Abstract: A substrate processing method comprises the step of forming an oxide film on a silicon substrate surface, and introducing nitrogen atoms into the oxide film by exposing the oxide film to nitrogen radicals excited in plasma formed by a microwave introduced via a planar antenna.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fin-type field effect transistor simply and securely by using a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) wafer, capable of suppressing an undercut formation, is disclosed. The method includes forming a fin-shaped protrusion by selectively dry-etching a single crystalline silicon layer until an underlying buried oxide layer is exposed; forming a sacrificial oxide film by oxidizing a surface of the protrusion including a damage inflicted thereon; and forming a fin having a clean surface by removing the sacrificial oxide film by etching, wherein an etching rate r1 of the sacrificial oxide film is higher than an etching rate r2 of the buried oxide layer during the etching.

Abstract: A method for hydrogen sintering a substrate including a semiconductor device formed thereon comprises the steps of exciting a processing gas comprising a noble gas and a hydrogen gas to form a plasma comprising hydrogen radicals and hydrogen ions, and exposing the substrate to the plasma. A preferred method comprises forming a gate insulation film on a substrate, forming a polysilicon electrode on the gate insulation film, and exposing the polysilicon electrode to an atmosphere comprising hydrogen radicals and hydrogen ions.

Abstract: A process for producing electronic device (for example, high-performance MOS-type semiconductor device) structure having a good electric characteristic, wherein an SiO2 film or SiON film is used as an insulating film having an extremely thin (2.5 nm or less, for example) film thickness, and poly-silicon, amorphous-silicon, or SiGe is used as an electrode. In the presence of process gas comprising oxygen and an inert gas, plasma including oxygen and the inert gas (or plasma comprising nitrogen and an inert gas, or plasma comprising nitrogen, an inert gas and hydrogen) is generated by irradiating a wafer W including Si as a main component with microwave via a plane antenna member SPA. An oxide film (or oxynitride film) is formed on the wafer surface by using the thus generated plasma, and as desired, an electrode of poly-silicon, amorphous-silicon, or SiGe is formed, to thereby form an electronic device structure.

Abstract: A process for producing an electronic device material of a high quality MOS-type semiconductor comprising an insulating layer and a semiconductor layer excellent in the electrical characteristic. The process includes: a step of CVD-treating a substrate to be processed comprising single-crystal silicon as a main component, to thereby form an insulating layer; and a step of exposing the substrate to be processed to a plasma which has been generated from a process gas on the basis of microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slots, to thereby modify the insulating film by using the thus generated plasma.

Abstract: A method of processing a for an electronic device, comprising, at least: a nitridation step (a) of supplying nitrogen radicals on the surface of the electronic device substrate, to thereby form a nitride film on the surface thereof; and a hydrogenation step (b) of supplying hydrogen radicals to the surface of the electronic device substrate. By use of this method, it is possible to recover the degradation in the electric property of an insulating film due to a turnaround phenomenon which can occur at the time of nitriding an Si substrate, etc.

Abstract: A method of processing a for an electronic device, comprising, at least: a nitridation step (a) of supplying nitrogen radicals on the surface of the electronic device substrate, to thereby form a nitride film on the surface thereof; and a hydrogenation step (b) of supplying hydrogen radicals to the surface of the electronic device substrate. By use of this method, it is possible to recover the degradation in the electric property of an insulating film due to a turnaround phenomenon which can occur at the time of nitriding an Si substrate, etc.

Abstract: A substrate processing method comprises the step of forming an oxide film on a silicon substrate surface, and introducing nitrogen atoms into the oxide film by exposing the oxide film to nitrogen radicals excited in plasma formed by a microwave introduced via a planar antenna.

Abstract: A substrate processing method comprises the step of forming an oxide film on a silicon substrate surface, and introducing nitrogen atoms into the oxide film by exposing the oxide film to nitrogen radicals excited in plasma formed by a microwave introduced via a planar antenna.

Abstract: A method of hydrogen sintering a substrate including a semiconductor device formed thereon comprises the steps of exciting a processing gas comprising a noble gas and a hydrogen gas to form a plasma comprising hydrogen radicals and hydrogen ions, and exposing the substrate to the plasma. A preferred method comprises forming a gate insulation film on a substrate, forming a polysilicon electrode on the gate insulation film, and exposing the polysilicon electrode to an atmosphere comprising hydrogen radicals and hydrogen ions.

