer. The second thickness of the base material is less than 75 micrometers. The wafer scribe mark is disposed within the edge support ring. The removed portion of the interior region of the second surface of the base material is vertically offset from the wafer scribe mark. A width of the edge support ring is wider to encompass the wafer scribe mark and narrower elsewhere around the semiconductor wafer.

Hydrogen annealing for heating a semiconductor wafer on which a thin film containing a dopant is deposited to an annealing temperature under an atmosphere containing hydrogen is performed. A native oxide film is inevitably formed between the thin film containing the dopant and the semiconductor wafer, however, by performing hydrogen annealing, the dopant atoms diffuse relatively easily in the native oxide film and accumulate at the interface between the front surface of the semiconductor wafer and the native oxide film. Subsequently, the semiconductor wafer is preheated to a preheating temperature under a nitrogen atmosphere, and then, flash heating treatment in which the front surface of the semiconductor wafer is heated to a peak temperature for less than one second is performed. The dopant atoms are diffused and activated in a shallow manner from the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, thus, the low-resistance and extremely shallow junction is obtained.

Techniques are disclosed for deuterium-based passivation of non-planar transistor interfaces. In some cases, the techniques can include annealing an integrated circuit structure including the transistor in a range of temperatures, pressures, and times in an atmosphere that includes deuterium. In some instances, the anneal process may be performed at pressures of up to 50 atmospheres to increase the amount of deuterium that penetrates the integrated circuit structure and reaches the interfaces to be passivated. Interfaces to be passivated may include, for example, an interface between the transistor conductive channel and bordering transistor gate dielectric and/or an interface between sub-channel semiconductor and bordering shallow trench isolation oxides. Such interfaces are common locations of trap sites that may include impurities, incomplete bonds dangling bonds, and broken bonds, for example, and thus such interfaces can benefit from deuterium-based passivation to improve the performance and reliability of the transistor.

A method for processing a substrate includes providing a substrate with a layer including a material selected from a group consisting of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge) and silicon germanium. The method includes depositing a first layer on the layer of the substrate using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The method includes depositing a second layer on the first layer using ALD. Depositing one of the first layer and the second layer includes depositing phosphorus oxide and depositing the other one of the first layer and the second layer includes depositing antimony oxide. The method includes annealing the substrate to drive antimony and phosphorus from the first layer and the second layer into the layer of the substrate to create a junction.

A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes: forming pillars in a first region of a stack structure in which interlayer insulating layers and sacrificial insulating layers are alternately stacked; forming a slit in a second region of the stack structure; and removing the sacrificial insulating layers in the first region. In the removing of the sacrificial insulating layers in the first region, a portion of each of the sacrificial insulating layers, which is adjacent to the slit, and a portion of each of the sacrificial insulating layers, which is disposed between the pillars, may be removed using different etching materials.

A dilute chemical solution producing apparatus includes, in a supply line of ultrapure water, a platinum group metal carrying resin column, a membrane-type deaeration apparatus, and a gas dissolving membrane apparatus, and a washing chemical solution injection apparatus is provided between the platinum group metal carrying resin column and the membrane-type deaeration apparatus. An inert gas source is connected to a gas phase side of the membrane-type deaeration apparatus, and an inert gas source is also connected to a gas phase side of the gas dissolving membrane apparatus. A discharge line communicates with the gas dissolving membrane apparatus. With such a dilute chemical solution producing apparatus, a dilute chemical solution with both dissolved oxygen and dissolved hydrogen peroxide being removed can be safely produced and supplied in a washing step for semiconductor washing.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for providing an novel field effect transistor (FET) architecture that includes a center fin region and one or more vertically stacked nanosheets. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a non-planar channel region is formed having a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a fin-shaped bridge layer between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. Forming the non-planar channel region can include forming a nanosheet stack over a substrate, forming a trench by removing a portion of the nanosheet stack, and forming a third semiconductor layer in the trench. Outer surfaces of the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the fin-shaped bridge region define an effective channel width of the non-planar channel region.

Provided are an integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing the same. The integrated circuit device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a device isolation layer defining an active region of the semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating layer on the active region; a gate stack on the gate insulating layer; a spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack; and an impurity region provided on both sides of the gate stack, wherein the gate stack includes a metal carbide layer and a metal layer on the metal carbide layer, wherein the metal carbide layer includes a layer having a carbon content of about 0.01 at % to about 15 at %.