A method for selectively modifying a base material surface, includes applying a composition on a surface of a base material to form a coating film. The coating film is heated. The base material includes a surface layer which includes a first region including silicon. The composition includes a first polymer and a solvent. The first polymer includes at an end of a main chain or a side chain thereof, a group including a first functional group capable of forming a bond with the silicon. The first region preferably contains a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, or a silicon oxynitride. The base material preferably further includes a second region that is other than the first region and that contains a metal; and the method preferably further includes, after the heating, removing with a rinse agent a portion formed on the second region, of the coating film.

A method for selectively modifying a base material surface, includes applying a composition on a surface of a base material to form a coating film. The coating film is heated. The base material includes a surface layer which includes a first region including a metal. The composition includes a first polymer and a solvent. The first polymer includes at an end of a main chain or a side chain thereof, a group including a first functional group capable of forming a bond with the metal. It is preferred that the base material further includes a second region comprising substantially only a non-metal, and the method further includes, after the heating, removing with a rinse agent a portion formed on the second region, of the coating film. The metal is preferably a constituent of a metal substance, an alloy, an oxide, an electrically conductive nitride or a silicide.

There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which includes: supplying a raw material for polymerization to a porous low dielectric constant film formed on a substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and filling holes formed in the porous low dielectric constant film with a polymer having a urea bond; subsequently, forming a pattern mask for etching on a surface of the porous low dielectric constant film; subsequently, etching the porous low dielectric constant film; subsequently, removing the pattern mask; and heating the substrate to depolymerize the polymer.

A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes coating a photoresist film over a target layer; performing a lithography process to pattern the photoresist film into a photoresist layer; performing a directional ion bombardment process to the photoresist layer, such that a carbon atomic concentration in the photoresist layer is increased; and etching the target layer using the photoresist layer as an etch mask.

A substrate processing technique including: (a) modifying a first base surface of a substrate by supplying a first modifier and a second modifier to the substrate having a surface on which the first base and a second base are exposed, wherein the first modifier contains one or more atoms to which at least one first functional group and at least one second functional group are directly bonded, wherein the second modifier contains an atom to which at least one first functional group and at least one second functional group are directly bonded, and wherein the number of the at least one first functional group contained in one molecule of the second modifier is smaller than the number of the at least one first functional group contained in one molecule of the first modifier; and (b) forming a film on a second base surface by supplying film-forming gas to the substrate.

Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are provided. The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device that includes a first fin structure and a second fin structure each extending from a substrate; a first gate segment over the first fin structure and a second gate segment over the second fin structure; first isolation feature separating the first and second gate segments; a first source/drain (S/D) feature over the first fin structure and adjacent to the first gate segment; a second S/D feature over the second fin structure and adjacent to the second gate segment; and a second isolation feature also disposed in the trench. The first and second S/D features are separated by the second isolation feature, and a composition of the second isolation feature is different from a composition of the first isolation feature.

An apparatus for thermal treatment of dielectric films on substrates includes: a microwave applicator cavity and microwave power source; a workpiece to be heated in the cavity, having a porous coating on a selected substrate; and, an apparatus for introducing a controlled amount of a polar species into the porous coating immediately before heating by the microwave power. The interaction of the polar species with the microwaves enhances the efficiency of the process, to shorten process time and reduce thermal budget. A related method includes: depositing a porous film on a substrate; soft baking the film to a selected state of dryness; introducing a controlled amount of a polar species into the soft baked film; and, applying microwave energy to heat the film via interaction with the polar species.

A method for etching a metal oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate, comprising providing a plurality of cycles, is provided. Each cycle comprises exposing the metal oxide layer to a reactive hydrogen-containing gas or plasma to transform a part of the metal oxide layer into a layer of metal hydride, stopping the exposing the metal oxide layer to the reactive hydrogen-containing gas or plasma, heating the layer of metal hydride to at least a sublimation temperature to sublime the layer of metal hydride, and cooling the metal oxide layer to a temperature below the sublimation temperature.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes performing a pre-treatment process, including annealing a surface of a substrate in a hydrogen (H.sub.2) ambient, performing an interfacial formation process, including thermally oxidizing the pre-treated surface of the substrate to form an interfacial layer, and performing a post-treatment process, including annealing a surface of the formed interfacial layer in an ammonia (NH.sub.3) ambient.

There is method of processing a substrate comprising: (a) providing the substrate with a first base containing no oxygen, a second base containing oxygen, and a third base containing no oxygen and no nitrogen on its surface, wherein a protective film is formed on a surface of the third base; (b) modifying a surface of the second base to be fluorine-terminated by supplying a fluorine-containing gas to the substrate in a state where the protective film is formed on the surface of the third base; and (c) forming a film on a surface of the first base by supplying a film-forming gas to the substrate in a state where the surface of the second base is modified.