Abstract: A method is provided for depositing a high dielectric constant (high-k) film for integrated circuits (ICs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The method includes exposing a substrate to one or more metal precursors and plurality of oxidation sources to deposit a high-k film with a desired thickness and tailored properties. The plurality of oxidation sources contain a first oxidation source containing H2O, H2O2, or a combination thereof, and a second oxidation source containing oxygen radicals (O), O3, or O2, or a combination of two or more thereof. The high-k film may contain one or more metal elements selected from alkaline earth elements, rare earth elements, and Group IVB elements of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a semiconductor device containing a buried threshold voltage adjustment layer. The method includes providing a substrate containing an interface layer, depositing a first high-k film on the interface layer, depositing a threshold voltage adjustment layer on the first high-k film, and depositing a second high-k film on the threshold voltage adjustment layer such that the threshold voltage adjustment layer is interposed between the first and second high-k films. The semiconductor device containing a patterned gate stack is described.

Abstract: A method of forming a nitrided high-k film by disposing a substrate in a process chamber and forming the nitrided high-k film on the substrate by a) depositing a nitrogen-containing film, and b) depositing an oxygen-containing film, wherein steps a) and b) are performed in any order, any number of times, so as to oxidize at least a portion of the thickness of the nitrogen-containing film. The oxygen-containing film and the nitrogen-containing film contain the same one or more metal elements selected from alkaline earth elements, rare earth elements, and Group IVB elements of the Periodic Table, and optionally aluminum, silicon, or aluminum and silicon. According to one embodiment, the method includes forming a nitrided hafnium based high-k film. The nitrided high-k film can be formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD).

Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as a transistor or capacitor, is provided. The device includes a substrate, a gate dielectric over the substrate, and a conductive gate electrode film over the gate dielectric. The gate dielectric includes a mixed rare earth aluminum oxide, nitride or oxynitride film containing aluminum and at least two different rare earth metal elements.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as a transistor or capacitor is provided. The device includes a substrate, a gate dielectric over the substrate, and a conductive gate dielectric film over the gate dielectric. The gate dielectric includes a doped hafnium zirconium oxide containing one or more dopant elements selected from Group II, Group XIII, silicon, and rare earth elements of the Periodic Table. According to one embodiment, the conductive gate dielectric can contain doped hafnium zirconium nitride or doped hafnium zirconium oxynitride.

Abstract: A method for controlling interface layer thickness in high dielectric constant (high-k) film structures found in semiconductor devices. According to one embodiment, the method includes providing a monocrystalline silicon substrate, growing a chemical oxide layer on the monocrystalline silicon substrate in an aqueous bath, vacuum annealing the chemical oxide layer, depositing a high-k film on the vacuum annealed chemical oxide layer, and optionally vacuum annealing the high-k film. According to another embodiment, the method includes depositing a high-k film on a chemical oxide layer, and vacuum annealing the high-k film.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained metal nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the metal precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the metal precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained metal nitride film.

Abstract: A method for forming gate spacers for semiconductor devices includes forming a patterned gate structure on substrate, where the patterned gate structure contains an interface layer on the substrate, a high-k film on the interface layer, and a gate electrode on the high-k film. The method further includes depositing a nitride barrier layer on the patterned gate structure using processing conditions that minimize or prevent oxidation of the substrate and the gate electrode, depositing a spacer material on the nitride barrier layer, and anisotropically etching the spacer material to form a gate spacer on the patterned gate structure.

Abstract: A method for controlling interface layer thickness in high dielectric constant (high-k) film structures found in semiconductor devices. According to one embodiment, the method includes providing a monocrystalline silicon substrate, growing a chemical oxide layer on the monocrystalline silicon substrate in an aqueous bath, vacuum annealing the chemical oxide layer, depositing a high-k film on the vacuum annealed chemical oxide layer, and optionally vacuum annealing the high-k film. According to another embodiment, the method includes depositing a high-k film on a chemical oxide layer, and vacuum annealing the high-k film.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained SiN film and a semiconductor device containing the strained SiN film. The method includes exposing the substrate to a gas including a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained silicon nitride film.

