Disclosed are a photomask, an exposure apparatus, and a method of fabricating a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device using the same. The photomask may include a mask substrate, a first mask pattern on the mask substrate, and an optical path modulation substrate. The optical path modulation substrate may include a first region on a portion of the first mask pattern, and a second region on another portion of the first mask pattern. The second region has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the first region.

A plasma treatment chamber comprises one or more sidewalls. A support surface within the one or more sidewalls holds a workpiece. A first gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a first gas flow in a first direction generally parallel to and across a surface of the workpiece. A first pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the first gas injector pumps out the first gas flow. A second gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a second gas flow in a second direction generally parallel to and across the surface of the workpiece. A second pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the second gas injector pumps out the second gas flow. Conductance control rings modulate conductance of the pump ports and are located proximate to plasma screens at a top of the pump ports.

A plasma treatment chamber comprises one or more sidewalls. A support surface within the one or more sidewalls holds a workpiece. A first gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a first gas flow in a first direction generally parallel to and across a surface of the workpiece. A first pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the first gas injector pumps out the first gas flow. A second gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a second gas flow in a second direction generally parallel to and across the surface of the workpiece. A second pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the second gas injector pumps out the second gas flow. Conductance control rings modulate conductance of the pump ports and are located proximate to plasma screens at a top of the pump ports.

A device includes a conductive feature, a first dielectric layer, a via, an etch stop layer, a second dielectric layer, and a conductive line. The first dielectric layer is above the conductive feature. The via is in the first dielectric layer and above the conductive feature. The etch stop layer is above the first dielectric layer. A side surface of the etch stop layer is coterminous with a sidewall of the via. The second dielectric layer is above the etch stop layer. The conductive line is in the second dielectric layer and over the via. The conductive line is in contact with the side surface of the etch stop layer and a top surface of the etch stop layer.

A film formation method for selectively forming a film on a substrate includes: a preparation step of preparing a substrate having a surface on which a first film and a second film are exposed; a first film forming step of supplying a compound for forming a self-assembled monolayer onto the substrate to form the self-assembled monolayer on the first film, the compound having a functional group including fluorine and carbon and suppressing formation of a third film; a second film forming step of forming the third film on the second film; and a first removal step of removing the third film formed in a vicinity of the self-assembled monolayer by irradiating the surface of the substrate with ions or active species, wherein the third film is a film which forms a volatile compound more easily than the first film by being bonded to fluorine and carbon in the self-assembled monolayer.

There is provided a technique that includes: (a) forming a film formation suppression layer on a surface of a first material of a concave portion of the substrate, by supplying a precursor to the substrate provided with the concave portion on a surface of the substrate to adsorb at least a portion of a molecular structure of molecules constituting the precursor on the surface of the first material of the concave portion, the concave portion having a top surface and a side surface composed of the first material containing a first element and a bottom surface composed of a second material containing a second element; and (b) growing a film on a surface of the second material of the concave portion by supplying a film-forming material to the substrate having the film formation suppression layer formed on the surface of the first material.

There is provided a technique that includes: (a) forming a film formation suppression layer on a surface of a first material of a concave portion of the substrate, by supplying a precursor to the substrate provided with the concave portion on a surface of the substrate to adsorb at least a portion of a molecular structure of molecules constituting the precursor on the surface of the first material of the concave portion, the concave portion having a top surface and a side surface composed of the first material containing a first element and a bottom surface composed of a second material containing a second element; and (b) growing a film on a surface of the second material of the concave portion by supplying a film-forming material to the substrate having the film formation suppression layer formed on the surface of the first material.

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure formed over a fin structure, and a source/drain (S/D) epitaxial layer formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a S/D silicide layer formed on the S/D epitaxial layer, and the S/D silicide layer has a first width, the S/D epitaxial layer has a second width, and the first width is smaller than the second width. The semiconductor structure includes a dielectric spacer between the gate structure and the S/D silicide layer, and a top surface of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the gate structure.

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure formed over a fin structure, and a source/drain (S/D) epitaxial layer formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a S/D silicide layer formed on the S/D epitaxial layer, and the S/D silicide layer has a first width, the S/D epitaxial layer has a second width, and the first width is smaller than the second width. The semiconductor structure includes a dielectric spacer between the gate structure and the S/D silicide layer, and a top surface of the dielectric spacer is lower than a top surface of the gate structure.

Methods of forming metal-containing films are provided. The methods include forming a blocking layer, for example, on a first substrate surface, by a first deposition process and forming the metal-containing film, for example, on a second substrate surface, by a second deposition process.