Abstract: A method of forming ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) in a substrate processing system includes depositing an HfO2 layer on a substrate, depositing a capping layer on the HfO2 layer, annealing the HfO2 layer and the capping layer to form ferroelectric hafnium HfO2, and selectively etching the capping layer to remove the capping layer without removing the HfO2 layer.

Abstract: A method of forming ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) in a substrate processing system includes depositing an HfO2 layer on a substrate, depositing a hafnium nitride (HfN) layer on the HfO2 layer; and annealing the HfO2 layer and the HfN layer to form ferroelectric hafnium HfO2.

Abstract: A method of forming ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) in a substrate processing system includes depositing an HfO2 layer on a substrate, depositing a hafnium nitride (HfN) layer on the HfO2 layer; and annealing the HfO2 layer and the HfN layer to form ferroelectric hafnium HfO2.

Abstract: A method of forming ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) in a substrate processing system includes depositing an HfO2 layer on a substrate, depositing a capping layer on the HfO2 layer, annealing the HfO2 layer and the capping layer to form ferroelectric hafnium HfO2, and selectively etching the capping layer to remove the capping layer without removing the HfO2 layer.

Abstract: Provided are methods of sealing open pores of a surface of a porous dielectric material using an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process. In one example method of sealing open pores, since the polymer thin film having a significantly thin thickness may be formed by a solvent-free vapor deposition method without plasma treatment, it is possible to minimize deterioration of characteristics of the dielectric material vulnerable to plasma and a chemical solution.

Abstract: A method of forming ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO2) in a substrate processing system includes arranging a substrate within a processing chamber of the substrate processing system, depositing an HfO2 layer on the substrate, performing a plasma treatment of the HfO2 layer, and annealing the HfO2 layer to form ferroelectric hafnium HfO2.

Abstract: Provided are a method of locally sealing only pores present in a surface part of a porous dielectric material by forming a polymer thin film through an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) method using an initiator, and a method of minimizing an increase in a dielectric constant induced therefrom.

Abstract: A method for forming nanowire semiconductor devices includes a) providing a substrate including an oxide layer defining vias; and b) depositing nanowires in the vias. The nanowires are made of a material selected from a group consisting of germanium or silicon germanium. The method further includes c) selectively etching back the oxide layer relative to the nanowires to expose upper portions of the nanowires; and d) doping the exposed upper portions of the nanowires using a dopant species.

Abstract: Provided are methods of sealing open pores of a surface of a porous dielectric material using an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process. In one example method of sealing open pores, since the polymer thin film having a significantly thin thickness may be formed by a solvent-free vapor deposition method without plasma treatment, it is possible to minimize deterioration of characteristics of the dielectric material vulnerable to plasma and a chemical solution.

Abstract: A method for forming nanowire semiconductor devices includes a) providing a substrate including an oxide layer defining vias; and b) depositing nanowires in the vias. The nanowires are made of a material selected from a group consisting of germanium or silicon germanium. The method further includes c) selectively etching back the oxide layer relative to the nanowires to expose upper portions of the nanowires; and d) doping the exposed upper portions of the nanowires using a dopant species.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing n-doped graphene and an electrical component using ammonium fluoride (NH4F), and to graphene and an electrical component thereby. An example method of manufacturing n-doped graphene includes (a) preparing graphene and ammonium fluoride (NH4F); and (b) exposing the graphene to the ammonium fluoride (NH4F), wherein through (b), a fluorine layer is formed on part or all of upper and lower surfaces of a graphene layer, and ammonium ions are physisorbed to part or all of the upper and lower surfaces of the graphene layer or defects between carbon atoms of the graphene layer, thereby maintaining or further improving superior electrical properties of graphene including charge mobility while performing n-doping of graphene.

Abstract: Disclosed is a copper interconnection device including a surface-functionalized graphene capping layer and a method of fabricating the same, wherein electromigration of a fine copper interconnection can be suppressed by the capping layer having a thickness of ones of nm or less. Specifically, graphene is surface-functionalized to possess functional groups able to chemically interact with copper atoms and is thus used as the capping layer, whereby it is difficult to move the copper atoms through the chemical interaction with the functional groups by the use of only the capping layer as thin as ones of nm or less, effectively suppressing electromigration of the copper interconnection.

