There is provided a technique that includes (a) forming a film containing silicon, carbon and nitrogen having a carbon concentration within a range from 10 at % to 15 at % on a substrate; (b) performing an oxidation process with respect to the substrate where the film is exposed on a surface thereof; and (c) performing a process using hydrogen fluoride with respect to the substrate where the film is exposed on the surface thereof after the oxidation process is performed.

Methods of depositing a film selectively onto a first material relative to a second material are described. The substrate is pre-cleaned by heating the substrate to a first temperature, cleaning contaminants from the substrate and activating the first surface to promote formation of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the first material. A SAM is formed on the first material by repeated cycles of SAM molecule exposure, heating and reactivation of the first material. A final exposure to the SAM molecules is performed prior to selectively depositing a film on the second material. Apparatus to perform the selective deposition are also described.

In some aspects, methods of forming a metal sulfide thin film are provided. According to some methods, a metal sulfide thin film is deposited on a substrate in a reaction space in a cyclical process where at least one cycle includes alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a first vapor-phase metal reactant and a second vapor-phase sulfur reactant. In some aspects, methods of forming a three-dimensional architecture on a substrate surface are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes forming a metal sulfide thin film on the substrate surface and forming a capping layer over the metal sulfide thin film. The substrate surface may comprise a high-mobility channel.

An insulating layer structure for a semiconductor product. The insulating layer structure includes a device substrate, a supporting substrate and a thin film layer. The device substrate and the supporting substrate are silicon wafers. The thin film layer(s) is/are arranged on the device substrate or/and the supporting substrate. The device substrate and the supporting substrate are bonded together through the thin film layer arranged on at least one of the device substrate and the supporting substrate to form an integral multilayer SOI structure. The insulating layer structure formed by the present invention solves problems of serious spontaneous heating of an existing SOI device, severe warpage of an existing SOI structure caused by high-temperature annealing, a poor radio frequency characteristic and the like, and has a predictable relatively higher economic and social value.

Methods for removing a passivation film from a copper surface can include exposing the passivation film to a vapor phase organic reactant, for example at a temperature of 100 C. to 400 C. In some embodiments, the passivation film may have been formed by exposure of the copper surface to benzotriazole, such as can occur during a chemical mechanical planarization process. The methods can be performed as part of a process for integrated circuit fabrication. A second material can be selectively deposited on the cleaned copper surface relative to another surface of the substrate.

Highly selective dry etching techniques for VFET STI recess are provided. In one aspect, a method for dry etching includes: contacting a wafer including an oxide with at least one etch gas under conditions sufficient to etch the oxide at a rate of less than about 30 /min; removing a byproduct of the etch from the wafer using a thermal treatment; and repeating the contacting step followed by the removing step multiple times until a desired recess of the oxide has been achieved. A method of forming a VFET device is also provided.

The mechanisms for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer for a hybrid bonding are provided. The method for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer for a hybrid bonding includes providing a semiconductor wafer, and the semiconductor wafer has a conductive pad embedded in an insulating layer. The method also includes performing a plasma process to a surface of the semiconductor wafer, and metal oxide is formed on a surface of the conductive structure. The method further includes performing a cleaning process using a cleaning solution to perform a reduction reaction with the metal oxide, such that metal-hydrogen bonds are formed on the surface of the conductive structure. The method further includes transferring the semiconductor wafer to a bonding chamber under vacuum for hybrid bonding. The mechanisms for a hybrid bonding and a integrated system are also provided.

Methods for processing a substrate are provided. The method includes receiving a substrate. The substrate has a front side surface, a backside surface, and a side edge surface. The method also includes coating the front side surface, the backside surface and the side edge surface with a self-assembled monolayer and exposing an area of interest with actinic radiation. The actinic radiation causes a de-protection reaction within the self-assembled monolayer within the central region. The method also includes removing the self-assembled monolayer from the area of interest while the self-assembled monolayer remains on remaining surfaces of the substrate.

Methods of depositing a film selectively onto a first substrate surface relative to a second substrate surface are described. The methods include exposing a substrate to a blocking molecule to selectively deposit a blocking layer on the first surface. A layer is selectively formed on the second surface and defects of the layer are formed on the blocking layer. The defects are removed from the blocking layer on the first surface.

Highly selective dry etching techniques for VFET STI recess are provided. In one aspect, a method for dry etching includes: contacting a wafer including an oxide with at least one etch gas under conditions sufficient to etch the oxide at a rate of less than about 30 /min; removing a byproduct of the etch from the wafer using a thermal treatment; and repeating the contacting step followed by the removing step multiple times until a desired recess of the oxide has been achieved. A method of forming a VFET device is also provided.