There is provided a technique that includes: forming an oxide film containing an atom X of a precursor on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle including non-simultaneously performing: (a) forming a first layer containing a component in which a first group is bonded to the atom X on the substrate by supplying the precursor having a molecular structure in which the first and second groups are bonded to the atom X, to the substrate, the first group containing an alkoxy group, and the second group containing at least one of an amino group, an alkyl group, a halogeno group, a hydroxy group, a hydro group, an aryl group, a vinyl group, and a nitro group; and (b) forming a second layer containing the atom X by supplying an oxidizing agent to the substrate to oxidize the first layer.

The present disclosure is directed to method for the fabrication of spacer structures between source/drain (S/D) epitaxial structures and metal gate structures in nanostructure transistors. The method includes forming a fin structure with alternating first and second nanostructure elements on a substrate. The method also includes etching edge portions of the first nanostructure elements in the fin structure to form cavities. Further, depositing a spacer material on the fin structure to fill the cavities and removing a portion of the spacer material in the cavities to form an opening in the spacer material. In addition, the method includes forming S/D epitaxial structures on the substrate to abut the fin structure and the spacer material so that sidewall portions of the S/D epitaxial structures seal the opening in the spacer material to form an air gap in the spacer material.

Described herein are low temperature processed high quality silicon containing films. Also disclosed are methods of forming silicon containing films at low temperatures. In one aspect, there are provided silicon-containing film having a thickness of about 2 nm to about 200 nm and a density of about 2.2 g/cm.sup.3 or greater wherein the silicon-containing thin film is deposited by a deposition process selected from a group consisting of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), cyclic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD), plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition (PECCVD, atomic layer deposition (ALD), and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), and the vapor deposition is conducted at one or more temperatures ranging from about 25° C. to about 400° C. using an alkylsilane precursor selected from the group consisting of diethylsilane, triethylsilane, and combinations thereof.

Various articles and devices can be manufactured to take advantage of a what is believed to be a novel thermodynamic cycle in which spontaneity is due to an intrinsic entropy equilibration. The novel thermodynamic cycle exploits the quantum phase transition between quantum thermalization and quantum localization. Preferred devices include a phonovoltaic cell, a rectifier and a conductor for use in an integrated circuit.

Disclosed is a process for forming a silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) thin film on a substrate in a reaction space by a plurality of deposition cycles. At least one deposition cycle includes contacting a surface of the substrate with a silicon precursor that does not comprise nitrogen and a second reactant that includes reactive species. The reactive species are generated from a gas that flows continuously to the reaction space throughout the at least one deposition cycle. A ratio of a wet etch rate of the SiOC thin film to a wet etch rate of thermal silicon oxide is less than 5.

A method for activating an exposed layer of a structure including a provision of a structure including an exposed layer, a deposition of a layer based on a material of formula Si.sub.aY.sub.bX.sub.c, with X chosen from among fluorine F and chlorine Cl, and Y chosen from among oxygen O and nitrogen N, a, b and c being non-zero positive integers, a treatment of the layer Si.sub.aY.sub.bX.sub.c by an activation plasma based on at least one from among oxygen and nitrogen, the parameters of the deposition of the layer Si.sub.aY.sub.bX.sub.c being chosen so as to obtain a sufficiently low material density such that the layer Si.sub.aY.sub.bX.sub.c is at least partially consumed by the activation plasma.

Materials containing picocrystalline quantum dots that form artificial atoms are disclosed. The picocrystalline quantum dots (in the form of born icosahedra with a nearly-symmetrical nuclear configuration) can replace corner silicon atoms in a structure that demonstrates both short range and long-range order as determined by x-ray diffraction of actual samples. A novel class of boron-rich compositions that self-assemble from boron, silicon, hydrogen and, optionally, oxygen is also disclosed. The preferred stoichiometric range for the compositions is (B.sub.12H.sub.w).sub.xSi.sub.yO.sub.z with 3≤w≤5, 2≤x≤4, 2≤y≤5 and 0≤z≤3. By varying oxygen content and the presence or absence of a significant impurity such as gold, unique electrical devices can be constructed that improve upon and are compatible with current semiconductor technology.

A process for depositing a silicon carbon nitride film on a substrate can include a plurality of complete deposition cycles, each complete deposition cycle having a SiN sub-cycle and a SiCN sub-cycle. The SiN sub-cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a silicon precursor and a SiN sub-cycle nitrogen precursor. The SiCN sub-cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with carbon-containing precursor and a SiCN sub-cycle nitrogen precursor. The SiN sub-cycle and the SiCN sub-cycle can include atomic layer deposition (ALD). The process for depositing the silicon carbon nitride film can include a plasma treatment. The plasma treatment can follow a completed plurality of complete deposition cycles.

The use of selective deposition of silicon nitride can eliminate conventional patterning steps by allowing silicon nitride to be deposited only in selected and desired areas. Using a silicon iodide precursor alternately with a thermal nitrogen source in an ALD or pulsed CVD mode, silicon nitride can be deposited preferentially on a surface such as silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, germanium oxide, SiCO, SiOF, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride, and low k substrates, while exhibiting very little deposition on exposed surfaces such as titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, aluminum nitride, hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, lanthanum oxide, yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, and strontium oxide.

Films that can be useful in large area gap fill applications, such as in the formation of advanced 3D NAND devices, involve processing a semiconductor substrate by depositing on a patterned semiconductor substrate a doped silicon oxide film a doped silicon oxide film configured to expand upon annealing at a temperature above the films glass transition temperature, and annealing the doped silicon oxide film to a temperature above the film glass transition temperature. In some embodiments, reflow of the film may occur. The composition and processing conditions of the doped silicon oxide film may be tailored so that the film exhibits substantially zero as-deposited stress and substantially zero stress shift post-anneal.