Abstract: A substrate processing method forming an oxynitride film by nitriding an oxide film formed on a silicon substrate includes a nitridation processing step that nitrides a surface of the oxide film by radicals or ions formed by exciting a nitrogen gas by microwave-excited plasma, the nitridation processing is conducted at a substrate temperature of 500° C. or less by setting an electron temperature of the microwave-excited plasma to 2 eV or less, and by setting the resident time of oxygen in the processing space in which the substrate to be processed is held, to two seconds or less.

Abstract: A process for producing an electronic device material of a high quality MOS-type semiconductor having an insulating layer and a semiconducting layer. The process includes a step of CVD-treating a substrate to be processed having single-crystal silicon as a main component to thereby form an insulating layer, and a step of exposing the substrate to be processed to a plasma which has been generated from a process gas on the basis of microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slots to thereby modify the insulating film by using the thus generated plasma.

Abstract: A method and system for forming a nitrided germanium-containing layer by plasma processing. The method includes providing a germanium-containing substrate in a process chamber, generating a plasma from a process gas containing N2 and a noble gas, where the plasma conditions are selected effective to form plasma excited N2 species while controlling formation of plasma excited N species, and exposing the substrate to the plasma to form a nitrided germanium-containing layer on the substrate. A method is also provided that includes exposing a germanium-containing dielectric layer to liquid or gaseous H2O to alter the thickness and chemical composition of the layer.

Abstract: A method and system for forming a nitrided germanium-containing layer by plasma processing. The method includes providing a germanium-containing substrate in a process chamber, generating a plasma from a process gas containing N2 and a noble gas, where the plasma conditions are selected effective to form plasma excited N2 species while controlling formation of plasma excited N species, and exposing the substrate to the plasma to form a nitrided germanium-containing layer on the substrate. A method is also provided that includes exposing a germanium-containing dielectric layer to liquid or gaseous H2O to alter the thickness and chemical composition of the layer.

Abstract: A method and system for modifying a gate dielectric stack by exposure to a plasma. The method includes providing the gate dielectric stack having a high-k layer formed on a substrate, generating a plasma from a process gas containing an inert gas and one of an oxygen-containing gas or a nitrogen-containing gas, where the process gas pressure is selected to control the amount of neutral radicals relative to the amount of ionic radicals in the plasma, and modifying the gate dielectric stack by exposing the stack to the plasma.

Abstract: An insulting film is modified by subjecting the insulting film to a modification treatment comprising a combination of a plasma treatment and a thermal annealing treatment. There is provided a method of enhancing the characteristic of an insulating film by improving deterioration in the characteristic of the insulating film due to carbon, a suboxide, a dangling bond or the like contained in the insulating film.

Abstract: An electronic device material comprising at least an electronic device substrate and a silicon oxynitride film disposed on the substrate is provided. The silicon oxynitride film is characterized by containing nitrogen atoms in a large amount in the vicinity of the oxynitride film surface when the nitrogen content distribution in the thickness direction of the silicon oxynitride film is examined by SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) analysis. By virtue of this constitution, an electronic device material comprising an oxynitride film having an excellent effect of preventing penetration of boron and having excellent gate leak properties can be obtained.

Abstract: A method and system for modifying a gate dielectric stack by exposure to a plasma. The method includes providing the gate dielectric stack having a high-k layer formed on a substrate, generating a plasma from a process gas containing an inert gas and one of an oxygen-containing gas or a nitrogen-containing gas, where the process gas pressure is selected to control the amount of neutral radicals relative to the amount of ionic radicals in the plasma, and modifying the gate dielectric stack by exposing the stack to the plasma.

Abstract: The surface of an insulating film disposed on an electronic device substrate is irradiated with plasma based on a process gas comprising at least an oxygen atom-containing gas, to thereby form an underlying film at the interface between the insulating film and the electronic device substrate. A good underlying film is provided at the interface between the insulating film and the electronic device substrate, so that the thus formed underlying film can improve the property of the insulating film.

Abstract: A process for producing electronic device (for example, high-performance MOS-type semiconductor device) structure having a good electric characteristic, wherein an SiO2 film or SiON film is used as an insulating film having an extremely thin (2.5 nm or less, for example) film thickness, and poly-silicon, amorphous-silicon, or SiGe is used as an electrode. In the presence of process gas comprising oxygen and an inert gas, plasma including oxygen and the inert gas (or plasma comprising nitrogen and an inert gas, or plasma comprising nitrogen, an inert gas and hydrogen) it generated by irradiating a wafer W including Si as a main component with microwave via a plane antenna member SPA. An oxide film (or oxynitride film) is formed on the wafer surface by using the thus generated plasma, and as desired, an electrode of poly-silicon, amorphous-silicon, or SiGe is formed, to thereby form an electronic device structure.