A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a silicon carbide layer; a silicon oxide layer; and a region disposed between the silicon carbide layer and the silicon oxide layer and having a nitrogen concentration equal to or more than 1 × 10.sup.21 cm.sup.-3. A nitrogen concentration distribution in the silicon carbide layer, the silicon oxide layer, and the region have a peak in the region, a nitrogen concentration at a first position 1 nm away from the peak to the side of the silicon oxide layer is equal to or less than 1 × 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 and a carbon concentration at the first position is equal to or less than 1 × 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, and a nitrogen concentration at a second position 1 nm away from the peak to the side of the silicon carbide layer is equal to or less than 1 × 10.sup.18 cm-.sup.3.

A semiconductor device includes an N-type fin-like field effect, a P-type fin-like field effect transistor, a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, and a second ILD layer. The N-type fin-like field effect transistor includes a first semiconductor fin, a gate structure across the first semiconductor fin, and a first source/drain feature in contact with the first semiconductor fin. The P-type fin-like field effect transistor includes a second semiconductor fin, the gate structure across the second semiconductor fin, and a second source/drain feature in contact with the second semiconductor fin. The structure surrounds the first and second semiconductor fins. The first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer covers the first source/drain feature. The second ILD layer covers the second source/drain feature, wherein a porosity of the second ILD layer is greater than a porosity of the first ILD layer.

To reduce a hydroxy group in a silicon oxide film formed at a low temperature and obtain a silicon oxide film with an excellent film quality, (a) accommodating a substrate on a surface of which a silicon oxide film formed at a processing temperature of 300° C. or lower is formed in a processing container, (b) plasma-exciting a hydrogen gas, and a step of supplying hydrogen active species generated in (b) to the substrate are performed.

Provided are methods of sealing open pores of a surface of a porous dielectric material using an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process. In one example method of sealing open pores, since the polymer thin film having a significantly thin thickness may be formed by a solvent-free vapor deposition method without plasma treatment, it is possible to minimize deterioration of characteristics of the dielectric material vulnerable to plasma and a chemical solution.

In an embodiment, a device includes: a gate structure over a substrate; a gate spacer adjacent the gate structure; a source/drain region adjacent the gate spacer; a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) on the source/drain region, the first ILD having a first concentration of an impurity; and a second ILD on the first ILD, the second ILD having a second concentration of the impurity, the second concentration being less than the first concentration, top surfaces of the second ILD, the gate spacer, and the gate structure being coplanar; and a source/drain contact extending through the second ILD and the first ILD, the source/drain contact coupled to the source/drain region.

Embodiments herein provide for oxygen based treatment of low-k dielectric layers deposited using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process. Oxygen based treatment of the FCVD deposited low-k dielectric layers desirably increases the Ebd to capacitance and reliability of the devices while removing voids. Embodiments include methods and apparatus for making a semiconductor device including: etching a metal layer disposed atop a substrate to form one or more metal lines having a top surface, a first side, and a second side; depositing a passivation layer atop the top surface, the first side, and the second side under conditions sufficient to reduce or eliminate oxygen contact with the one or more metal lines; depositing a flowable layer of low-k dielectric material atop the passivation layer in a thickness sufficient to cover the one or more metal lines; and contacting the flowable layer of low-k dielectric material with oxygen under conditions sufficient to anneal and increase a density of the low-k dielectric material

There is provided a technique that includes: supplying a film formation inhibition gas to the substrate, which includes a first base and a second base on a surface of the substrate, to form a film formation inhibition layer on a surface of the first base; supplying a film-forming gas to the substrate after forming the film formation inhibition layer on the surface of the first base, to form a film on a surface of the second base; and supplying a halogen-free substance, which chemically reacts with the film formation inhibition layer and the film, to the substrate after forming the film on the surface of the second base, in a non-plasma atmosphere.

A method includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form a semiconductor strip and a recess, with a sidewall of the semiconductor strip being exposed to the recess, depositing a dielectric layer into the recess, and depositing a capping layer over the dielectric layer. The capping layer extends into the recess, and comprises silicon oxynitride. The method further includes filling remaining portions of the recess with dielectric materials, performing an anneal process to remove nitrogen from the capping layer, and recessing the dielectric materials, the capping layer, and the dielectric layer. The remaining portions of the dielectric materials, the capping layer, and the dielectric layer form an isolation region. A portion of the semiconductor strip protrudes higher than a top surface of the isolation region to form a semiconductor fin.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method of embodiments includes: forming an aluminum nitride film; forming an aluminum hydroxide film containing diaspore-type aluminum hydroxide by performing treatment in a fluid containing water to the aluminum nitride film; and forming an aluminum oxide film containing α-type aluminum oxide by performing heat treatment to the aluminum hydroxide film at a temperature equal to or more than 500° C. and equal to or less than 800° C.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming first and second pattern structures on first and second regions of a substrate, respectively, forming a preparatory first interlayer insulating layer covering the first pattern structure on the first region, forming a preparatory second interlayer insulating layer covering the second pattern structure on the second region, the preparatory second interlayer insulating layer including a first colloid, and converting the preparatory first and second interlayer insulating layers into first and second interlayer insulating layers, respectively, by annealing the preparatory first and second interlayer insulating layers.