Abstract: Provided are methods for processing semiconductor substrates having hafnium oxide structures as well as one or more of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, polysilicon, and titanium nitride structures. Selected etching solution compositions and processing conditions provide high etching selectivity of hafnium oxide relative to these other materials. As such, hafnium oxide structures may be partially or completely removed without significant damage to other exposed structures made from these other materials. In some embodiments, the etching rate hafnium oxide is two or more times greater than the etching rate of silicon oxide and/or twenty or more times greater that the etching rate of polysilicon. The etching rate of hafnium oxide may be one and half times greater than the etching rate of silicon nitride and/or five or more times greater than the etching rate of titanium nitride.

Abstract: Polishing and cleaning techniques are combinatorially processed and evaluated. A polishing system can include a reactor assembly having multiple reaction chambers, with at least a reaction chamber including a rotatable polishing head, slurry and chemical distribution, chemical and water rinse, and slurry and fluid removal. Different downward forces can be applied to the polishing heads for evaluating optimum process conditions. Channels in the polishing pads can redistribute slurry and chemical to the polishing area.

Abstract: A method for etching a metal gate stack is provided. The method includes forming a gate stack on a substrate, where the gate stack includes a metal gate. A wet etch process is performed on the gate stack. The wet etch process includes submersing the substrate with the gate stack in an aqueous solution composed of a wet etchant and an oxidizer, removing the substrate from the solution and rinsing the solution from the etched gate stack.

Abstract: A reactor assembly including a first block having an array of reactors defined therein and a second block having an array of nozzles. The array of nozzles extends from a surface of the second block, the array of nozzles substantially aligned with the array of reactors so that each reactor is associated with a corresponding nozzle extending into a processing region of each reactor in the array of reactors when the surface of the second block is placed on a surface of the first block. Each nozzle of the array of nozzles has a plurality of openings disposed over a surface of the nozzle for dispersing fluid into the corresponding reactor. The array of nozzles is in fluid communication with a fluid source through a network of channels defined within the second block.

Abstract: A method of removing non-noble metal oxides from material (e.g., semiconductor material) used to make a microelectronic device includes providing the material comprising traces of the conducting non-noble metal oxides; applying a chemical mixture (or chemical solution) to the material; removing the traces of the non-noble metal oxides from the material; and removing the chemical mixture from the material. The non-noble metal oxides comprise MoOx, wherein x is a positive number between 0 and 3. The chemical solution comprises any one of HNO3-based chemicals, H2SO4-based chemicals, HCl-based chemicals, or NH4OH-based chemicals.

Abstract: A method for etching a metal gate stack is provided. The method includes forming a gate stack on a substrate, where the gate stack includes a metal gate. A wet etch process is performed on the gate stack. The wet etch process includes submersing the substrate with the gate stack in an aqueous solution composed of a wet etchant and an oxidizer, removing the substrate from the solution and rinsing the solution from the etched gate stack.

Abstract: A method for etching a metal gate stack is provided. The method includes forming a gate stack on a substrate, where the gate stack includes a metal gate. A wet etch process is performed on the gate stack. The wet etch process includes submersing the substrate with the gate stack in an aqueous solution composed of a wet etchant and an oxidizer, removing the substrate from the solution and rinsing the solution from the etched gate stack.