Abstract: Methods for forming a device on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a device on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a partially fabricated first device disposed on the substrate, the first device including a first film stack comprising a first dielectric layer and a first high-k dielectric layer disposed atop the first dielectric layer; depositing a first metal layer atop the first film stack; and modifying a first upper surface of the first metal layer to adjust a first threshold voltage of the first device, wherein the modification of the first upper surface does not extend through to a first lower surface of the first metal layer.

Abstract: Methods for implanting ions into a substrate by a plasma immersion ion implanting process are provided. In one embodiment, the method for implanting ions into a substrate by a plasma immersion ion implantation process includes providing a substrate into a processing chamber, flowing a gas mixture including a hydride dopant gas and a fluorine-containing dopant gas into the processing chamber, wherein the hydride dopant gas comprises P-type hydride dopant gas, N-type hydride dopant gas, or a combination thereof, and the fluorine-containing dopant gas comprises a P-type or N-type dopant atom, generating a plasma from the gas mixture, and co-implanting ions from the gas mixture into a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to pre-implant and post-implant treatments to promote the retention of dopants near the surface of an implanted substrate. The pre-implant treatments include forming a plasma from an inert gas and implanting the inert gas into the substrate to render an upper portion of the substrate amorphous. The post-implant treatment includes forming a passivation layer on the upper surface of the substrate after doping the substrate in order to retain the dopant during a subsequent activation anneal.

Abstract: Methods for forming a device on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a device on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a partially fabricated first device disposed on the substrate, the first device including a first film stack comprising a first dielectric layer and a first high-k dielectric layer disposed atop the first dielectric layer; depositing a first metal layer atop the first film stack; and modifying a first upper surface of the first metal layer to adjust a first threshold voltage of the first device, wherein the modification of the first upper surface does not extend through to a first lower surface of the first metal layer.

Abstract: In a plasma immersion ion implantation process, the thickness of a pre-implant chamber seasoning layer is increased (to permit implantation of a succession of wafers without replacing the seasoning layer) without loss of wafer clamping electrostatic force due to increased seasoning layer thickness. This is accomplished by first plasma-discharging residual electrostatic charge from the thick seasoning layer. The number of wafers which can be processed using the same seasoning layer is further increased by fractionally supplementing the seasoning layer after each wafer is processed, which may be followed by a brief plasma discharging of the supplemented seasoning before processing the next wafer.

Abstract: A method of plasma immersion ion implantation of a workpiece having a photoresist mask on its top surface prevents photoresist failure from carbonization of the photoresist. The method includes performing successive ion implantation sub-steps, each of the ion implantation sub-steps having a time duration over which only a fractional top portion of the photoresist layer is damaged by ion implantation. After each one of the successive ion implantation sub-steps, the fractional top portion of the photoresist is removed while leaving the remaining portion of the photoresist layer in place by performing an ashing sub-step. The number of the successive ion implantation sub-steps is sufficient to reach a predetermined ion implantation dose in the workpiece.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating an oxide layer on a semiconductor structure are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of selectively forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor structure includes providing a substrate having one or more metal-containing layers and one or more non metal-containing layers to a substrate support in a plasma reactor; introducing a first process gas into the plasma reactor, wherein the first process gas comprises hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2); maintaining the structure at a temperature of less than about 100 degrees Celsius; and generating a first plasma from the first process gas to selectively form an oxide layer on the one or more non metal-containing layers, wherein the first plasma has a density of greater than about 1010 ions/cm3.

Abstract: A method of plasma immersion ion implantation of a workpiece having a photoresist mask on its top surface prevents photoresist failure from carbonization of the photoresist. The method includes performing successive ion implantation sub-steps, each of the ion implantation sub-steps having a time duration over which only a fractional top portion of the photoresist layer is damaged by ion implantation. After each one of the successive ion implantation sub-steps, the fractional top portion of the photoresist is removed while leaving the remaining portion of the photoresist layer in place by performing an ashing sub-step. The number of the successive ion implantation sub-steps is sufficient to reach a predetermined ion implantation dose in the workpiece.

Abstract: In a plasma immersion ion implantation process, the thickness of a pre-implant chamber seasoning layer is increased (to permit implantation of a succession of wafers without replacing the seasoning layer) without loss of wafer clamping electrostatic force due to increased seasoning layer thickness. This is accomplished by first plasma-discharging residual electrostatic charge from the thick seasoning layer. The number of wafers which can be processed using the same seasoning layer is further increased by fractionally supplementing the seasoning layer after each wafer is processed, which may be followed by a brief plasma discharging of the supplemented seasoning before processing the next wafer.

Abstract: In a plasma immersion ion implantation process, the thickness of a pre-implant chamber seasoning layer is increased (to permit implantation of a succession of wafers without replacing the seasoning layer) without loss of wafer clamping electrostatic force due to increased seasoning layer thickness. This is accomplished by first plasma-discharging residual electrostatic charge from the thick seasoning layer. The number of wafers which can be processed using the same seasoning layer is further increased by fractionally supplementing the seasoning layer after each wafer is processed, which may be followed by a brief plasma discharging of the supplemented seasoning before processing the next wafer.

Abstract: In a plasma immersion ion implantation process, the thickness of a pre-implant chamber seasoning layer is increased (to permit implantation of a succession of wafers without replacing the seasoning layer) without loss of wafer clamping electrostatic force due to increased seasoning layer thickness. This is accomplished by first plasma-discharging residual electrostatic charge from the thick seasoning layer. The number of wafers which can be processed using the same seasoning layer is further increased by fractionally supplementing the seasoning layer after each wafer is processed, which may be followed by a brief plasma discharging of the supplemented seasoning before processing the next wafer.