Methods to manufacture integrated circuits are described. Nanocrystalline diamond is used as a hard mask in place of amorphous carbon. Provided is a method of processing a substrate in which nanocrystalline diamond is used as a hard mask, wherein processing methods result in a smooth surface. The method involves two processing parts. Two separate nanocrystalline diamond recipes are combined—the first and second recipes are cycled to achieve a nanocrystalline diamond hard mask having high hardness, high modulus, and a smooth surface. In other embodiments, the first recipe is followed by an inert gas plasma smoothening process and then the first recipe is cycled to achieve a high hardness, a high modulus, and a smooth surface.

A hard mask film for use in a process for manufacture of a semiconductor device, comprises a first graphene layer; a first amorphous carbon layer formed on the first graphene layer; a second graphene layer formed on the first amorphous carbon layer; and a second amorphous carbon layer formed on the second graphene layer.

A method of filling a recess on a surface of a substrate may comprise performing a deposition cycle on the substrate; allowing the deposited material to flow into the recess; and creating a void within the recess in response to the allowing the deposited material to flow. A void size of the void can be based on a ratio of a deposition repeat number of times that the deposition step is repeated to a treatment repeat number of times that the treatment cycle is repeated. The deposition cycle can comprise: providing an inert gas to the reaction chamber; performing a deposition step; and performing a treatment step. A deposition step can comprise: providing a precursor to the reaction chamber; and/or forming a deposited material from the precursor. A treatment step can comprise forming a plasma in the reaction chamber by applying a plasma power and treating the deposited material.

Methods of and apparatuses for processing substrates having carbon-containing material using atomic layer deposition and selective deposition are provided. Methods involve exposing a carbon-containing material on a substrate to an oxidant and igniting a first plasma at a first bias power to modify a surface of the substrate and exposing the modified surface to an inert plasma at a second bias power to remove the modified surface. Methods also involve selectively depositing a second carbon-containing material onto the substrate. ALE and selective deposition may be performed without breaking vacuum.

A method for forming multi-layer film on substrate, which includes steps (1) forming under layer film on substrate by applying under layer film material containing resin having repeating unit represented by the general formula (1) or (2) in which fluorene structure is contained, and curing the same by heat treatment, (2) forming metal oxide film on the under layer film by applying metal oxide film material selected from titanium oxide film material, zirconium oxide film material, and hafnium oxide film material, (3) forming hydrocarbon film on metal oxide film by applying hydrocarbon film material, and (4) forming silicon oxide film on the hydrocarbon film by applying silicon oxide film material. There can be provided a method for forming multi-layer film that can reduce reflectance, and useful for a patterning process with high dimensional accuracy of dry etching. ##STR00001##

A method of defect reduction for a SiC layer includes activating dopants disposed in the SiC layer, depositing a carbon-rich layer on the SiC layer after activating the dopants, tempering the carbon-rich layer so as to form graphite on the SiC layer, and diffusing carbon from the graphite into the SiC layer. Carbon diffused from the graphite fills carbon vacancies in the SiC layer.

A method of improving the surface of an object treats the surface with a neutral beam formed from a gas cluster ion mean to create a surface texture and/or increase surface area.

A spin on carbon composition, comprises: a carbon backbone polymer; a first crosslinker; and a second crosslinker. The first crosslinker reacts with the carbon backbone polymer to partially crosslink the carbon backbone polymer at a first temperature, and the second crosslinker reacts with the carbon backbone polymer to further crosslink the carbon backbone polymer at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The first crosslinker is a monomer, oligomer, or polymer. The second crosslinker is a monomer, oligomer, or polymer. The first and second crosslinkers are different from each other. When either of the first crosslinker or the second crosslinker is a polymer, the polymer is a different polymer than the carbon backbone polymer.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a film on a substrate by overlapping the following during at least a certain period: (a) supplying a first source to the substrate, the first source including at least one of an inorganic source containing a specific element and a halogen element and an organic source containing the specific element and the halogen element; (b) supplying a second source to the substrate, the second source including at least one of amine, organic hydrazine, and hydrogen nitride; and (c) supplying a third source to the substrate, the third source including at least one of amine, organic hydrazine, hydrogen nitride, and organic borane.

Methods and apparatuses for performing cycles of aspect ratio dependent deposition and aspect ratio independent etching on lithographically patterned substrates are described herein. Methods are suitable for reducing variation of feature depths and/or aspect ratios between features formed and partially formed by lithography, some partially formed features being partially formed due to stochastic effects. Methods and apparatuses are suitable for processing a substrate having a photoresist after extreme ultraviolet lithography. Some methods involve cycles of deposition by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and directional etching by atomic layer etching.