A method of processing a substrate that includes: forming a conformal etch stop layer (ESL) over a staircase pattern of the substrate, the staircase pattern including staircases, each of the staircases including a conductive surface; forming a dielectric layer over the ESL; planarizing a top surface of the dielectric layer; forming a patterned hardmask over the dielectric layer; and etching the dielectric layer selectively to the ESL using the patterned hardmask as an etch mask to form a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses landing on each of the staircases, the ESL protecting the conductive surface from the etching, the etching including exposing the substrate to a plasma generated from a process gas including a fluorocarbon, O.sub.2, and WF.sub.6, a flow rate of WF.sub.6 being between 0.01% and 1% of a total gas flow rate of the process gas.

Examples are disclosed relate to using an inhibitor with a silicon oxide ALD deposition process to refill recesses in STI regions. One example provides a method of processing a substrate. The method comprises depositing an inhibitor on the substrate, wherein a concentration of the inhibitor on a gate structure of the substrate is greater relative to the concentration of the inhibitor on a recessed shallow trench isolation (STI) region of the substrate. The method further comprises depositing a layer of silicon oxide on the substrate, the inhibitor inhibiting growth of the layer of silicon oxide such that the layer of silicon oxide is thicker on the recessed STI region and thinner on the gate structure.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a silicon oxide film covering each of a first main surface and a second main surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a redistribution wiring on the first main surface side of the semiconductor substrate; and grinding the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate. This grinding step is performed in a state in which a thickness of the silicon oxide film positioned on the second main surface is equal to or larger than 10 nm and equal to or smaller than 30 nm.

A semiconductor chip and a semiconductor package, the semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate; a through electrode penetrating the semiconductor substrate; a bonding pad including a first conductive pad connected to the through electrode, and a second conductive pad on a central portion of the first conductive pad, an outer portion of the first conductive pad protruding outwardly relative to a sidewall of the second conductive pad; and a pad insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate and surrounding a sidewall of the first conductive pad and the sidewall of the second conductive pad.

The embodiments herein relate to transistors having varying thicknesses of gate dielectric layers. The transistor includes a gate dielectric layer between a gate electrode and a substrate. The gate dielectric layer includes a first dielectric portion on the substrate, a second dielectric portion at least partially in the substrate, and a third dielectric portion partially in the substrate between the first and second dielectric portions. The second dielectric portion is thicker than the first dielectric portion. The third dielectric portion is thicker than the first dielectric portion and thinner than the second dielectric portion.

A semiconductor device includes a fin structure that protrudes vertically out of a substrate, wherein the fin structure contains silicon germanium (SiGe). An epi-silicon layer is disposed on a sidewall of the fin structure. The epi-silicon layer contains nitrogen. One or more dielectric liner layers are disposed on the epi-silicon layer. A dielectric isolation structure is disposed over the one or more dielectric liner layers.

A memory array comprises vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells. The memory cells individually include a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region. At least a portion of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions. The memory cells individually include a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the first source/drain region. The second capacitor electrodes of multiple of the capacitors in the array are electrically coupled with one another. A sense-line structure extends elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers. Individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers are electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending sense-line structure. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

To enable formation of a film that protects a sidewall of a pattern and is good in film quality, low in etching rate, and good in coverage of the sidewall, a film formation method includes a first step of supplying a gas into a vacuum processing chamber while generating plasma, and forming a film with the generated plasma on a surface of a substrate to be processed, a second step of removing halogen with plasma after the first step, and a third step of oxidizing or nitriding the film with plasma after the second step.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to metal gate devices. In one or more embodiments, a method for preparing a device with an airgap is provided and includes depositing a silicon-containing layer on inner surfaces of trenches formed in a metal-gate layer disposed on a substrate, depositing a carbon-containing layer on the silicon-containing layer in the trenches, the carbon-containing layer is deposited to fill at least a lower half of the trenches from the bottom, and leaving a temporary gap within each trench at the top. The method also includes depositing a low-k dielectric layer on the carbon-containing layer and the silicon-containing layer to fill the temporary gap, and exposing at least the carbon-containing layer to a treatment process to remove the carbon-containing layer and form the airgap between the silicon-containing layer and the low-k dielectric layer.

There is provided a technique that includes a process chamber configured to process a substrate; a substrate-mounting part configured to support the substrate in the process chamber; a gas supply part configured to supply a gas to the process chamber; a high-frequency power supply part configured to supply high-frequency power of a predetermined frequency; a first resonance coil wound to surround the process chamber and configured by a first conductor that forms plasma at the process chamber when the high-frequency power is supplied; a second resonance coil wound to surround the process chamber and configured by a second conductor that forms plasma at the process chamber when the high-frequency power is supplied; and a controller configured to control the high-frequency power supply part so that a period of power supply to the first resonance coil does not overlap with a period of power supply to the second resonance coil.