A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device includes forming nanowire structures stacked over a substrate and spaced apart from one another, and forming a dielectric material surrounding the nanowire structures. The dielectric material has a first nitrogen concentration. The method also includes treating the dielectric material to form a treated portion. The treated portion of the dielectric material has a second nitrogen concentration that is greater than the first nitrogen concentration. The method also includes removing the treating portion of the dielectric material, thereby remaining an untreated portion of the dielectric material as inner spacer layers; and forming the gate stack surrounding nanowire structures and between the inner spacer layers.

Methods and systems for filling a gap comprised in the substrate with a gap filling fluid. The gap filling fluid is formed in a plasma with a first precursor and a second precursor.

A substrate processing method with an improved etch selectivity includes: a first operation for forming a film on a stepped structure having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein a first atmosphere is set to reduce a mean free path of plasma ions and to cause the plasma ions to have no directionality; and a second operation for changing a bonding structure of a portion of the film, wherein a second atmosphere is set to cause the plasma ions to have directionality, wherein the first operation is repeated a plurality of times, the second operation is performed for a predetermined time period, the first operation and the second operation form a group cycle, and the group cycle is repeated by a plurality of times.

The present disclosure appropriately shortens a processing step for processing a substrate in which a silicon layer and a silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated. The present disclosure provides a substrate processing method of processing the substrate in which the silicon layer and the silicon germanium layer are alternatively laminated, which includes forming an oxide film by selectively modifying a surface layer of an exposed surface of the silicon germanium layer by using a processing gas including fluorine and oxygen and converted into plasma.

Novel cyclic silicon precursors and oxidants are described. Methods for depositing silicon-containing films on a substrate are described. The substrate is exposed to a silicon precursor and a reactant to form the silicon-containing film (e.g., elemental silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride). The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous.

A semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device are disclosed. Specifically, the semiconductor device may include a charge trapping layer with improved retention and speed for VNAND applications. The charge trapping layer may comprise an aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum oxynitride (AlON) layer.

Methods and apparatuses for depositing material into high aspect ratio features are described herein. Methods involve depositing an oxide material using a hydrogen-containing oxidizing chemistry. Methods may also involve thermally treating deposited oxide material in the presence of hydrogen to remove seams within the deposited oxide material.

A semiconductor device includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a sidewall spacer, and a data storage element. The sidewall spacer is disposed aside the top electrode. The data storage element is located between the bottom electrode and the top electrode, and includes a ferroelectric material. The data storage element has a peripheral region which is disposed beneath the sidewall spacer and which has at least 60% of ferroelectric phase. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device and a method for transforming a non-ferroelectric phase of a ferroelectric material to a ferroelectric phase are also disclosed.

Methods for filling the gap of a semiconductor feature comprising exposure of a substrate surface to a precursor and reactant and an anneal environment to decrease the wet etch rate ratio of the deposited film and fill the gap.

Methods for seam-less gapfill comprising forming a flowable film by exposing a substrate surface to a silicon-containing precursor and a co-reactant are described. The silicon-containing precursor has at least one akenyl or alkynyl group. The flowable film can be cured by any suitable curing process to form a seam-less gapfill.