Abstract: Methods of forming electronic devices and film stacks comprising depositing a ruthenium carbide hard mask on a capacitor mold formed on a substrate. A hard mask oxide and patterned photoresist are formed, and the pattern of the patterned photoresist are transferred into the ruthenium carbide hard mask. Film stacks comprising the ruthenium carbide hard mask on the capacitor mold are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling microloading, such as within cell microloading between adjacent cells or isolated/dense microloading between areas of isolated or dense features during shallow trench isolation (STI) fabrication processes, or other trench fabrication processes, are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for fabricating STI structures may include providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer formed thereon corresponding to one or more STI structures to be etched; etching the substrate through the patterned mask layer using a plasma formed from a process gas to form one or more STI structure recesses on the substrate; and pulsing the plasma for at least a portion of etching the substrate to control at least one of a depth or width of the one or more STI structure recesses.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling microloading, such as within cell microloading between adjacent cells or isolated/dense microloading between areas of isolated or dense features during shallow trench isolation (STI) fabrication processes, or other trench fabrication processes, are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for fabricating STI structures may include providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer formed thereon corresponding to one or more STI structures to be etched; etching the substrate through the patterned mask layer using a plasma formed from a process gas to form one or more STI structure recesses on the substrate; and pulsing the plasma for at least a portion of etching the substrate to control at least one of a depth or width of the one or more STI structure recesses.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling microloading, such as within cell microloading between adjacent cells or isolated/dense microloading between areas of isolated or dense features during shallow trench isolation (STI) fabrication processes, or other trench fabrication processes, are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for fabricating STI structures may include providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer formed thereon corresponding to one or more STI structures to be etched; etching the substrate through the patterned mask layer using a plasma formed from a process gas to form one or more STI structure recesses on the substrate; and pulsing the plasma for at least a portion of etching the substrate to control at least one of a depth or width of the one or more STI structure recesses.

Abstract: Described herein are exemplary methods and apparatuses for etching a nitride layer disposed above a substrate to form trenches without micro-trenching in accordance with one embodiment. The method includes forming openings in a resist layer and one or more dielectric layers. The dielectric layers may be disposed on a hard mask layer (e.g., nitride, polysilicon). Next, the method includes etching openings in the hard mask layer disposed above a substrate layer without micro-trenching. The etching occurs in a process chamber during a main etch with a first process gas mixture having a fluorocarbon gas, a hydrofluorocarbon gas, and an oxygenating gas. Next, the method includes etching openings partially into the substrate without micro-trenching with a second process gas mixture during an over etch having the fluorocarbon gas, the hydrofluorocarbon gas, and the oxygenating gas.

Abstract: A method for etch a tungsten-containing layer (525) on a substrate (510) substantially anisotropically with good etching selectivity with respect to a hard mask layer, and without forming excessive passivating deposits on the etched features. In the method, the substrate (510) is placed in a plasma zone, and process gas mix comprising NF3 and Cl2is introduced into the plasma zone. A plasma is formed from the process gas mix to anisotropically etch the tungsten containing layer (525) to produce patterned tungsten features (535).