Methods for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. In one form, a method includes: providing a base; forming an initial pattern layer on the base; and performing atomic layer etching processing on a sidewall of the initial pattern layer one or more times to form a pattern layer, where the atomic layer etching processing includes: forming an organic layer on the sidewall of the initial pattern layer; and removing the organic layer. Generally, bond energy between an atom on an outermost surface of the sidewall of the initial pattern layer and an atom at an inner layer is less than bond energy between the atom at the inner layer. The organic layer usually includes an element that may react with the sidewall of the initial pattern layer, further reducing the bond energy between the atom on the outermost surface of the sidewall of the initial pattern layer and the atom at the inner layer. During removal of the organic layer, the atom on the outermost surface of the sidewall of the initial pattern layer may be peeled off. In this way, after a plurality of times of atomic layer etching processing, a protruding region on the sidewall of the initial pattern layer is flattened. Accordingly, the sidewall of the formed pattern layer has a relatively small roughness, so that electrical performance of the semiconductor structure can be improved.

A method for preparing a semiconductor device structure includes forming a target layer over a semiconductor substrate, and forming a plurality of first mask patterns over the target layer. The method also includes forming a plurality of energy removable spacers on opposite sidewalls of each of the first mask patterns, and forming a second mask pattern over the target layer and between the energy removable spacers. The method further includes removing the energy removable spacers, and etching the target layer using the first mask patterns and the second mask pattern as a mask.

A method of processing a substrate that includes: etching a recess in the substrate using a metal hard mask (MHM) layer as an etch mask, the substrate including a dielectric layer over a conductive layer the includes a first conductive material, a portion of the MHM layer remaining over top surfaces of the dielectric layer after the etching; depositing a sacrificial fill over the substrate to at least partially fill the recess; removing the remaining portion of the MHM layer to expose the top surfaces while protecting the recess with the sacrificial fill; removing the sacrificial fill from the recess after removing the MHM layer, the removing of the sacrificial fill including exposing a portion of the conductive layer; and depositing a second conductive material to fill the recess, the depositing of the second conductive material providing an electrical connection between the conductive layer and the second conductive material.

A protective composition contains a water-soluble polyester resin including a polyvalent carboxylic acid residue and a polyvalent alcohol residue. The polyvalent carboxylic acid residue includes: a polyvalent carboxylic acid residue having a metal sulfonate group; and a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid residue. The proportion of the polyvalent carboxylic acid residue to the polyvalent carboxylic acid residue falls within the range from 25 mol % to 70 mol %. The proportion of the naphthalene dicarboxylic acid residue to the polyvalent carboxylic acid residue falls within the range from 30 mol % to 75 mol %.

An etching method includes: providing a substrate having a film and a patterned mask on the film; forming a silicon-containing layer including silicon, carbon, and nitrogen on the substrate using a precursor gas containing silicon; and performing a plasma etching on the film. The substrate is placed under a depressurized environment for a time period from a start time point of the step of forming the silicon-containing layer on the substrate to an end time point of the step of performing the plasma etching on the film.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to selective removal of material of a layer, such as a carbon-containing layer. The layer can be over a patterned structure of two different materials. Treating the layer to cause the removal agent to be catalytically activated by a first area of the patterned structure to remove material of the organic material over the first area at a greater rate than over a second area of the patterned structure having a different composition from the first area.

Describes are shutter disks comprising one or more of titanium (Ti), barium (Ba), or cerium (Ce) for physical vapor deposition (PVD) that allows pasting to minimize outgassing and control defects during etching of a substrate. The shutter disks incorporate getter materials that are highly selective to reactive gas molecules, including O.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2, and water.

A method including followings is provided. An encapsulated device including a semiconductor die and an insulating encapsulation laterally encapsulating the semiconductor die is provided. An insulating layer is formed over a surface of the encapsulated device. A groove pattern is formed on the insulating layer. A conductive paste is filled in the groove pattern and the conductive paste filled in the groove pattern is cured.

A semiconductor device that is a chip-size-package-type semiconductor device that is facedown mountable includes: a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor substrate and a low-concentration impurity layer in contact with an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; a metal layer having a thickness of at least 10 μm; a first vertical MOS transistor in the semiconductor layer; and a second vertical MOS transistor in the semiconductor layer. A side surface of the metal layer includes roughness forming vertical stripes in a direction perpendicular to the metal layer, and has a maximum height of profile greater than 1.0 μm. In a plan view of the semiconductor device, an area occupancy of a formation containing metal in the metal layer is at most 5% in a 10-μm square region located at least 13 μm inward from an outer edge of the semiconductor device, within an upper surface of the semiconductor device.

Describes are shutter disks comprising one or more of titanium (Ti), barium (Ba), or cerium (Ce) for physical vapor deposition (PVD) that allows pasting to minimize outgassing and control defects during etching of a substrate. The shutter disks incorporate getter materials that are highly selective to reactive gas molecules, including O.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2, and water.