A method of forming nanocrystalline graphene according to an embodiment may include: arranging a substrate having a pattern in a reaction chamber; injecting a reaction gas into the reaction chamber, where the reaction gas includes a carbon source gas, an inert gas, and a hydrogen gas that are mixed; generating a plasma of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber; and directly growing the nanocrystalline graphene on a surface of the pattern using the plasma of the reaction gas at a process temperature. The pattern may include a first material and the substrate may include a second material different from the first material.

A system and method for reducing thermal transfer in a dual ampoule system. The dual ampoule system includes a first ampoule, a second ampoule, and a planar heat shield. The planar heat shield is positioned between the first ampoule and the second ampoule, where the planar heat shield is configured to resist thermal transfer between the first ampoule and the second ampoule.

A method includes forming a gate structure and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over a substrate; selectively forming an inhibitor over the gate structure; performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to form a dielectric layer over the ILD layer, wherein in the ALD process the dielectric layer has greater growing rate on the ILD than on the inhibitor; and performing an atomic layer etching (ALE) process to etch the dielectric layer until a top surface of the inhibitor is exposed, in which a portion of the dielectric layer remains on the ILD layer after the ALE process is complete.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method includes: applying a liquid material containing an ionic liquid on a substrate to form a protective film; transferring at an atmosphere the substrate on which the protective film is formed; and removing the protective film from the substrate that has been transferred at the atmosphere.

A barrier layer is formed in a portion of a thickness of sidewalls in a recess prior to formation of an interconnect structure in the recess. The barrier layer is formed in the portion of the thickness of the sidewalls by a plasma-based deposition operation, in which a precursor reacts with a silicon-rich surface to form the barrier layer. The barrier layer is formed in the portion of the thickness of the sidewalls in that the precursor consumes a portion of the silicon-rich surface of the sidewalls as a result of the plasma treatment. This enables the barrier layer to be formed in a manner in which the cross-sectional width reduction in the recess from the barrier layer is minimized while enabling the barrier layer to be used to promote adhesion in the recess.

In an example, a method includes depositing a first sidewall spacer layer over a substrate having a layer stack including alternating layers of a nanosheet and a sacrificial layer, and a dummy gate formed over the layer stack, the first sidewall spacer layer formed over the dummy gate. The method includes depositing a metal-containing liner over the first sidewall spacer layer; forming a first sidewall spacer along the dummy gate by anisotropically etching the metal-containing liner and the first sidewall spacer layer; performing an anisotropic etch back process to form a plurality of vertical recesses in the layer stack; laterally etching the layer stack and form a plurality of lateral recesses between adjacent nanosheets; depositing a second sidewall spacer layer to fill the plurality of lateral recesses; and etching a portion of the second sidewall spacer layer to expose tips of the nanosheet layers.

The formation of a tungsten film is promoted when forming the tungsten film using tungsten chloride on an upper layer side of a titanium silicon nitride film. A titanium silicon nitride film is formed on one surface side of a semiconductor wafer as a substrate, and an intermediate film for promoting the formation of the tungsten film made of the tungsten chloride is formed on the upper layer side of the titanium silicon nitride film by using a gas for forming the intermediate film. The tungsten film is formed on an upper layer side of the intermediate film by using a gas of the tungsten chloride.

In one embodiment, a system includes an RF source and an RF impedance matching circuit receiving RF power from the RF source. The matching circuit includes at least one variable reactance element, a sensor operably coupled to a component of the matching circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit receives a signal from the sensor indicative of a parameter value. Upon determining the parameter value meets a first predetermined condition, the control circuit transmits a control signal to the RF source causing the RF source to carry out a power control scheme. The power control scheme causes the RF source to reduce or maintain the RF power without turning off the RF power.

A noble metal liner and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor (MIMCAP) are described along with the methods of manufacture or fabrication. The MIM capacitor includes a liner formed of a thin layer or film of a noble metal, which is only a few nanometers thick, e.g., a thickness in the range of about 0.5 nm to about 5 nm or more. In a finished device such as a MIM capacitor, the noble metal liner is sandwiched between a thicker electrode and the insulator, e.g., a layer or thin film of high or ultra high-k material, thereby providing a cap for the electrode to limit leakage currents in the device.

Methods for forming a metal carbide liner in features formed in a substrate surface are described. Each of the features extends a distance into the substrate from the substrate surface and have a bottom and at least one sidewall. The methods include depositing a metal carbide liner in the feature of the substrate surface with a plurality of high-frequency ratio-frequency (HFRF) pulses. Semiconductor devices with the metal carbide liner and methods for filling gaps using the metal carbide liner are also described.