To allow a metal oxide film composed mainly of O and at least one of Hf and Zr to exhibit ferroelectric properties. After deposition of a hafnium oxide film on a semiconductor substrate via an insulating film, the semiconductor substrate is exposed to microwaves to selectively heat the hafnium oxide film. This makes it possible to form a larger number of orthorhombic crystals in the crystals of the hafnium oxide film. The hafnium oxide film thus obtained can therefore exhibit ferroelectric properties without adding, thereto, an impurity such as Si. This means that the hafnium oxide film having a reverse size effect can be used as a ferroelectric film of a ferroelectric memory cell and contributes to the manufacture of a miniaturized ferroelectric memory cell.

There is provided a technique that includes: (a) forming a first film containing boron and at least first bonds selected from the group of SiC bonds and SiN bonds on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including non-simultaneously performing: supplying a boron-containing pseudo-catalyst gas to the substrate; and supplying a first precursor gas containing at least the first bonds selected from the group of the SiC bonds and the SiN bonds to the substrate; (b) modifying the first film to a second film by supplying a gas containing hydrogen and oxygen to the substrate; and (c) modifying the second film to a third film by performing a thermal annealing process to the second film.

Disclosed herein are techniques for providing isolation in integrated circuit (IC) devices, as well as IC devices and computing systems that utilize such techniques. In some embodiments, a protective layer may be disposed on a structure in an IC device, prior to deposition of additional dielectric material, and the resulting assembly may be treated to form a dielectric layer around the structure.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are described herein. A vacuum multi-chamber deposition tool can include a degas chamber with both a heating mechanism and a variable frequency microwave source. The methods described herein use variable frequency microwave radiation to increased quality and speed of the degas process without damaging the various components.

Techniques are disclosed for realizing a two-dimensional target lithography feature/pattern by decomposing (splitting) it into multiple unidirectional target features that, when aggregated, substantially (e.g., fully) represent the original target feature without leaving an unrepresented remainder (e.g., a whole-number quantity of unidirectional target features). The unidirectional target features may be arbitrarily grouped such that, within a grouping, all unidirectional target features share a common target width value. Where multiple such groupings are provided, individual groupings may or may not have the same common target width value. In some cases, a series of reticles is provided, each reticle having a mask pattern correlating to a grouping of unidirectional target features. Exposure of a photoresist material via the aggregated series of reticles substantially (e.g., fully) produces the original target feature/pattern. The pattern decomposition techniques may be integrated into any number of patterning processes, such as litho-freeze-litho-etch and litho-etch-litho-etch patterning processes.

A semiconductor device having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. A first oxide is formed over a substrate; a first insulator is formed over the first oxide; an opening reaching the first oxide is formed in the first insulator; a first oxide film is deposited in contact with the first oxide and the first insulator in the opening; a first insulating film is deposited over the first oxide film; microwave treatment is performed from above the first insulating film; heat treatment is performed on one or both of the first insulating film and the first oxide; a first conductive film is deposited over the first insulating film; and part of the first oxide film, part of the first insulating film, and part of the first conductive film are removed until a top surface of the first insulator is exposed, so that a second oxide, a second insulator, and a first conductor are formed. The microwave treatment is performed using a gas containing oxygen under reduced pressure, and the heat treatment is performed under reduced pressure.

A method of assessing a semiconductor substrate includes a sticking step of sticking a device layer of the semiconductor substrate to a support substrate, a thinning step of thinning the semiconductor substrate from a reverse side thereof to a thickness smaller than a finished thickness after the sticking step is carried out, and an assessing step of applying light to the semiconductor substrate from the reverse side thereof and measuring scattered light from the semiconductor substrate thereby to assess a property of the semiconductor substrate.

A method for treating a substrate includes a mixing step of preparing an ozone treatment fluid containing an ozone gas and a substrate treating step of treating a surface of the substrate using the ozone treatment fluid. In the substrate treating step, light is irradiated to the substrate by a lamp.

Methods and apparatus for planarization of a substrate. Material is dispensed onto the substrate that varies depending upon the substrate topography variation. A superstrate is brought into contact with the material, the material takes on a shape of the superstrate. The material is solidified. The superstrate is lifted away from the solidified material. Material has a first shrinkage coefficient. Second material is dispensed onto the solidified material with an average thickness. The average thickness is greater than a second material thickness threshold that is dependent upon step height of the substrate and the first shrinkage coefficient. The second material is then solidified.

Embodiment methods for performing a high pressure anneal process during the formation of a semiconductor device, and embodiment devices therefor, are provided. The high pressure anneal process may be a dry high pressure anneal process in which a pressurized environment of the anneal includes one or more process gases. The high pressure anneal process may be a wet anneal process in which a pressurized environment of the anneal includes steam.