Abstract: Examples of a substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber, an upper cover provided inside the chamber, an electrostatic chuck which includes an annular portion of a dielectric body and an embedded electrode embedded into the annular portion, the electrostatic chuck being provided inside the chamber, and a plasma unit configured to generate plasma in a region below the upper cover and the electrostatic chuck, wherein the annular portion includes an annular first upper surface located immediately below the upper cover, and a second upper surface located immediately below the upper cover and surrounding the first upper surface, the second upper surface having a height higher than a height of the first upper surface.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for reforming films comprising silicon nitride are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, forming activated species by irradiating a reforming gas with microwave radiation, and exposing substrate to the activated species. A pressure within the reaction chamber during the step of forming activated species can be less than 50 Pa.

Abstract: Methods of forming structures using a neutral beam, structures formed using a neutral beam, and reactor systems for forming the structures are disclosed. The neutral beam can be used to provide activated species during deposition of a layer and/or to provide activated species to treat a deposited layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming structures using a neutral beam, structures formed using a neutral beam, and reactor systems for forming the structures are disclosed. The neutral beam can be used to provide activated species during deposition of a layer and/or to provide activated species to treat a deposited layer.

Abstract: Examples of a plasma device includes a coaxial waveguide having an inner conductor and an outer conductor enclosing the inner conductor with a first gap provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the coaxial waveguide having a shape of branching at a plurality of branch parts, a plurality of rods having a conductor and a dielectric enclosing the conductor with a second gap provided between the dielectric and the conductor, the plurality of rods connecting two end parts of the coaxial waveguide branched at the branch parts, so as to connect the first gap and the second gap, and a conductive stub provided at a branched portion, obtained by branching at the branch parts, of the coaxial waveguide, the conductive stub being insertable to and removable from the first gap.

Abstract: Provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of achieving uniform trimming throughout an entire surface of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a gas channel including a center gas inlet and an additional gas inlet spaced apart from the center gas inlet, and a shower plate including a plurality of holes connected to the center gas inlet and the additional gas inlet, wherein a gas flow channel is formed having a clearance defined by a lower surface of the gas channel and an upper surface of the shower plate, the lower surface and the upper surface being substantially parallel.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for reforming films comprising silicon nitride are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, forming activated species by irradiating a reforming gas with microwave radiation, and exposing substrate to the activated species. A pressure within the reaction chamber during the step of forming activated species can be less than 50 Pa.

Abstract: Provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of achieving uniform trimming throughout an entire surface of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a gas channel including a center gas inlet and an additional gas inlet spaced apart from the center gas inlet, and a shower plate including a plurality of holes connected to the center gas inlet and the additional gas inlet, wherein a gas flow channel is formed having a clearance defined by a lower surface of the gas channel and an upper surface of the shower plate, the lower surface and the upper surface being substantially parallel.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for reforming films comprising silicon nitride are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, forming activated species by irradiating a reforming gas with microwave radiation, and exposing substrate to the activated species. A pressure within the reaction chamber during the step of forming activated species can be less than 50. Pa.

Abstract: Examples of a substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber, an upper cover provided inside the chamber, an electrostatic chuck which includes an annular portion of a dielectric body and an embedded electrode embedded into the annular portion, the electrostatic chuck being provided inside the chamber, and a plasma unit configured to generate plasma in a region below the upper cover and the electrostatic chuck, wherein the annular portion includes an annular first upper surface located immediately below the upper cover, and a second upper surface located immediately below the upper cover and surrounding the first upper surface, the second upper surface having a height higher than a height of the first upper surface.

Abstract: Methods of forming structures having dielectric films with improved properties, such as, for example, improved elastic modulus and/or dielectric constant are disclosed. Exemplary films can be formed using a cyclic deposition process. Exemplary methods use activated species to cleave (e.g., symmetric-structured) precursor molecules to form the high quality dielectric layers.

Abstract: Methods of forming structures using a neutral beam, structures formed using a neutral beam, and reactor systems for forming the structures are disclosed. The neutral beam can be used to provide activated species during deposition of a layer and/or to provide activated species to treat a deposited layer.

