A microelectronic device including an isolation device with a stabilized dielectric. The isolation device includes a lower isolation element, an upper isolation element, and an inorganic dielectric plateau between the lower isolation element and the upper isolation element. The dielectric sidewall of the inorganic dielectric plateau is stabilized in a nitrogen containing plasma which forms a SiO.sub.xN.sub.y surface on the dielectric sidewall of the inorganic dielectric plateau. The SiO.sub.xN.sub.y surface on the dielectric sidewall of the inorganic dielectric plateau reduces ingress of moisture into the dielectric stack of the inorganic dielectric plateau.

A method and apparatus for depositing a material on a surface of a substrate are disclosed. The method can include a treatment step to suppress a rate of material deposition on the surface of the substrate. The method can result in higher-quality deposited material. Additionally or alternatively, the method can be used to fill a gap within the surface of the substrate with reduced or no seam formation.

A film forming method according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a film forming method of embedding a film in a recess formed in a surface of a substrate, and includes a first processing including (a) adsorbing a raw material gas into the recess, (b) forming a film by reacting a reaction gas with the raw material gas, and (c) activating a plasma generation gas including a hydrogen gas and a noble gas by plasma and supplying the gas into the recess to shrink the film. A plurality of cycles each including (a) and (b) are executed, and at least a part of the plurality of cycles includes (c).

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.