An etching method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes step (a), step (b), step (c), step (d), and step (e). Step (a) provides a substrate that has a silicon-containing film which does not include oxygen and nitrogen, and a mask formed on the silicon-containing film. Step (b) etches the silicon-containing film with plasma generated from a first processing gas that includes a halogen-containing gas to form a recess portion. Step (c) forms an oxide film in the recess portion with plasma generated from a second processing gas that includes an oxygen-containing gas and a gas including carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine. Step (d) further etches the silicon-containing film with the plasma generated from the first processing gas after step (c). Step (e) repeatedly executes step (c) and step (d) a preset number of times.

The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device with a fill structure. The semiconductor structure includes first and second fin structures on a substrate, an isolation region on the substrate and between the first and second fin structures, a first gate structure disposed on the first fin structure and the isolation region, a second gate structure disposed on the second fin structure and the isolation region, and the fill structure on the isolation region and between the first and second gate structures. The fill structure includes a dielectric structure between the first and second gate structures and an air gap enclosed by the dielectric structure. The air gap is below top surfaces of the first and second fin structures.

A method of nitridation includes cyclically performing the following steps in situ within a processing chamber at a temperature less than about 400° C.: directing an energy flux to a localized region of an unreactive surface of a substrate to convert the localized region of the unreactive surface to a localized reactive region: and selectively nitridating the localized reactive region using a nitrogen-based gas to convert the localized reactive region to a nitride layer.

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor, on a substrate; a second semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor, on the first semiconductor layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer; a first insulating film formed on the second semiconductor layer; a second insulating film formed on the first insulating film; and a gate electrode formed on the second insulating film. The first insulating film includes a nitride film formed on a side of the second semiconductor layer, and an oxynitride film formed on the nitride film, and the second insulating film is formed of an oxide.

A method and apparatus for growing an oxide layer within a feature of a substrate is described herein. The method is suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing. The oxide layer is formed by exposing a substrate to both a high pressure oxidant exposure and a lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure. The high pressure oxidant exposure is performed at a pressure of greater than 10 Torr, while the lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure is performed at a pressure of less than about 10 Torr. The features are high-aspect ratio trenches or holes within a stack of silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes: a base is provided, in which the base includes a first doped area and a second doped area, and an isolation structure is provided between the first doped area and the second doped area; nitridation treatment is performed on the first doped area and the second doped area; and oxidation treatment is performed on the first doped area and the second doped area subjected to the nitridation treatment, to form a first gate oxide layer and a second gate oxide layer respectively.

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor includes a plurality of interlayer insulating layers and a plurality of gate electrodes alternately stacked in a first direction on a substrate. The plurality of interlayer insulating layers and the plurality of gate electrodes constitute a side surface extended in the first direction. A gate dielectric layer is disposed on the side surface. A channel pattern is disposed on the gate dielectric layer. The gate dielectric layer includes a protective pattern, a charge trap layer, and a tunneling layer. The protective pattern includes a portion disposed on a corresponding gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes. The charge trap layer is disposed on the protective pattern. The tunneling layer is disposed between the charge trap layer and the channel pattern. The protective pattern is denser than the charge trap 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 nitrogen plasma treatment is used on an adhesion layer of a contact plug. As a result of the nitrogen plasma treatment, nitrogen is incorporated into the adhesion layer. When a contact plug is deposited in the opening, an interlayer of a metal nitride is formed between the contact plug and the adhesion layer. A nitrogen plasma treatment is used on an opening in an insulating layer. As a result of the nitrogen plasma treatment, nitrogen is incorporated into the insulating layer at the opening. When a contact plug is deposited in the opening, an interlayer of a metal nitride is formed between the contact plug and the insulating layer.

Methods for forming a SiBN film comprising depositing a film on a feature on a substrate. The method comprises in a first cycle, depositing a SiB layer on a substrate in a chamber using a chemical vapor deposition process, the substrate having at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface and sidewalls, the SiB layer formed on the upper surface, the bottom surface and the sidewalls. In a second cycle, the SiB layer is treated with a plasma comprising a nitrogen-containing gas to form a conformal SiBN film.