Provided is a polishing composition for a semiconductor process comprising abrasive particles, the abrasive particles containing an amine-based polishing rate improver, and comprising the amine-based polishing rate improver. Provided is a polishing composition for a semiconductor process further comprising an amine-based surface modifier around the surface of the abrasive particles, wherein the sum of the content of an amine group contained in the amine-based polishing rate improver and the content of an amine group contained in the amine-based surface modifier is 0.0185% by weight or more based on the total composition weight. The polishing composition for a semiconductor process may implement the polishing rate and defect prevention performance within a target range in polishing the boron-doped polysilicon layer.

A semiconductor processing tool performs passivation layer deposition and removal in situ. A transport mechanism included in the semiconductor processing tool transfers a semiconductor structure through different deposition chambers (e.g., without breaking or removing a vacuum environment). Accordingly, the semiconductor processing tool deposits a target layer that is thinner on, or even absent from, a metal layer, such that contact resistance is reduced between a conductive structure formed over the target layer and the metal layer. As a result, electrical performance of a device including the conductive structure is improved. Moreover, because the process is performed in situ (e.g., without breaking or removing the vacuum) in the semiconductor processing tool, production time and risk of impurities in the conductive structure are reduced. As a result, throughput is increased, and chances of spoiled wafers are decreased.

In certain embodiments, a method of processing a semiconductor structure includes forming a patterned layer over a copper layer to be etched. The copper layer is disposed over a substrate. The method includes patterning the copper layer, using the patterned layer as an etch mask, by performing a cyclic etch process to form a recess in the copper layer. The cyclic etch process includes forming, in a first etch step, a passivation layer on an exposed surface of the copper layer by exposing the exposed surface of the copper layer to a chlorine gas. The passivation layer replaces at least a portion of a surface layer of the copper layer. The cyclic etch process includes subsequently etching, in a second etch step, the passivation layer using a first plasma that includes a noble gas. Each cycle of the cyclic etch process extends the recess in the copper layer.

Described herein are methods of filling features with tungsten, and related systems and apparatus, involving inhibition of tungsten nucleation. In some embodiments, the methods involve selective inhibition along a feature profile. Methods of selectively inhibiting tungsten nucleation can include exposing the feature to a direct or remote plasma. In certain embodiments, the substrate can be biased during selective inhibition. Process parameters including bias power, exposure time, plasma power, process pressure and plasma chemistry can be used to tune the inhibition profile. The methods described herein can be used to fill vertical features, such as in tungsten vias, and horizontal features, such as vertical NAND (VNAND) wordlines. The methods may be used for both conformal fill and bottom-up/inside-out fill. Examples of applications include logic and memory contact fill, DRAM buried wordline fill, vertically integrated memory gate/wordline fill, and 3-D integration using through-silicon vias.

Described herein are methods of filling features with tungsten, and related systems and apparatus, involving inhibition of tungsten nucleation. In some embodiments, the methods involve selective inhibition along a feature profile. Methods of selectively inhibiting tungsten nucleation can include exposing the feature to a direct or remote plasma. In certain embodiments, the substrate can be biased during selective inhibition. Process parameters including bias power, exposure time, plasma power, process pressure and plasma chemistry can be used to tune the inhibition profile. The methods described herein can be used to fill vertical features, such as in tungsten vias, and horizontal features, such as vertical NAND (VNAND) wordlines. The methods may be used for both conformal fill and bottom-up/inside-out fill. Examples of applications include logic and memory contact fill, DRAM buried wordline fill, vertically integrated memory gate/wordline fill, and 3-D integration using through-silicon vias.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a method for forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor comprising an enhanced interfacial layer to reduce breakdown failure. In some embodiments, a bottom electrode layer is deposited over a substrate. A native oxide layer is formed on a top surface of the bottom electrode layer and has a first adhesion strength with the top surface. A plasma treatment process is performed to replace the native oxide layer with an interfacial layer. The interfacial layer is conductive and has a second adhesion strength with the top surface of the bottom electrode layer, and the second adhesion strength is greater than the first adhesion strength. An insulator layer is deposited on the interfacial layer. A top electrode layer is deposited on the insulator layer. The top and bottom electrode layers, the insulator layer, and the interfacial layer are patterned to form a MIM capacitor.

A barrier chemical mechanical planarization polishing composition is provided that includes suitable chemical additives. The suitable chemical additives are silicate compound and high molecular weight polymers/copolymers. There is also provided a chemical mechanical polishing method using the barrier chemical mechanical planarization polishing composition.

6T-SRAM cell designs for larger SRAM arrays and methods of manufacture generally include a single fin device for both nFET (pass-gate (PG) and pull-down (PD)) and pFET (pull-up (PU). The pFET can be configured with a smaller effective channel width (Weff) than the nFET or with a smaller active fin height. An SRAM big cell consumes the (111) 6t-SRAM design area while provide different Weff ratios other than 1:1 for PU/PD or PU/PG as can be desired for different SRAM designs.

The invention relates to cerium based core-shell particles having a core of cerium oxide optionally doped with at least one metal (M) and a shell consisting of a plurality of nanoparticles of cerium oxide optionally doped with at least one metal (M′), which can be the same or different from metal (M), formed on the surface of the core particle. The invention also relates to dispersions thereof in a liquid medium, to a process for producing the same and to the use of these particles and dispersions in polishing applications such as chemical mechanical polishing.

Provided are a composition for chemical mechanical polishing and a method for polishing allowing a tungsten film- or silicon nitride film-containing semiconductor substrate to be polished at a high speed, while also enabling a reduction in the occurrence of a surface defect in the polished face after polishing. A composition for chemical mechanical polishing according to the present invention comprises (A) abrasive grains containing titanium nitride and (B) a liquid medium, wherein the absolute value of the zeta-potential of said (A) component in the composition for chemical mechanical polishing is 8 mV or higher.