Abstract: A method for forming a stressed passivation film. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a silicon nitride film over an integrated circuit structure on a substrate and embedding oxygen into a surface of the silicon nitride film by exposing the silicon nitride film to a process gas containing oxygen radicals formed by non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation induced dissociation of an oxygen-containing gas or an oxygen- and nitrogen-containing gas. The method further includes heat-treating the oxygen-embedded silicon nitride film to form a stressed silicon oxynitride film.

Abstract: A method for forming a stressed passivation film. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a silicon nitride film over an integrated circuit structure on a substrate and embedding oxygen into a surface of the silicon nitride film by exposing the silicon nitride film to a process gas containing an oxygen-containing or an oxygen- and nitrogen-containing gas excited by plasma induced dissociation based on microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slots, wherein the plane antenna member faces the substrate surface containing the silicon nitride film. The method further includes heat-treating the oxygen-embedded silicon nitride film to form a stressed silicon oxynitride film.

Abstract: Steric features inherent in the three dimensional disposition of atoms in molecules can be represented as multiplets using a defined set of steric descriptors. The resulting multiplets can be encoded in a compressed form of bitstring known as a bitmap. Such bitmaps can be generated in compressed form and used to compare individual conformers or ensembles of conformers of molecules to each other without decompression. Such comparisons are useful in molecular similarity analysis, in molecular diversity analysis, in database searching, and in conformational analysis.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming high dielectric constant (high-k) films for semiconductor devices. According to one embodiment, a metal-carbon-oxygen high-k film is deposited by alternately and sequentially exposing a substrate to a metal-carbon precursor and near saturation exposure level of an oxidation source containing ozone. The method is capable of forming a metal-carbon-oxygen high-k film with good thickness uniformity while impeding growth of an interface layer between the metal-carbon-oxygen high-k film and the substrate. According to one embodiment, the metal-carbon-oxygen high-k film may be treated with an oxidation process to remove carbon from the film.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained metal nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained metal silicon nitride film.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a semiconductor device containing a buried threshold voltage adjustment layer. The method includes providing a substrate containing an interface layer, depositing a first high-k film on the interface layer, depositing a threshold voltage adjustment layer on the first high-k film, and depositing a second high-k film on the threshold voltage adjustment layer such that the threshold voltage adjustment layer is interposed between the first and second high-k films. The semiconductor device containing a patterned gate stack is described.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained metal silicon nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal silicon nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing a substrate to a gas containing a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a first nitrogen precursor configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas pulse containing a second nitrogen precursor configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic different than the first reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide a strained metal silicon nitride film.

Abstract: A method is provided for depositing a high dielectric constant (high-k) film for integrated circuits (ICs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The method includes exposing a substrate to one or more metal precursors and plurality of oxidation sources to deposit a high-k film with a desired thickness and tailored properties. The plurality of oxidation sources contain a first oxidation source containing H2O, H2O2, or a combination thereof, and a second oxidation source containing oxygen radicals (O), O3, or O2, or a combination of two or more thereof. The high-k film may contain one or more metal elements selected from alkaline earth elements, rare earth elements, and Group IVB elements of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained metal nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a silicon precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the metal precursor or the silicon precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal silicon nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained metal silicon nitride film.

Abstract: A method for forming a strained metal nitride film and a semiconductor device containing the strained metal nitride film. The method includes exposing a substrate to a gas containing a metal precursor, exposing the substrate to a gas containing a nitrogen precursor activated by a plasma source at a first level of plasma power and configured to react with the metal precursor with a first reactivity characteristic, and exposing the substrate to a gas containing the nitrogen precursor activated by the plasma source at a second level of plasma power different from the first level and configured to react with the metal precursor with a second reactivity characteristic such that a property of the metal nitride film formed on the substrate changes to provide the strained metal nitride film.