An etching method includes preparing a substrate having an etching target portion formed on a silicon-containing portion, plasma-etching the etching target portion of the substrate into a predetermined pattern by plasma of a processing gas containing a CF-based gas, and removing a damage layer formed due to implantation of C and F into the silicon-containing portion exposed at a bottom of the predetermined pattern by the plasma etching. The removing of the damage layer includes forming an oxide of the damage layer by supplying oxygen-containing radicals and fluorine-containing radicals and oxidizing the damage layer with the oxygen-containing radicals while etching the damage layer with the fluorine-containing radicals, and removing the oxide by a radical treatment or a chemical treatment with a gas.

An etching method includes preparing a substrate having an etching target portion formed on a silicon-containing portion, plasma-etching the etching target portion of the substrate into a predetermined pattern by plasma of a processing gas containing a CF-based gas, and removing a damage layer formed due to implantation of C and F into the silicon-containing portion exposed at a bottom of the predetermined pattern by the plasma etching. The removing of the damage layer includes forming an oxide of the damage layer by supplying oxygen-containing radicals and fluorine-containing radicals and oxidizing the damage layer with the oxygen-containing radicals while etching the damage layer with the fluorine-containing radicals, and removing the oxide by a radical treatment or a chemical treatment with a gas.

A method is provided for forming at least one trench to be filled with an isolating material to form an isolating trench, in a substrate based on a semiconductor material, the method including at least the following successive steps: providing a stack including at least the substrate, a first hard mask layer, and a second hard mask layer; making at least a first opening and a second opening, by carrying out isotropic etchings; performing a third, anisotropic, etching of the substrate in line with the second opening, so as to obtain the at least one trench; performing a fourth, isotropic, etching of the first layer so as to enlarge the first opening and obtain a first enlarged opening; and performing a fifth, anisotropic, etching so as to simultaneously enlarge the second opening and increase a depth of the at least one trench.

A method is provided for forming at least one trench to be filled with an isolating material to form an isolating trench, in a substrate based on a semiconductor material, the method including at least the following successive steps: providing a stack including at least the substrate, a first hard mask layer, and a second hard mask layer; making at least a first opening and a second opening, by carrying out isotropic etchings; performing a third, anisotropic, etching of the substrate in line with the second opening, so as to obtain the at least one trench; performing a fourth, isotropic, etching of the first layer so as to enlarge the first opening and obtain a first enlarged opening; and performing a fifth, anisotropic, etching so as to simultaneously enlarge the second opening and increase a depth of the at least one trench.

A method of processing a substrate is provided. The substrate includes an etching target region and a patterned region. The patterned region is provided on the etching target region. In the method, an organic film is formed on a surface of the substrate. Subsequently, the etching target region is etched by plasma generated from a processing gas. The organic film is formed in a state that the substrate is placed in a processing space within a chamber. When the organic film is formed, a first gas containing a first organic compound is supplied toward the substrate, and then, a second gas containing a second organic compound is supplied toward the substrate. An organic compound constituting the organic film is generated by polymerization of the first organic compound and the second organic compound.

A method of processing a substrate is provided. The substrate includes an etching target region and a patterned region. The patterned region is provided on the etching target region. In the method, an organic film is formed on a surface of the substrate. Subsequently, the etching target region is etched by plasma generated from a processing gas. The organic film is formed in a state that the substrate is placed in a processing space within a chamber. When the organic film is formed, a first gas containing a first organic compound is supplied toward the substrate, and then, a second gas containing a second organic compound is supplied toward the substrate. An organic compound constituting the organic film is generated by polymerization of the first organic compound and the second organic compound.

To facilitate evaluation of a predicted process shape in process recipe development using machine learning, a process recipe search apparatus that searches for an etching recipe that is a parameter of a plasma processing apparatus set so as to etch a sample into a desired shape displays, on a display device, the predicted process shape of the sample by a candidate etching recipe predicted by using a machine leaning model, by highlighting a difference between the predicted process shape and a target shape.

To facilitate evaluation of a predicted process shape in process recipe development using machine learning, a process recipe search apparatus that searches for an etching recipe that is a parameter of a plasma processing apparatus set so as to etch a sample into a desired shape displays, on a display device, the predicted process shape of the sample by a candidate etching recipe predicted by using a machine leaning model, by highlighting a difference between the predicted process shape and a target shape.

A bonded assembly of a first wafer including a first semiconductor substrate and a second wafer including a second semiconductor substrate may be formed. The second semiconductor substrate may be thinned to a first thickness, and an inter-wafer moat trench may be formed at a periphery of the bonded assembly. A protective material layer may be formed in the inter-wafer moat trench and over the backside surface of the second semiconductor substrate. A peripheral portion of the second semiconductor substrate located outside the inter-wafer moat trench may be removed, and a cylindrical portion of the protective material layer laterally surrounds a remaining portion of the bonded assembly. The second semiconductor substrate may be thinned to a second thickness by performing at least one thinning process while the cylindrical portion of the protective material layer protects the remaining portion of the bonded assembly.

Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of manufacture comprises receiving a substrate including a semiconductor material stack formed thereon, wherein the semiconductor material stack includes a first semiconductor layer of a first semiconductor material and second semiconductor layer of a second semiconductor material that is different than the first semiconductor material. Patterning the semiconductor material stack to form a trench. The patterning includes performing a first etch process with a first etchant for a first duration and then performing a second etch process with a second etchant for a second duration, where the second etchant is different from the first etchant and the second duration is greater than the first duration. The first etch process and the second etch process are repeated a number of times. Then epitaxially growing a third semiconductor layer of the first semiconductor material on a sidewall of the trench.