Disclosed herein is a method and system for atomic layer etching (ALE) that utilizes a single gas or a single mixture of gases throughout the process to enhance efficiency. The method involves designing the step times for surface modification and sputtering, with durations specifically tailored to minimize any additional surface modification during the sputtering step. A key innovation is the use of a tailored waveform generator, which provides rapid and precise control of the substrate bias. This technique significantly reduces ALE cycle time while maintaining high precision in semiconductor fabrication.

Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a fluorine-containing precursor and a secondary precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The secondary precursor may be or include a carbon-containing precursor, a hydrogen-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, or an oxygen-containing precursor. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. A silicon-containing material and a silicon-and-germanium-containing material may be disposed on the substrate. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the secondary precursor. The methods may include selectively removing at least a portion of the silicon-and-germanium-containing material from the substrate. The processing region may be maintained at a temperature of greater than or about 200 C.

Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a fluorine-containing precursor, a chlorine-containing precursor, and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. A silicon-containing material and a silicon-and-germanium-containing material may be disposed on the substrate. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor, the chlorine-containing precursor, and the hydrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include selectively removing at least a portion of the silicon-containing material from the substrate.

Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices are described. A film stack on a substrate is exposed to a mixture of chlorine (Cl.sub.2), hydrogen bromide (HBr), oxygen (O.sub.2), and a fluorine-containing hydrocarbon to etch an opening in the film stack. The fluorine-containing hydrocarbon may have a general formula (I) CxHyFz wherein x is an integer in a range of from 1 to 4, y is an integer in a range of from 0 to 8, and z is an integer in a range of from 1 to 8. The film stack may additionally be exposed to etch cycles of a plasma where the plasma can be turned off periodically.

A semiconductor device includes a gate structure, two recesses and two epitaxial layers. The gate structure is disposed on a substrate. The two recesses are disposed in the substrate and at two sides of the gate structure. Each of the recesses includes a first inclined surface, a second inclined surface and a third inclined surface connected sequentially from bottom to top. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface define a first tip structure therebetween. The second inclined surface and the third inclined surface define a second tip structure therebetween. The two epitaxial layers are respectively disposed in the two recesses.

A semiconductor structure, including a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, and a filling material is disclosed. The first semiconductor structure has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first semiconductor structure has a body portion and a semiconductor brim portion protruded from the body portion. The semiconductor brim portion is closer to the second surface. The second semiconductor structure is in contact with the first surface of the first semiconductor structure and bonded with the first semiconductor structure. The filling material surrounds the first semiconductor structure and is filled between the semiconductor brim portion and the second semiconductor structure. The filling material wraps around and covers the semiconductor brim portion, and a sidewall of the filling material is aligned with a sidewall of the second semiconductor structure.

Provided is a system including a microwave source configured to generate microwaves, a branch apparatus including an input port connected to the microwave source, first and second chambers configured to process a wafer by using the microwaves, a first filter configured to transfer the microwaves to or cut off the microwaves from the first chamber, and connected to a first output port of the branch apparatus, and a second filter configured to transfer the microwaves to or cut off the microwaves from the second chamber, and connected to a second output port of the branch apparatus.

The present disclosure describes a method that mitigates the formation of facets in source/drain silicon germanium (SiGe) epitaxial layers. The method includes forming an isolation region around a semiconductor layer and a gate structure partially over the semiconductor layer and the isolation region. Disposing first photoresist structures over the gate structure, a portion of the isolation region, and a portion of the semiconductor layer and doping, with germanium (Ge), exposed portions of the semiconductor layer and exposed portions of the isolation region to form Ge-doped regions that extend from the semiconductor layer to the isolation region. The method further includes disposing second photoresist structures over the isolation region and etching exposed Ge-doped regions in the semiconductor layer to form openings, where the openings include at least one common sidewall with the Ge-doped regions in the isolation region. Finally the method includes growing a SiGe epitaxial stack in the openings.

Embodiments described herein relate to magnetic and electromagnetic systems and a method for controlling the density profile of plasma generated in a process volume of a PECVD chamber to affect deposition profile of a film. In one embodiment, a plurality of retaining brackets is disposed in a rotational magnetic housing of the magnetic housing systems. Each retaining bracket of the plurality of retaining brackets is disposed in the rotational magnetic housing with a distance d between each retaining bracket. The plurality of retaining brackets has a plurality of magnets removably disposed therein. The plurality of magnets is configured to travel in a circular path when the rotational magnetic housing is rotated around the round central opening.

A plasma processing apparatus generating plasma by electromagnetic waves supplied into a processing container to process a substrate, includes an upper electrode disposed in an upper portion of the processing container, a power supply member connected to the upper electrode to supply electromagnetic waves to the upper electrode, a first shield member and a second shield member configured to electrically shield the upper electrode and the power supply member, a ring-shaped insulating member provided between the upper electrode and the first shield member and between the upper electrode and the second shield member, and having a plurality of gas through-holes penetrating inside thereof, and a conductive member covering a first end of the insulating member and electrically interconnecting the first shield member and the second shield member. The power supply member passes through an inner space in the insulating member and supplies electromagnetic waves to the upper electrode.