Abstract: Examples of a plasma device includes a coaxial waveguide having an inner conductor and an outer conductor enclosing the inner conductor with a first gap provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the coaxial waveguide having a shape of branching at a plurality of branch parts, a plurality of rods having a conductor and a dielectric enclosing the conductor with a second gap provided between the dielectric and the conductor, the plurality of rods connecting two end parts of the coaxial waveguide branched at the branch parts, so as to connect the first gap and the second gap, and a conductive stub provided at a branched portion, obtained by branching at the branch parts, of the coaxial waveguide, the conductive stub being insertable to and removable from the first gap.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for reforming films comprising silicon nitride are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, forming activated species by irradiating a reforming gas with microwave radiation, and exposing substrate to the activated species. A pressure within the reaction chamber during the step of forming activated species can be less than 50. Pa.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a mounting table configured to place a substrate thereon and to be rotatable around an axis; a unit provided in a first region such that its bottom surface faces the mounting table and having first and second buffer spaces therein; and a flow rate controller that independently controls flow rates of a precursor gas supplied to the first and second buffer spaces. In the bottom surface, the unit includes: an inside injection section including injection ports communicated with the first buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the first buffer space; and an intermediate injection section including injection ports communicated with the second buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the second buffer space. All the first injection ports are provided at a location closer to the axis, as compared to the second injection ports.

Abstract: A method of spacer-defined direct patterning in semiconductor fabrication includes: providing a photoresist structure having a target width of lines; trimming the photoresist structures such that a width of each trimmed photoresist structure is smaller than the target width; depositing an oxide film on the template, thereby entirely covering with the oxide film an exposed top surface of the template and the trimmed photoresist structures; etching the oxide film-covered template to remove an unwanted portion of the oxide film without removing the trimmed photoresist structures so as to form vertical spacers isolated from each other, each spacer substantially maintaining the target width and being constituted by the trimmed photoresist structures and a vertical portion of the oxide film covering sidewalls of the trimmed photoresist structures; and etching the spacer-formed template to transfer a pattern constituted by the spacers to the template.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a multiple power transmission elements with an interior cavity that may be arranged around a plasma processing chamber. Each of the power transmission elements may propagates electromagnetic energy that may be used to generate plasma within the plasma process chamber. The power transmission elements may be designed to accommodate a range of power and frequency ranges that range from 500 W to 3500 W and 0.9 GHz to 9 GHz. In one embodiment, the power transmission elements may include a rectangular interior cavity that enables the generation of a standing wave with two or more modes. In another embodiment, the power transmission elements may have a cylindrical interior cavity that may be placed along the plasma processing chamber or have one end of the cylinder placed against the plasma processing chamber.

Abstract: A method of spacer-defined direct patterning in semiconductor fabrication includes: providing a photoresist structure having a target width of lines; trimming the photoresist structures such that a width of each trimmed photoresist structure is smaller than the target width; depositing an oxide film on the template, thereby entirely covering with the oxide film an exposed top surface of the template and the trimmed photoresist structures; etching the oxide film-covered template to remove an unwanted portion of the oxide film without removing the trimmed photoresist structures so as to form vertical spacers isolated from each other, each spacer substantially maintaining the target width and being constituted by the trimmed photoresist structures and a vertical portion of the oxide film covering sidewalls of the trimmed photoresist structures; and etching the spacer-formed template to transfer a pattern constituted by the spacers to the template.

Abstract: Provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of achieving uniform trimming throughout an entire surface of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a gas channel including a center gas inlet and an additional gas inlet spaced apart from the center gas inlet, and a shower plate including a plurality of holes connected to the center gas inlet and the additional gas inlet, wherein a gas flow channel is formed having a clearance defined by a lower surface of the gas channel and an upper surface of the shower plate, the lower surface and the upper surface being substantially parallel.

Abstract: Provided is a holding stage structure which holds a substrate and disposed in a process chamber that is vacuum-evacuatable and allows a predetermined process to be performed on the substrate therein. The holding stage structure includes: a holding stage body on which the substrate is placed; an elevation pin mechanism lowering the substrate on the holding stage body or raising the substrate from the holding stage body; and a stepped portion formed on the holding stage body so that a peripheral portion of a rear surface of the substrate placed on the holding stage body is exposed to a processing gas supplied into the process chamber.