Various embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for depositing silicon oxide using thermal ALD or thermal CVD. In one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a method for depositing silicon oxide is provided, the method including: (a) receiving the substrate in a reaction chamber; (b) introducing a first flow of a first reactant into the reaction chamber and exposing the substrate to the first reactant, where the first reactant includes a silicon-containing reactant; (c) introducing a second flow of a second reactant into the reaction chamber to cause a reaction between the first reactant and the second reactant, (i) where the second reactant includes hydrogen (H2) and an oxygen-containing reactant, (ii) where the reaction deposits silicon oxide on the substrate, and (iii) where the reaction is initiated when a pressure in the reaction chamber is greater than 10 Torr and equal to or less than about 40 Torr.

In an example, a method includes depositing a first sidewall spacer layer over a substrate having a layer stack including alternating layers of a nanosheet and a sacrificial layer, and a dummy gate formed over the layer stack, the first sidewall spacer layer formed over the dummy gate. The method includes depositing a metal-containing liner over the first sidewall spacer layer; forming a first sidewall spacer along the dummy gate by anisotropically etching the metal-containing liner and the first sidewall spacer layer; performing an anisotropic etch back process to form a plurality of vertical recesses in the layer stack; laterally etching the layer stack and form a plurality of lateral recesses between adjacent nanosheets; depositing a second sidewall spacer layer to fill the plurality of lateral recesses; and etching a portion of the second sidewall spacer layer to expose tips of the nanosheet layers.

A method of processing a substrate includes loading the substrate on a substrate holder. The substrate includes a major surface and a feature disposed over the major surface. The feature has a first width along an etch direction. The method includes exposing portions of the major surface and changing the first width of the feature to a second width along the etch direction by etching a first portion of the sidewalls of the feature with a gas cluster ion beam oriented along a beam direction.

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a process chamber provided with a reaction space and having at least one insulation member exposed to the reaction space; a substrate support member for supporting a substate at the reaction space; a gas supply member for selectively supplying a passivation gas or a process gas to the reaction space; a plasma source for exciting the passivation gas or the process gas to a plasma; and a controller for controlling the gas supply member and the plasma source, and wherein the controller controls the gas supply member and the plasma source so the passivation gas is supplied to the reaction space and a supplied passivation gas is excited to the plasma, in a state at which the substrate is not taken into the reaction space.

A semiconductor processing system includes: a semiconductor processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck disposed in a chamber housing, and a first power supplier for supplying first radio frequency (RF) power to an internal electrode disposed in the electrostatic chuck; a voltage measuring device for measuring a voltage corresponding to the first RF power to output a digital signal; and a control device for outputting an interlock control signal to the semiconductor processing chamber, when it is determined that the voltage increases to be within a predetermined reference range based on the digital signal. The electrostatic chuck is configured to enable a wafer to be seated on a surface of the electrostatic chuck.

Electrostatic chucks and methods of using electrostatic chucks are disclosed. Exemplary electrostatic chucks include a ceramic body, a heating element embedded within the ceramic body, and two or more temperature measurement devices embedded within the ceramic body. Exemplary methods include measuring temperatures within the electrostatic chuck using two or more vertically spaced-apart temperature measurement devices.

The present disclosure provides a thin-film-deposition equipment, which includes a main body, a carrier and a shielding device, wherein a portion of the shielding device and the carrier are disposed within the main body. The main body includes a reaction chamber, and two sensor areas connected to the reaction chamber, wherein the sensor areas are smaller than the reaction chamber. The shielding device includes a first-shield member, a second-shield member and a driver. The driver interconnects the first-shield member and the second-shield member, for driving the first-shield member and the second-shield member to move in opposite directions. During a deposition process, the two shield members are separate from each other into an open state, and respectively enter the two sensor areas. During a cleaning process, the driver swings the shield members toward each other into a shielding state for covering the carrier.

In an embodiment, a method includes: placing a wafer on an implanter platen, the wafer including alignment marks; measuring a position of the wafer by measuring positions of the alignment marks with one or more cameras; determining an angular displacement between the position of the wafer and a reference position of the wafer; and rotating the implanter platen by the angular displacement.

The present disclosure provides a thin-film-deposition equipment with shielding device, which includes a reaction chamber, a carrier and a shielding device. The shielding device includes a first-shield member, a second-shield member and a driver. The first-shield member has a first-inner-edge surface disposed with a protrusion. The second-shield member has a second-inner-edge surface disposed with a cavity. The driver interconnects and drives the first-shield member and the second-shield member to sway in opposite directions. During a cleaning process, the driver swings the shield members toward each other into a shielding state for covering the carrier, such that to prevent polluting the carrier during the process of cleaning the thin-film-deposition equipment.

A substrate support includes an electrostatic chuck formed of ceramics and holding a substrate by electrostatic attraction, a base supporting the electrostatic chuck, and a flow path through which a heat exchange medium flows. An upper surface of the flow path is formed of ceramics.