A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus which comprises a process chamber in which a reaction space is formed to process a substrate in which a composite layer pattern having a plurality of first insulating layers and a plurality of second insulating layers alternately stacked thereon is formed, a substrate support unit, a gas distribution unit, and a plasma reactor, the method comprising the steps of: heating the substrate support unit and the gas distribution unit such that a temperature of the gas distribution unit is maintained equal to or lower than a temperature of the substrate support unit; supplying a reactive gas including a halogen-containing gas to the plasma reactor; generating radicals by applying power to the plasma reactor to activate the halogen-containing gas; and at least partially etching the plurality of first insulating layers in a lateral direction selectively with respect to the plurality of second insulating layers by supplying the radicals onto the substrate mounted on the substrate support unit through the gas distribution unit.

Methods of forming silicon nitride on a sidewall of a feature are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate comprising a feature comprising a sidewall surface and a surface adjacent the sidewall surface, forming a silicon oxide layer overlying the sidewall surface and the surface adjacent the sidewall surface, using a cyclical deposition process, depositing a silicon nitride layer overlying the silicon oxide layer, and exposing the silicon nitride layer to activated species generated from a hydrogen-containing gas. Exemplary methods can additionally include selectively removing a portion of the silicon nitride layer. Structures formed using the methods and systems for performing the methods are also disclosed.

Methods for reducing contact resistance include performing a selective titanium silicide (TiSi) deposition process on a middle of the line (MOL) contact structure that includes a cavity in a substrate of dielectric material. The contact structure also includes a silicon-based connection portion at a bottom of the cavity. The selective TiSi deposition process is selective to silicon-based material over dielectric material. The methods also include performing a selective deposition process of a metal material on the MOL contact structure. The selective deposition process is selective to TiSi material over dielectric material and forms a silicide capping layer on the silicon-based connection portion. The methods further include performing a seed layer deposition process of the metal material on the contact structure.

A semiconductor chip and a semiconductor package, the semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate; a through electrode penetrating the semiconductor substrate; a bonding pad including a first conductive pad connected to the through electrode, and a second conductive pad on a central portion of the first conductive pad, an outer portion of the first conductive pad protruding outwardly relative to a sidewall of the second conductive pad; and a pad insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate and surrounding a sidewall of the first conductive pad and the sidewall of the second conductive pad.

A semiconductor device includes a fin structure that protrudes vertically out of a substrate, wherein the fin structure contains silicon germanium (SiGe). An epi-silicon layer is disposed on a sidewall of the fin structure. The epi-silicon layer contains nitrogen. One or more dielectric liner layers are disposed on the epi-silicon layer. A dielectric isolation structure is disposed over the one or more dielectric liner layers.

A method for developing a passivation film on a substrate with less than 10 atomic % of hydrogen includes providing the substrate within a processing station of a substrate processing system. A resultant passivation film is formed with less than 10 atomic % of hydrogen on the substrate by performing the following steps of depositing a passivation film sub-layer on the substrate, where the passivation film sub-layer lays on a semiconductor device layer or directly on a previously deposited passivation film sub-layer, and after depositing the passivation film sub-layer, performing a post plasma treatment to the passivation film sub-layer with at least one of nitrogen and argon to reduce hydrogen content within the passivation film sub-layer.

Selective gas etching for self-aligned pattern transfer uses a first block and a separate second block formed in a sacrificial layer to transfer critical dimensions to a desired final layer using a selective gas etching process. The first block is a first hardmask material that can be plasma etched using a first gas, and the second block is a second hardmask material that can be plasma etched using a second gas separate from the first gas. The first hardmask material is not plasma etched using the second gas, and the second hardmask material is not plasma etched using the first gas.

There is provided a technique capable of cleaning a film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of a substrate placing surface of a substrate support. According to one aspect thereof, a substrate processing apparatus includes: a process chamber where a product substrate is processed; a substrate support provided in the process chamber and provided with a substrate placing surface whereon the product substrate is placed; a process gas supplier wherethrough a process gas is supplied into the process chamber while the product substrate being placed on the substrate placing surface; and a cleaning gas supplier wherethrough a cleaning gas is supplied into the process chamber while a dummy substrate being placed on the substrate placing surface. An outer peripheral portion of the dummy substrate is out of contact with the substrate placing surface in a state where the dummy substrate is placed on the substrate placing surface.

There is provided a method for etching a silicon-containing film. The method includes: introducing a substrate having a first silicon-containing film and a second silicon-containing film into a process chamber of an etching apparatus; supplying at least one etching gas including F.sub.3NO into the process chamber; applying a predetermined power to the process chamber maintained at a predetermined pressure to generate direct plasma in the process chamber; and etching the first silicon-containing film on the substrate by reactive species (radicals) of the etching gas activated by the direct plasma. The predetermined pressure is set within a predetermined range in which the slope of the etch rate of the first silicon-containing film with respect to the pressure differs from the slope of the etch rate of the second silicon-containing film with respect to the pressure in terms of sign.

Methods for depositing hardmask materials and films, and more specifically, for depositing phosphorus-doped, silicon nitride films are provided. A method of depositing a material on a substrate in a processing chamber includes exposing a substrate to a deposition gas in the presence of RF power to deposit a phosphorus-doped, silicon nitride film on the substrate during a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) process. The deposition gas contains one or more silicon precursors, one or more nitrogen precursors, one or more phosphorus precursors, and one or more carrier gases. The phosphorus-doped, silicon nitride film has a phosphorus concentration in a range from about 0.1 atomic percent (at %) to about 10 at %.