Abstract: A semiconductor device including memory cells that are three-dimensionally arranged is provided.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes pretreating a semiconductor substrate including at least one buried power rail for power transmission, based on chemical reaction by supplying a pretreatment gas for surface treatment onto a backside of the semiconductor substrate, forming at least one metal catalyst layer on the backside of the semiconductor substrate so as to be at least partially aligned with the at least one buried power rail, and forming at least one backside via hole by supplying an etchant to the semiconductor substrate to anisotropically etch the semiconductor substrate between the at least one metal catalyst layer and the at least one buried power rail while the at least one metal catalyst layer is descending into the semiconductor substrate by using metal assisted chemical etching (MACE).

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having one or more trenches, forming a gate insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate inside the trenches, and forming a buried gate electrode layer on the gate insulating layer to at least partially fill the trenches, wherein the step of forming the buried gate electrode layer includes a step of repeating a unit cycle a plurality of times, the unit cycle including an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for forming a conductive layer on the gate insulating layer to serve as the buried gate electrode layer, and an atomic layer etching (ALE) process for preferentially etching portions of the conductive layer formed near the trenches and portions of the conductive layer formed on upper ends of the trenches over other portions of the conductive layer inside the trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes bit lines each extending in a first direction on a substrate and spaced apart from each other in a second direction, semiconductor patterns disposed on each of the bit lines and including a first semiconductor pattern disposed on a first bit line, and a second semiconductor pattern arranged to be offset in the second direction from the first semiconductor pattern on the first bit line, word lines each extending in the second direction and surrounding a sidewall of each of the semiconductor patterns, the word lines including a first word line extending in the second direction and surrounding the first semiconductor pattern, and a second word line spaced apart in the first direction from the first word line and extending in the second direction while surrounding the second semiconductor pattern, and storage nodes respectively disposed on the semiconductor patterns.

Abstract: An annealing system is provided that includes a chamber body that defines a chamber, a support to hold a workpiece and a robot to insert the workpiece into the chamber. The annealing system also includes a first gas supply to provide a hydrogen gas, a pressure source coupled to the chamber to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres, and a controller configured to cause the robot to transport a workpiece having a metal film thereon into the chamber, where the metal film contains fluorine on a surface or embedded within the metal film, to cause the first gas supply to supply the hydrogen gas to the chamber and form atomic hydrogen therein, and to cause the pressure source to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres while the workpiece is held on the support in the chamber.

Abstract: An annealing system is provided that includes a chamber body that defines a chamber, a support to hold a workpiece and a robot to insert the workpiece into the chamber. The annealing system also includes a first gas supply to provide a hydrogen gas, a pressure source coupled to the chamber to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres, and a controller configured to cause the robot to transport a workpiece having a metal film thereon into the chamber, where the metal film contains fluorine on a surface or embedded within the metal film, to cause the first gas supply to supply the hydrogen gas to the chamber and form atomic hydrogen therein, and to cause the pressure source to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres while the workpiece is held on the support in the chamber.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a forming method of a memory and a memory. The method includes: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate includes at least word line structures and active areas, and a bottom dielectric layer and a bit line contact layer located on a top surface of the substrate, the bottom dielectric layer has bit line contact openings, the bit line contact openings expose the active areas in the substrate, and the bit line contact layer covers the bottom dielectric layer and fills the bit line contact openings; etching parts of the bit line contact layer, and forming first bit line contact layer with different heights; forming a conductive layer, a top surface of the conductive layer is located at different heights in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the word line structures.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present application provide a memory forming method and a memory. The method includes: providing a substrate including at least word line structures and active regions, and bottom dielectric layers and bit line contact layers located on a top surface of the substrate, the bottom dielectric layer having bit line contact openings exposing the active regions in the substrate, and the bit line contact layers covering the bottom dielectric layers and filling the bit line contact openings; etching part of the bit line contact layers to form the bit line contact layers of different heights; forming conductive layers, top surfaces of the conductive layers being at the same height in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the word line structures; and the top surfaces of the conductive layers being at different heights in the extension direction of the word line structures; forming top dielectric layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to thin films incorporating high aspect ratio feature definitions and methods for forming the same. As gate height increases, 3D NAND gate stacks are subject to higher aspect ratio etching. Due to the current limitations of etching techniques, the vertical etch profile typically tapers as the depth into the gate stack increases. The inventors have devised a unique deposition scheme that compensates for etch performance degradation in deep trenches by a novel plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) film deposition method. The inventors have found that by grading various properties (e.g., refractive index, stress of the film, dopant concentration in the film) of the as-deposited films (e.g., silicon nitride) a more uniform etch profile can be achieved by compensating for variations in both dry and wet etch rates.

Abstract: A method for forming a memory device includes: providing a substrate including at least word line structures and active regions, and a bottom dielectric layer and bit line contact layers that are on a top surface of the substrate; part of the bit line contact layers are etched to form bit line contact layers at different heights; conducting layers are formed, top surfaces of the conducting layers being at different heights in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the word line structure, and the top surfaces of the conducting layers being at different heights in the extension direction of the word line structure; top dielectric layers are formed; and etching is performed to form separate bit line structures.

