In an embodiment, a method includes forming a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin over a front-side of a substrate; etching a first recess in the first semiconductor fin and a second recess in the second semiconductor fin; forming a first epitaxial region in the first recess and first epitaxial nodules along sidewalls of the first recess; forming a second epitaxial region in the second recess and second epitaxial nodules along sidewalls of the second recess; flowing first precursors to remove the first epitaxial nodules; depositing an interlayer dielectric over the first epitaxial region and the second epitaxial region; etching a first opening in the interlayer dielectric to expose the first epitaxial region; forming a first epitaxial cap on the first epitaxial region and third epitaxial nodules over the interlayer dielectric; and flowing second precursors to remove the third epitaxial nodules.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a bit line structure disposed on the substrate. The bit line structure includes a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure, in which a material of the first conductive structure includes polysilicon. The second conductive structure is disposed in direct contact on the first conductive structure, in which a reactivity of a material of the second conductive structure to oxygen is larger than a reactivity of tungsten to oxygen.

A substrate is efficiently cleaned. A plating module 400 includes: a plating tank 410 configured to accommodate a plating solution; a substrate holder 440 configured to hold a substrate Wf with a surface to be plated Wf-a facing downward; a rotation mechanism 446 configured to rotate the substrate holder 440; an inclination mechanism 447 configured to incline the substrate holder 440; and a substrate cleaning member 472 for cleaning the surface to be plated Wf-a of the substrate Wf held by the substrate holder 440. The substrate cleaning member 472 is configured to discharge a cleaning liquid to the surface to be plated Wf-a of the substrate Wf rotated by the rotation mechanism 446 from a position corresponding to a lower end toward a position corresponding to an upper end of the substrate Wf inclined by the inclination mechanism 447.

A method includes forming a conductive material on a first dielectric layer, exposing the conductive material to aniline to produce a passivated surface of the conductive material, and after exposing the conductive material to aniline, forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer using a deposition process. The deposition process is a water-free and plasma-free deposition process, and the second dielectric layer does not form on the passivated surface of the conductive material.

An apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a wafer support assembly configured to support a semiconductor wafer in a cleaning position. The apparatus includes a wafer cleaning assembly configured to apply a fluid including hydrogen to the semiconductor wafer while the semiconductor wafer is in the cleaning position.

A method of capping a metal layer includes performing a conversion process to reduce a metal oxide layer formed on a top surface of the metal layer and form a metal sulfide layer on the top surface of the metal layer, exposing the top surface of the metal layer to an oxidizing environment, and performing a removal process to remove the metal sulfide layer.

A substrate processing method of processing a substrate having a base film includes a loading process of loading the substrate into a processing container, a first process of performing a first plasma process in a state where the loaded substrate is held at a first position by raising substrate support pins of a stage arranged in the processing container, and a second process of performing a second plasma process while holding the substrate at a second position by lowering the substrate support pins.

Various embodiments of methods are provided herein for oxidizing a surface of a semiconductor substrate. In the disclosed embodiments, gas-phase oxidizing free radicals are generated and used to oxidize an exposed surface of a material and form a thin oxide film there on. The gas-phase oxidizing free radicals are generated via ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of vaporized peroxide solutions. In some embodiments, an aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2) solution is vaporized and photolyzed with UV light to form gas-phase hydroxyl (HO*) free radicals, which oxidize the exposed surface of the material to form a thin oxide film on the exposed surface of the material.

This disclosure provides surface treatment compositions and methods for use thereof. In some embodiments, the compositions are dispersed onto the surface of a substrate in a vapor phase. In some embodiments, the compositions are dispersed onto the surface of the substrate in a liquid phase.