Abstract: A proximity heads for dispensing reactants and purging gas to deposit a thin film by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) includes a plurality of sides. Extending over a portion of the substrate region and being spaced apart from the portion of the substrate region when present, the proximity head is rotatable so as to place each side in a direction of the substrate region, and is disposed in a vacuum chamber coupled to a carrier gas source to sustain a pressure for the proximity head during operation. Each side of the proximity head includes a gas conduit through which the reactant gas and the purging gas are sequentially dispensed, and at least two separate vacuum conduits on each side of the gas conduit to pull excess reactant gas, purging gas, or deposition byproducts from a reaction volume between a surface of the proximity head facing the substrate and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for selectively depositing a platinum layer on a substrate includes providing an electroless deposition solution including a platinum precursor and at least one of water and/or a pH balancing solution. A substrate including a patterned metal layer and one or more dielectric layers is immersed in the electroless deposition solution for a first predetermined period. The platinum layer is selectively deposited on the patterned metal layer but not on the one or more dielectric layers. The substrate is removed from the electroless deposition solution after the first predetermined period.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing n-doped graphene and an electrical component using ammonium fluoride (NH4F), and to graphene and an electrical component thereby. An example method of manufacturing n-doped graphene includes (a) preparing graphene and ammonium fluoride (NH4F); and (b) exposing the graphene to the ammonium fluoride (NH4F), wherein through (b), a fluorine layer is formed on part or all of upper and lower surfaces of a graphene layer, and ammonium ions are physisorbed to part or all of the upper and lower surfaces of the graphene layer or defects between carbon atoms of the graphene layer, thereby maintaining or further improving superior electrical properties of graphene including charge mobility while performing n-doping of graphene.

Abstract: A cluster architecture and methods for processing a substrate are disclosed. The cluster architecture includes a lab-ambient controlled transfer module that is coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules. The lab-ambient controlled transfer module and the one or more wet substrate processing modules are configured to manage a first ambient environment. A vacuum transfer module that is coupled to the lab-ambient controlled transfer module and one or more plasma processing modules is also provided. The vacuum transfer module and the one or more plasma processing modules are configured to manage a second ambient environment. And, a controlled ambient transfer module that is coupled to the vacuum transfer module and one or more ambient processing modules is also included. The controlled ambient transfer module and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third ambient environment.

Abstract: A method is provided, including the following method operations: depositing a metallic barrier layer to line a copper interconnect structure by a dry process in an integrated system configured to operate a mixture of dry and wet processes; depositing the functionalization layer over the metallic barrier layer by a wet process in the integrated system; and, depositing the copper layer over the functionalization layer in the copper interconnect structure by a wet process in the integrated system after the functionalization layer is deposited over the metallic barrier layer, wherein the material used for the functionalization layer comprises a complexing group with at least two ends, one end of the complexing group forming a bond with the metallic barrier layer and another end of the complexing group forming a bond with the copper layer.

Abstract: An integrated system for processing a substrate to improve electromigration performance of a copper interconnect, including: a lab-ambient transfer chamber capable of transferring the substrate from a substrate cassette coupled to the lab-ambient transfer chamber into the integrated system; a vacuum transfer chamber operated under vacuum at a pressure less than 1 Torr; a vacuum process module for depositing a metallic barrier layer, wherein the vacuum process module for depositing the metallic barrier layer is coupled to the vacuum transfer chamber, and is operated under vacuum at a pressure less than 1 Torr; a controlled-ambient transfer chamber filled with an inert gas selected from a group of inert gases; and, a deposition process module used to deposit a functionalization layer on the surface of the metallic barrier layer, wherein the deposition process module used to deposit the functionalization layer is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus generating a plasma for removing fluorinated polymer from a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a powered electrode assembly, which includes a powered electrode, a first dielectric layer, and a first wire mesh disposed between the powered electrode and the first dielectric layer. The apparatus also includes a grounded electrode assembly disposed opposite the powered electrode assembly so as to form a cavity wherein the plasma is generated. The first wire mesh is shielded from the plasma by the first dielectric layer when the plasma is present in the cavity, which has an outlet at one end for providing the plasma to remove the fluorinated polymer.

Abstract: The embodiments fill the need of improving electromigration and reducing stress-induced voids of copper interconnect by enabling deposition of a thin and conformal barrier layer, and a copper layer in the copper interconnect. The adhesion between the barrier layer and the copper layer can be improved by making the barrier layer metal-rich prior copper deposition and by limiting the amount of oxygen the barrier layer is exposed prior to copper deposition. Alternatively, a functionalization layer can be deposited over the barrier layer to enable the copper layer being deposit in the copper interconnect with good adhesion between the barrier layer and the copper layer. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to deposit a functionalization layer over a metallic barrier layer of a copper interconnect to assist deposition of a copper layer in the copper interconnect in an integrated system in order to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect is provided.