Abstract: A substrate processing method includes creating a mask on a top surface of a workpiece. A first portion of a gap fill material is overlaid by the mask and a second portion of the gap fill material is exposed through an opening in the mask. The method further includes exposing the workpiece to a plasma. The method further includes performing a first etching of the first portion of the gap fill material to create a first cavity while the second portion of the gap fill material remains in place, depositing a first metal-containing substance in the first cavity, performing a second etching of the second portion of the gap fill material to create a second cavity while the first metal-containing substance remains in place, and depositing a second metal-containing substance in the second cavity.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of etching semiconductor substrates may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may house a substrate having an exposed region of a first silicon-containing material and an exposed region of a second silicon-containing material. The second silicon-containing material may be exposed within a recessed feature defined by the substrate. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the second silicon-containing material.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate, such as an oxide footing. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor chamber. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Methods may be performed to limit footing, pitch walking, and other alignment issues. The methods may include forming a treatment gas plasma within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include directing effluents of the treatment gas plasma towards a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and anisotropically modifying a surface of a first material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may also include passivating a surface of a second material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may further include forming a remote fluorine-containing plasma to produce fluorine-containing plasma effluents, and flowing the fluorine-containing plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

Abstract: Methods may be performed to limit footing, pitch walking, and other alignment issues. The methods may include forming a treatment gas plasma within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include directing effluents of the treatment gas plasma towards a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and anisotropically modifying a surface of a first material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may also include passivating a surface of a second material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may further include forming a remote fluorine-containing plasma to produce fluorine-containing plasma effluents, and flowing the fluorine-containing plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

Abstract: Methods may be performed to limit footing, pitch walking, and other alignment issues. The methods may include forming a treatment gas plasma within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include directing effluents of the treatment gas plasma towards a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and anisotropically modifying a surface of a first material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may also include passivating a surface of a second material on the semiconductor substrate with the effluents of the treatment gas plasma. The methods may further include forming a remote fluorine-containing plasma to produce fluorine-containing plasma effluents, and flowing the fluorine-containing plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon from the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include isotropically etching a silicon-containing material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to limit damage of features of a substrate, such as missing fin damage. The methods may include forming a plasma of an inert precursor within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the plasma of the inert precursor may be utilized to passivate an exposed region of an oxygen-containing material that extends about a feature formed on a semiconductor substrate. A plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor may also be formed within the processing region. Effluents of the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be directed, with DC bias, towards an exposed silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may also include anisotropically etching the exposed silicon-containing material with the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, where the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor selectively etch silicon relative to silicon oxide.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to limit damage of features of a substrate, such as missing fin damage. The methods may include forming a plasma of an inert precursor within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the plasma of the inert precursor may be utilized to passivate an exposed region of an oxygen-containing material that extends about a feature formed on a semiconductor substrate. A plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor may also be formed within the processing region. Effluents of the plasma of the hydrogen-containing precursor may be directed, with DC bias, towards an exposed silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may also include anisotropically etching the exposed silicon-containing material with the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor, where the plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor selectively etch silicon relative to silicon oxide.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon from the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include isotropically etching a silicon-containing material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon nitride surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon nitride. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon nitride from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate, such as an oxide footing. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within a processing region of a processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the semiconductor chamber. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form recesses in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include oxidizing an exposed silicon surface on a semiconductor substrate within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming an inert plasma within the processing region of the processing chamber. Effluents of the inert plasma may be utilized to modify the oxidized silicon. A remote plasma may be formed from a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified oxidized silicon from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods for etching a substrate. Patterning processes, such as double patterning and quadruple patterning processes, may benefit from the embodiments described herein which include performing an inert plasma treatment to implant ions into a spacer material, performing an etching process on an implanted region of the spacer material, and repeating the inert plasma treatment and the etching process to form a predominantly flat top spacer profile. The inert plasma treatment process may be a biased process and the etching process may be an unbiased process. Various processing parameters, such as pressure, may be controlled to influence a desired spacer profile.