Memory devices and methods of forming memory devices are described. The memory devices comprise a silicon nitride hard mask layer on a ruthenium layer. Forming the silicon nitride hard mask layer on the ruthenium comprises pre-treating the ruthenium layer with a plasma to form an interface layer on the ruthenium layer; and forming a silicon nitride layer on the interface layer by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Pre-treating the ruthenium layer, in some embodiments, results in the interface layer having a reduced roughness and the memory device having a reduced resistivity compared to a memory device that does not include the interface layer.

A semiconductor structure and a method of forming is provided. The semiconductor structure includes nanostructures separated from one another and stacked over a substrate, a gate stack wrapping around the nanostructures, and a dielectric fin structure laterally spaced apart from the nanostructures by the gate stack. The dielectric fin structure include a lining layer and a fill layer nested within the lining layer. The lining layer is made of a carbon-containing dielectric material, and a carbon concentration of the lining layer varies in a direction from the gate stack to the lining layer.

There is provided a technique that cleans a member in a process container by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a) separately supplying a cleaning gas and additive gas that reacts with the cleaning gas, respectively, from first and second supply parts among at least three supply parts into the process container, and (b) separately supplying the cleaning and additive gases, respectively, from the second and first supply parts into the process container. (A) and (b) include stopping the supply of the cleaning and additive gases into the process container and exhausting the process container's interior. In at least one selected from the group of (a) and (b) an inert gas is supplied from each of the at least three supply parts at a same flow rate, after the supply of the cleaning and additive gases is stopped and before the process container is exhausted.

A semiconductor device including a cap layer and a method for forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes epitaxially growing a first semiconductor layer over an N-well; etching the first semiconductor layer to form a first recess; epitaxially growing a second semiconductor layer filling the first recess; etching the second semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor layer, and the N-well to form a first fin; forming a shallow trench isolation region adjacent the first fin; and forming a cap layer over the first fin, the cap layer contacting the second semiconductor layer, forming the cap layer including performing a pre-clean process to remove a native oxide from exposed surfaces of the second semiconductor layer; performing a sublimation process to produce a first precursor; and performing a deposition process wherein material from the first precursor is deposited on the second semiconductor layer to form the cap layer.

Systems and methods for reducing obstructions in an exhaust line of a sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition (SACVD) system are disclosed. Such obstruction may occur due to the reaction of a silicon precursor with ozone, which forms solid particles in the exhaust line. A catalytic apparatus is provided which catalyzes the decomposition of ozone (O.sub.3) to oxygen (O.sub.2). Due to the lower reactivity of O.sub.2, the formation of solid particles is reduced.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for selective deposition on a surface. In particular, a silicon-containing inhibitor can be used to selectively bind to a first region, thus inhibiting deposition of a material on that first region.

There is provided a technique that includes: (a) supplying a silicon- and ligand-containing gas to a substrate having a surface on a first base and second base are exposed to adsorb silicon contained in the silicon- and ligand-containing gas on a surface of one of the first and second base; (b) supplying a fluorine-containing gas to the substrate after the silicon is absorbed, to cause the silicon to react with the fluorine-containing gas to modify the surface to be F-terminated; and (c) supplying a film-forming gas to the substrate after the surface is modified, to thereby form a film on a surface of the other of the first base and the second base, which is different from the one of the first base and the second base.

An etch stop layer is formed over a semiconductor fin and gate stack. The etch stop layer is formed utilizing a series of pulses of precursor materials. A first pulse introduces a first precursor material to the semiconductor fin and gate stack. A second pulse introduces a second precursor material, which is turned into a plasma and then directed towards the semiconductor fin and gate stack in an anisotropic deposition process. As such, a thickness of the etch stop layer along a bottom surface is larger than a thickness of the etch stop layer along sidewalls.

There is provided a technique that includes: forming a nitride film containing a predetermined element on a substrate in a process chamber by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including sequentially performing: (a) supplying a first precursor gas containing a molecular structure containing the predetermined element to the substrate with a pressure of the process chamber being set to a first pressure; (b) supplying a second precursor gas, which is different from the first precursor gas and contains a molecular structure containing the predetermined element and not containing a bond between atoms of the predetermined element, to the substrate with the pressure of the process chamber being set to a second pressure higher than the first pressure; and (c) supplying a nitriding agent to the substrate.

Methods of forming structures suitable for a multiple patterning process are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a material overlying the substrate by providing a silicon precursor to the reaction chamber for a silicon precursor pulse period providing one or more of a nitrogen reactant and an oxygen reactant to the reaction chamber for a reactant pulse period, providing an inert gas to the reaction chamber for an inert gas pulse period, and providing a plasma power to form a plasma within the reaction chamber for a plasma pulse period. The inert gas can be provided during the plasma period and/or the plasma power can be pulsed to mitigate any damage to an underlying layer, while providing desired properties of the material layer.