Abstract: Provided are an improved memory device and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the memory device may include a vertical stack of alternating oxide layer and nitride layer, the vertical stack having a channel region formed therethrough, a plurality of nanostructures selectively formed on nitride layer of the vertical stack, and a gate oxide layer disposed on exposed surfaces of the channel region, the gate oxide layer encapsulating the plurality of nanostructures formed on the nitride layer. The nanostructures may be a group IV semiconductor compound such as silicon germanium (SiGe).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a cobalt layer in a feature, such as, a word line formed in a substrate, are provided herein. In some embodiments, method of processing a substrate includes: exposing a substrate at a first temperature to a cobalt containing precursor to deposit a cobalt layer within a word line feature formed in the substrate, wherein the word line feature is part of a 3D NAND device; and annealing the substrate to remove contaminants from the cobalt layer and to reflow the cobalt layer into the word line feature, wherein the substrate is at a second temperature greater than the first temperature during the annealing.

Abstract: Methods and systems relating to processes for treating a tungsten film on a workpiece including supporting the workpiece in a chamber, introducing hydrogen gas into the chamber and establishing a pressure of at least 5 atmospheres, and exposing the tungsten film on the workpiece to the hydrogen gas while the pressure in the chamber is at least 5 atmospheres.

Abstract: An annealing system is provided that includes a chamber body that defines a chamber, a support to hold a workpiece and a robot to insert the workpiece into the chamber. The annealing system also includes a first gas supply to provide a hydrogen gas, a pressure source coupled to the chamber to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres, and a controller configured to cause the robot to transport a workpiece having a metal film thereon into the chamber, where the metal film contains fluorine on a surface or embedded within the metal film, to cause the first gas supply to supply the hydrogen gas to the chamber and form atomic hydrogen therein, and to cause the pressure source to raise a pressure in the chamber to at least 5 atmospheres while the workpiece is held on the support in the chamber.

Abstract: A method of forming a 3D NAND structure having self-aligned nanodots includes depositing alternating layers of an oxide and a nitride on a substrate; at least partially recessing the nitride layers; and forming SiGe nanodots on the nitride layers. A method of forming a 3D NAND structure having self-aligned nanodots includes depositing alternating layers of an oxide and a nitride on a substrate; at least partially recessing the nitride layers; and forming SiGe nanodots on the nitride layers by a process including maintaining a temperature of the substrate below about 560° C.; flowing a silicon epitaxy precursor into the chamber; forming a silicon epitaxial layer on the substrate at the nitride layers; flowing germanium gas into the chamber with the silicon epitaxy precursor; and forming a silicon germanium epitaxial layer on the substrate at the nitride layers.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure relate to improved hardmask materials and methods for patterning and etching of substrates. A plurality of hardmasks may be utilized in combination with patterning and etching processes to enable advanced device architectures. In one implementation, a first hardmask and a second hardmask disposed on a substrate having various material layers disposed thereon. The second hardmask may be utilized to pattern the first hardmask during a first etching process. A third hardmask may be deposited over the first and second hardmasks and a second etching process may be utilized to form channels in the material layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to thin films incorporating high aspect ratio feature definitions and methods for forming the same. As gate height increases, 3D NAND gate stacks are subject to higher aspect ratio etching. Due to the current limitations of etching techniques, the vertical etch profile typically tapers as the depth into the gate stack increases. The inventors have devised a unique deposition scheme that compensates for etch performance degradation in deep trenches by a novel plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) film deposition method. The inventors have found that by grading various properties (e.g., refractive index, stress of the film, dopant concentration in the film) of the as-deposited films (e.g., silicon nitride) a more uniform etch profile can be achieved by compensating for variations in both dry and wet etch rates.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a cobalt layer in a feature, such as, a word line formed in a substrate, are provided herein. In some embodiments, method of processing a substrate includes: exposing a substrate at a first temperature to a cobalt containing precursor to deposit a cobalt layer within a word line feature formed in the substrate, wherein the word line feature is part of a 3D NAND device; and annealing the substrate to remove contaminants from the cobalt layer and to reflow the cobalt layer into the word line feature, wherein the substrate is at a second temperature greater than the first temperature during the annealing.

Abstract: A method for forming a high aspect ratio feature is disclosed. The method includes depositing one or more silicon oxide/silicon nitride containing stacks on a substrate by depositing a first film layer on the substrate from a first plasma and depositing a second film layer having a refractive index on the first film layer from a second plasma. A predetermined number of first film layers and second film layers are deposited on the substrate. The first film layer and the second film layer are either a silicon oxide layer or a silicon nitride layer and the first film layer is different from the second film layer. The method further includes depositing a third film layer from a third plasma and depositing a fourth film layer on the third film layer from a fourth plasma. The fourth film layer has a refractive index greater than the first refractive index.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a cobalt layer in a feature, such as, a word line formed in a substrate, are provided herein. In some embodiments, method of processing a substrate includes: exposing a substrate at a first temperature to a cobalt containing precursor to deposit a cobalt layer within a word line feature formed in the substrate, wherein the word line feature is part of a 3D NAND device; and annealing the substrate to remove contaminants from the cobalt layer and to reflow the cobalt layer into the word line feature, wherein the substrate is at a second temperature greater than the first temperature during the annealing.