A system for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The system includes a processing tool. The system also includes gas handling housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The system further includes an exhaust conduit fluidly communicating with the processing tool and the gas inlet of the gas handling housing. In addition, the system includes at least one first filtering assembly and at least one second filtering assembly. The first filtering assembly and the second filtering assembly are positioned in the gas handling housing and arranged in a series along a flowing path that extends from the gas inlet to the gas outlet of the gas handling housing. Each of the first filtering assembly and the second filtering assembly comprises a plurality of wire meshes stacked on top of another.

The present disclosure is directed to formation of a low-k spacer. For example, the present disclosure includes an exemplary method of forming the low-k spacer. The method includes depositing the low-k spacer and subsequently treating the low-k spacer with a plasma and/or a thermal anneal. The low-k spacer can be deposited on a structure protruding from the substrate. The plasma and/or thermal anneal treatment on the low-k spacer can reduce the etch rates of the spacer so that the spacer is etched less in subsequent etching or cleaning processes.

The present invention provides a member which makes is possible to obtain excellent residue defect inhibition properties and excellent bridge defect inhibition properties of a chemical liquid in a case where the member is brought into contact with the chemical liquid. The present invention also provides a container, a chemical liquid storage body, a reactor, a distillation column, a filter unit, a storage tank, a pipe line, and a chemical liquid manufacturing method. The member according to an embodiment of the present invention is a member that will be brought into contact with a chemical liquid. A surface of the member is constituted with stainless steel containing chromium atoms and iron atoms. In a case where an atomic ratio of the chromium atoms to the iron atoms is measured from the surface of the member to a position 10 nm below the surface in a depth direction, a maximum value of the atomic ratio is found in a region extending 3 nm from the surface of the member in the depth direction. The maximum value is 0.5 to 3.0, and an average surface roughness of the surface of the member is equal to or lower than 10 nm.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes etching a gate stack to form a trench extending into the gate stack, forming a dielectric layer on a sidewall of the gate stack, with the sidewall exposed to the trench, and etching the dielectric layer to remove a first portion of the dielectric layer at a bottom of the trench. A second portion of the dielectric layer on the sidewall of the gate stack remains after the dielectric layer is etched. After the first portion of the dielectric layer is removed, the second portion of the dielectric layer is removed to reveal the sidewall of the gate stack. The trench is filled with a dielectric region, which contacts the sidewall of the gate stack.

A composition for cleaning a microelectronic device substrate is provided. The composition is useful for cleaning in-process microelectronic device substrates possessing exposed cobalt, molybdenum, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, and dielectric surfaces. Also provided is a method for cleaning such devices and a kit comprising one or more of the components of the composition.

Methods for reducing metal oxide layers on semiconductor devices to pure metal layers using microwave radiation are described. The method includes exposing a semiconductor substrate surface to microwave radiation to reduce a metal oxide layer on a metal material. The semiconductor substrate surface may have at least one feature extending a depth from the substrate surface to a bottom and having two sidewalls, where the bottom includes the metal oxide layer and the two sidewalls include a dielectric material.

A method includes etching a first recess adjacent a first dummy gate stack and a first fin; etching a second recess adjacent a second dummy gate stack and a second fin; and epitaxially growing a first epitaxy region in the first recess. The method further includes depositing a first metal-comprising mask over the first dummy gate stack, over the second dummy gate stack, over the first epitaxy region in the first recess, and in the second recess; patterning the first metal-comprising mask to expose the first dummy gate stack and the first epitaxy region; epitaxially growing a second epitaxy region in the first recess over the first epitaxy region; and after epitaxially growing the second epitaxy region, removing remaining portions of the first metal-comprising mask.

The present invention includes a liquid film formation step of supplying a processing liquid in which a sublimation drying processing agent obtained by mixing a first sublimable substance and a second sublimable substance which are different from each other in a eutectic composition or a near-eutectic composition is liquefied, onto a front surface of a substrate on which a pattern is formed, to thereby form a liquid film of the processing liquid on the front surface of the substrate, a solidified film formation step of solidifying the liquid film of the processing liquid, to thereby form a solidified film of the sublimation drying processing agent, and a sublimation step of sublimating the solidified film, to thereby remove the solidified film from the front surface of the substrate.

A system for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The system includes a processing tool. The system also includes gas handling housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The system further includes an exhaust conduit fluidly communicating with the processing tool and the gas inlet of the gas handling housing. In addition, the system includes at least one first filtering assembly and at least one second filtering assembly. The first filtering assembly and the second filtering assembly are positioned in the gas handling housing and arranged in a series along a flowing path that extends from the gas inlet to the gas outlet of the gas handling housing. Each of the first filtering assembly and the second filtering assembly comprises a plurality of wire meshes stacked on top of another.

The present disclosure relates to flow guides, process kits, and related methods for processing chambers to facilitate deposition process adjustability. In one implementation, a flow guide includes a middle plate having a first side and a second side opposing the first side along a first direction. The first side and the second side are arcuate. The flow guide includes a first flange extending outwardly relative to a third side of the middle plate and outwardly relative to an outer face of the middle plate, and a second flange extending outwardly relative to a fourth side of the middle plate and outwardly relative to the outer face of the middle plate. The fourth side opposes the third side along a second direction that intersects the first direction. The flow guide includes a rectangular flow opening defined between the first flange and the second flange.