A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a conductive pattern, a support structure, a first conductive layer, and a dielectric layer. The conductive pattern extends vertically from the substrate. The support structure extends from an outer sidewall of the conductive pattern. The first conductive layer covers the conductive pattern. The dielectric layer at least covers the first conductive layer and the support structure.

A method of detecting a polishing endpoint includes storing a plurality of library spectra, measuring a sequence of spectra from the substrate in-situ during polishing, and for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching library spectrum from the plurality of library spectra to generate a sequence of best matching library spectra. Each library spectrum has a stored associated value representing a degree of progress through a polishing process, and the stored associated value for the best matching library spectrum is determined for each best matching library spectrum to generate a sequence of values representing a progression of polishing of the substrate. The sequence of values is compared to a target value, and a polishing endpoint is triggered when the sequence of values reaches the target value.

An in-line wet bench device for the wet-chemical treatment of semiconductor wafers, comprising a plurality of conveying rollers, each of which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, for the in-line transport of semiconductor wafers along a conveying direction, wherein the axes of rotation are arranged parallel to one another and perpendicular to the conveying direction, the conveying rollers having a cylindrical conveying section which extends axially along the respective axis of rotation and forms a conveying surface in the shape of a cylindrical sleeve. The conveying surface has at least one smooth region with surface roughnesses of less than 10 μm when viewed in the axial direction and rough regions with surface roughnesses of more than 100 μm axially adjacent to the smooth region.

One of a setting dissolved oxygen concentration and a setting atmosphere oxygen concentration is determined based on a required etching amount. Thereafter, based on the required etching amount and the one of the determined setting dissolved oxygen concentration and setting atmosphere oxygen concentration, the other of the setting dissolved oxygen concentration and the setting atmosphere oxygen concentration is determined. A low oxygen gas whose oxygen concentration is equal or approached to the determined setting atmosphere oxygen concentration flows into a chamber that houses a substrate. Furthermore, an etching liquid whose dissolved oxygen is reduced such that its dissolved oxygen concentration is equal or approached to the determined setting dissolved oxygen concentration is supplied to the entire region of the upper surface of the substrate held horizontally.

A method for fabricating a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes providing a SiC epitaxial layer disposed over a surface of a SiC substrate, forming an implant aperture in a hardmask layer on a surface of the expitaxial SiC layer, implanting contact and well regions in the SiC epitaxial layer through the hardmask layer, the contact region lying completely within and recessed from edges of the well region by performing one of implanting the well region through the implant aperture, reducing the area of the implant aperture forming a reduced-area contact implant aperture and implanting the contact region through the reduced-area implant aperture to form a contact region, and implanting the contact region through the implant aperture, increasing the area of the implant aperture to form a increased-area well implant aperture and implanting the well region through the increased-area implant aperture to form a well region completely surrounding the contact region.

A process of preparing a wafer having a diameter of two inches or more, at least a surface of the wafer being formed from a group III nitride crystal, including preparing an alkaline or acidic etching liquid containing a peroxodisulfate ion as an oxidizing agent that accepts an electron, accommodating the wafer such that the surface of the wafer is immersed in the etching liquid such that the surface of the wafer is parallel with a surface of the etching liquid; and radiating light from the surface side of the etching liquid onto the surface of the wafer without agitating the etching liquid. First and second etching areas disposed at an interval from each other are defined on the surface of the wafer. In the process of radiating the light onto the surface of the wafer, the light is radiated perpendicularly onto surfaces of the first and second etching areas.

An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a support unit that supports the substrate and a nozzle that dispenses liquid plasma to etch a film formed on the substrate supported on the support unit.

A substrate treatment method is provided, which includes: an organic solvent replacing step of supplying an organic solvent, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace a rinse liquid with the organic solvent; a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing the temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a first temperature level higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate.

According to an embodiment, a substrate treatment apparatus includes a hair member including a noble metal, and a liquid chemical supply member to supply a liquid chemical. While a tip part of the hair member is contact with a predetermined surface of a metal, the liquid chemical is supplied onto the surface of the metal, and the metal is removed with etching.

Generally, the present disclosure provides example embodiments relating to conductive features, such as metal contacts, vias, lines, etc., and methods for forming those conductive features. In an embodiment, a barrier layer is formed along a sidewall. A portion of the barrier layer along the sidewall is etched back by a wet etching process. After etching back the portion of the barrier layer, an underlying dielectric welding layer is exposed. A conductive material is formed along the barrier layer.