In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises an etch stop layer comprising Aluminum Oxide and one or more of Hafnium, Silicon, or Magnesium; and a channel formed through one or more layers deposited over the etch stop layer, the channel extending to the etch stop layer.

Methods for depositing oxide thin films, such as metal oxide, metal silicates, silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and silicon oxycarbonitride (SiOCN) thin films, on a substrate in a reaction space are provided. The methods can include at least one plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) cycle including alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a first reactant that comprises oxygen and a component of the oxide, and a second reactant comprising reactive species that does not include oxygen species. In some embodiments the plasma power used to generate the reactive species can be selected from a range to achieve a desired step coverage or wet etch rate ratio (WERR) for films deposited on three dimensional features. In some embodiments oxide thin films are selectively deposited on a first surface of a substrate relative to a second surface, such as on a dielectric surface relative to a metal or metallic surface.

Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm.sup.3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The dielectric composite film in one embodiment includes Al, Si, and O and has a thickness of between about 10-100 . The dielectric composite film can reside between two layers of inter-layer dielectric, and may be in contact with metal layers. An apparatus for depositing such dielectric composite films includes a process chamber, a conduit for delivering an aluminum containing precursor to the process chamber, a second conduit for delivering a silicon-containing precursor to the process chamber and a controller having program instructions for depositing the dielectric composite film from these precursors, e.g., by reacting the precursors adsorbed to the substrate with an oxygen-containing species.

Provided is a capacitor that has good bonding between the dielectric layer and the conductive layer, has a characteristic of low ESR, and keeps leak current suppressed. The capacitor contains a dielectric layer and a conductive film and is characterized in that the dielectric layer contains an organic compound and a metal compound and that the conductive film contains a conductive material and an organic compound.

An atomic layer deposition apparatus for forming an atomic layer on a flexible substrate, the apparatus including an unwinding chamber having an unwinding roll for unwinding the flexible substrate, a winding chamber having a winding roll for winding the flexible substrate on which the atomic layer is formed, a plurality of reaction chambers provided between the unwinding chamber and the winding chamber so that the flexible substrate can pass therethrough, a first supply part for storing a gas containing a first precursor, a first supply pipe connected to the first supply part, a second supply part for storing a purge gas, a second supply pipe connected to the second supply part, a third supply part for storing a gas containing a second precursor, a third supply pipe connected to the third supply part, and an exhaust pipe connected to the plurality of reaction chambers.

A device includes a semiconductive substrate, a fin structure, and an isolation material. The fin structure extends from the semiconductive substrate. The isolation material is over the semiconductive substrate and adjacent to the fin structure, wherein the isolation material includes a first metal element, a second metal element, and oxide.

Methods for forming a metal silicate film on a substrate in a reaction chamber by a cyclical deposition process are provided. The methods may include: regulating the temperature of a hydrogen peroxide precursor below a temperature of 70? C. prior to introduction into the reaction chamber, and depositing the metal silicate film on the substrate by performing at least one unit deposition cycle of a cyclical deposition process. Semiconductor device structures including a metal silicate film formed by the methods of the disclosure are also provided.

A method for forming a doped silicon layer or a silicon alloy includes providing a silicon substrate having a silicon surface. An eutectic-former layer with dopant is formed on the silicon surface. Heating is conducted past a system eutectic temperature of the eutectic-former layer and silicon to form a liquid eutectic melt that incorporates some of the silicon near-surface into the liquid eutectic melt. Cooling to supersaturate the liquid eutectic melt with silicon and recrystallize silicon doped with the dopant. A silicon solar cell includes an emitter layer within a silicon substrate. A p-n junction is defined by a junction of the emitter layer with the remaining silicon substrate. The emitter has a doping profile with a doping concentration at the p-n junction that is equal or greater than the doping concentration at a surface of the emitter layer.

Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm.sup.3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The composite films in one embodiment include at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, and Ge, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, N, and C. In one embodiment the composite film includes Al, Si and O. In one implementation, a substrate containing an exposed dielectric layer (e.g., a ULK dielectric) and an exposed metal layer is contacted with an aluminum-containing compound (such as trimethylaluminum) and, sequentially, with a silicon-containing compound. Adsorbed compounds are then treated with an oxygen-containing plasma (e.g., plasma formed in a CO.sub.2-containing gas) to form a film that contains Al, Si, and O.

Provided is a technique of forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: forming a first layer by supplying a gas containing a first element to the substrate, wherein the first layer is a discontinuous layer, a continuous layer, or a layer in which at least one of the discontinuous layer or the continuous layer is overlapped; forming a second layer including the first layer and a discontinuous layer including a second element stacked on the first layer; and forming a third layer by supplying a gas containing a third element to the substrate to modify the second layer under a condition where a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element is not saturated.