Methods of processing thin film by oxidation at high pressure are described. The methods are generally performed at pressures greater than 2 bar. The methods can be performed at lower temperatures and have shorter exposure times than similar methods performed at lower pressures. Some methods relate to oxidizing tungsten films to form self-aligned pillars.

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a low-k dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, an isolation layer over the low-k dielectric layer, and a work function layer over the etch stop layer. The work function layer is an n-type work function layer. The device further includes a low-dimensional semiconductor layer on a top surface and a sidewall of the work function layer, source/drain contacts contacting opposing end portions of the low-dimensional semiconductor layer, and a dielectric doping layer over and contacting a channel portion of the low-dimensional semiconductor layer. The dielectric doping layer includes a metal selected from aluminum and hafnium, and the channel portion of the low-dimensional semiconductor layer further comprises the metal.

A semiconductor device having a gate structure and a method of forming same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a gate structure over the substrate. The substrate has a first region and a second region. The gate structure extends across an interface between the first region and the second region. The gate structure includes a first gate dielectric layer over the first region, a second gate dielectric layer over the second region, a first work function layer over the first gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer along a sidewall of the first work function layer and above the interface between the first region and the second region, and a second work function layer over the first work function layer, the barrier layer and the second gate dielectric layer. The second work function layer is in physical contact with a top surface of the first work function layer.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming a mold structure including a mold layer and a supporter layer over a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening penetrating the mold structure; forming a protective layer on a bottom surface and a sidewall of the opening; forming a lower electrode over the protective layer; selectively etching the supporter layer to form a supporter that supports the lower electrode; removing the mold layer to define a non-exposed portion and an exposed portion of an outer wall of the protective layer; and selectively trimming the exposed portion of the protective layer to form a protective layer pattern between the supporter and the lower electrode.

Vapor deposition methods for depositing tungsten-containing thin films are provided. In some embodiments a substrate is contacted with a vapor phase first reactant comprising a tungsten precursor, such as a tungsten oxyhalide, a second reactant such as CO, and a third reactant such as H.sub.2. In some embodiments a substrate is contacted with a vapor phase first reactant comprising a tungsten precursor, such as a tungsten hexacarbonyl, a second reactant comprising a first oxidant, such as H.sub.2O, and a third reactant comprising a reducing agent, such as CO. In some embodiments the deposition process is an ALD process.

Semiconductor structures and method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a gate structure formed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a source/drain structure formed adjacent to the gate structure in the substrate and a contact formed over the source/drain structure. The semiconductor structure further includes a metal-containing layer formed over the contact and a dielectric layer covering the gate structure and the metal-containing layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a first conductive structure formed through dielectric layer and the metal-containing layer and landing on the contact. In addition, a bottom surface of the metal-containing layer is higher than a top surface of the gate structure.

A semiconductor device with different configurations of gate structures and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes first and second gate structures disposed on first and second nanostructured channel regions, respectively. The first gate structure includes a nWFM layer disposed on the first nanostructured channel region, a barrier layer disposed on the nWFM layer, a first pWFM layer disposed on the barrier layer, and a first gate fill layer disposed on the first pWFM layer. Sidewalls of the first gate fill layer are in physical contact with the barrier layer. The second gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer disposed on the second nanostructured channel region, a second pWFM layer disposed on the gate dielectric layer, and a second gate fill layer disposed on the pWFM layer. Sidewalls of the second gate fill layer are in physical contact with the gate dielectric layer.

A method of selectively forming a film on a substrate includes: a preparation process of preparing a substrate having a surface to which a metal film and an insulating film are exposed; a first removal process of removing a natural oxide film on the metal film; a first film forming process of forming a self-assembled monolayer, which suppresses formation of a titanium nitride film, on the insulating film by providing the substrate with a compound for forming the self-assembled monolayer, the compound having a functional group containing fluorine and carbon; a second film forming process of forming a titanium nitride film on the metal film; an oxidation process of oxidizing the surface of the substrate; and a second removal process of removing a titanium oxide film, which is formed on the metal film and the self-assembled monolayer, by providing the surface of the substrate with the compound.

A method of manufacturing a metal oxide film includes injecting a reaction gas and metal precursors into a chamber, forming a first metal precursor film on a substrate in a plasma OFF state, forming a first sub-metal oxide film by oxidizing the first metal precursor film in a plasma ON state, and forming a second metal precursor film on the first sub-metal oxide film in the plasma OFF state, where the metal oxide film has an amorphous phase, a thickness of about 20 nanometer (nm) to about 130 nm, and a dielectric constant of about 10 to about 50.

A method of forming a bonded assembly includes providing a first semiconductor die containing a first substrate, first semiconductor devices, first dielectric material layers overlying the first semiconductor devices, and first metal interconnect structures, providing a second semiconductor die containing a second substrate, second semiconductor devices, second dielectric material layers overlying the second semiconductor devices, and second metal interconnect structures, depositing a manganese layer on a top surface of the first dielectric material layers, disposing the second semiconductor die on the manganese layer such that a surface of the second dielectric material layers contacts the manganese layer, and performing a bonding anneal to bond the first semiconductor die to the second semiconductor die and to convert the manganese layer into a manganese-containing oxide layer, such that the manganese-containing oxide layer is bonded to the first dielectric material layers and the second dielectric material layers.