A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a cut-off region in at least one mandrel line among a plurality of mandrel lines, conformally forming a spacer material layer in the plurality of mandrel lines and a non-mandrel area and forming a cut spacer in the cut-off region and depositing a gap-fill material such that a cut block is formed on a portion of the non-mandrel area and a concave portion of the cut spacer is filled.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a cut-off region in at least one mandrel line among a plurality of mandrel lines, conformally forming a spacer material layer in the plurality of mandrel lines and a non-mandrel area and forming a cut spacer in the cut-off region and depositing a gap-fill material such that a cut block is formed on a portion of the non-mandrel area and a concave portion of the cut spacer is filled.

Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups selected from alkene, alkyne, ketone, hydroxyl, aldehyde, or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.

A method and an apparatus for filling a gap by using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method are provided. The method includes forming a first reaction inhibition layer on a side wall of the gap; forming a first precursor layer by adsorbing a first reactant into a bottom of the gap and the side wall of the gap around the bottom of the gap; and forming a first atomic layer on the bottom of the gap and the side wall of the gap around the bottom of the gap by adsorbing a second reactant into the first precursor layer. The forming of the first reaction inhibition layer may include adsorbing a first reaction inhibitor into the side wall of the gap; and forming a second reaction inhibitor by removing a specific ligand from the first reaction inhibitor.

A film forming method includes: preparing a substrate having a metal layer formed on a surface of a first region and an insulating layer formed on a surface of a second region, wherein the metal layer is formed of a first metal; forming a self-assembled film on a surface of the metal layer by supplying a source gas of the self-assembled film; after forming the self-assembled film, forming an oxide film of a second metal on the insulating layer through an atomic layer deposition method by repeating a supply of a precursor gas containing the second metal and a supply of an oxidizing gas; and reducing an oxide film of the first metal formed on a surface of the first metal by supplying a reducing gas after the supply of the oxidizing gas and before the supply of the precursor gas.

Embodiments described and discussed herein provide methods for selectively depositing a metal oxides on a substrate. In one or more embodiments, methods for forming a metal oxide material includes positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, where the substrate has passivated and non-passivated surfaces, exposing the substrate to a first metal alkoxide precursor to selectively deposit a first metal oxide layer on or over the non-passivated surface, and exposing the substrate to a second metal alkoxide precursor to selectively deposit a second metal oxide layer on the first metal oxide layer. The method also includes sequentially repeating exposing the substrate to the first and second metal alkoxide precursors to produce a laminate film containing alternating layers of the first and second metal oxide layers. Each of the first and second metal alkoxide precursors contains a different metal selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium, aluminum, or lanthanum.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes preparing a dielectric structure formed with trenches respectively defined by lateral surfaces of the dielectric structure, forming spacer layers on the lateral surfaces, filling an electrically conductive material into the trenches to form electrically conductive features, selectively depositing a blocking layer on the dielectric structure, selectively depositing a dielectric material on the electrically conductive features to form a capping layer, removing the blocking layer and the dielectric structure to form recesses, forming sacrificial features in the recesses, forming a sustaining layer to cover the sacrificial features; and removing the sacrificial features to obtain the semiconductor structure formed with air gaps confined by the sustaining layer and the spacer layers.

A semiconductor structure includes a first dielectric layer, a first conductive feature, a second conductive feature, a first etch stop layer, and a conductive via. The first conductive feature and the second conductive feature are embedded in the first dielectric layer. The first etch stop layer is disposed over the dielectric layer. The conductive via is surrounded by the first etch stop layer and electrically connected to the first conductive feature, in which the conductive via is in contact with a top surface of the first etch stop layer.

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for depositing a material within a gap of a substrate in a cyclic deposition process. The methods and systems utilize an inhibitor to preferentially blocks chemisorption of a subsequently introduced first precursor at a portion of available chemisorption sites in the gap to promote deeper penetration of the first precursor into the gap and/or more uniform chemisorption of the first precursor in the gap used in forming a desired material.

A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.