Abstract: A protective coating layer, an electronic device including such a protective coating layer, and the methods of making the same are provided. The electronic device includes a substrate, a thin film circuit layer disposed over the substrate, and a protective coating layer disposed over the thin film circuit layer. The protective coating layer includes a first coating and a second coating disposed over the first coating. Each coating has a cross-plane thermal conductivity in a direction normal to a respective coating surface equal to or higher than 0.5 W/(m*K). The first coating and the second coating have different crystal or amorphous structures, different crystalline orientations, different compositions, or a combination thereof to provide different nanoindentation hardness. The first coating has a hardness lower than that of the second coating.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming. The semiconductor device contains microelectronic components embedded in a single crystalline dielectric material. The method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a single crystalline substrate, epitaxially depositing a single crystalline dielectric material on the single crystalline substrate, and forming microelectronic components in the single crystalline dielectric material. The single crystalline dielectric material can contain carbon with a diamond structure or hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) with a graphene structure.

Abstract: A display device includes a waveguide assembly comprising a waveguide configured to outcouple light out of a major surface of the waveguide to form an image in the eyes of a user. An adaptive lens assembly has a major surface facing the output surface and a waveplate lens and a switchable waveplate assembly. The switchable waveplate assembly includes quarter-wave plates on opposing sides of a switchable liquid crystal layer, and electrodes on the quarter-wave plates in the volume between the quarter-wave plates. The electrodes can selectively establish an electric field and may serve as an alignment structure for molecules of the liquid crystal layer. Portions of the adaptive lens assembly may be manufactured by roll-to-roll processing in which a substrate roll is unwound, and alignment layers and liquid crystal layers are formed on the substrate as it moves towards a second roller, to be wound on that second roller.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate having a first surface; forming a trench on the first surface, wherein a bottom surface and side walls of the substrate are configured along an outer periphery of the trench; annealing the substrate with high-purity argon or high-purity hydrogen to flatten the bottom surface and the side walls; conformally disposing a composite-material layer to cover the first surface, the bottom surface and the side walls; disposing a polysilicon material layer in the trench; removing the composite-material layer on the first surface; forming a multi-layer metal interconnection structure on the first surface and the polysilicon material layer, the multi-layer metal interconnection structure including a MEMS frame structure and through holes; removing the polysilicon material layer and the composite-material layer; using plasma treatment to the trench to flatten the bottom surface and the side walls. The plasma contains inert gas and hydrogen.

Abstract: A technique includes forming a film having a borazine ring structure and containing boron and nitrogen on a substrate by intermittently performing an act of simultaneously performing: (a) supplying borazine-based gas including a ligand to the substrate; and (b) supplying a ligand desorption gas which desorbs the ligand to the substrate, wherein the (a) and (b) are performed under a condition where the borazine ring structure in the borazine-based gas is held.

Abstract: Nitrogen-containing phase-stabilized films, methods of forming phase-stabilized films, and structures and devices including the phase-stabilized films are disclosed. The phase-stabilized films include a matrix material and a phase stabilizer, which provides a morphologically stabilizing effect to a matrix material within the films. The phase-stabilized films may be used as, for example, gate electrodes and similar films in microelectronic devices.

Abstract: A method of producing a patterned inorganic thin film dielectric stack includes providing a substrate. A first patterned deposition inhibiting material layer is provided on the substrate. A first inorganic thin film dielectric material layer is selectively deposited on a region of the substrate where the first deposition inhibiting material layer is not present using an atomic layer deposition process. The first deposition inhibiting and first inorganic thin film dielectric material layers are simultaneously treated after deposition of the first inorganic thin film dielectric material layer. A second patterned deposition inhibiting material layer is provided on the substrate. A second inorganic thin film dielectric material layer is selectively deposited on a region of the substrate where the second deposition inhibiting material layer is not present using an atomic layer deposition process.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for producing a silicon nitride film, wherein generation of blisters at the periphery of a substrate is suppressed when a silicon nitride film is formed through application of a bias power; and an apparatus for producing a silicon nitride film. Specifically disclosed are a method and apparatus for producing a silicon nitride film, wherein a silicon nitride film used for a semiconductor element is formed on a substrate by plasma processing. In the method and apparatus for producing a silicon nitride film, a bias is applied to the substrate at time (b1), and a starting material gas SiH4 for the silicon nitride film is started to be supplied at time (b3) after the application of the bias.

Abstract: A method of producing an inorganic thin film dielectric material layer includes providing a substrate. A first inorganic thin film dielectric material layer is deposited on the substrate using an atomic layer deposition process. The first inorganic thin film dielectric material layer is treated after its deposition. A patterned deposition inhibiting material layer is provided on the substrate. A second inorganic thin film dielectric material layer is selectively deposited on a region of the substrate where the deposition inhibiting material layer is not present using an atomic layer deposition process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region formed thereon, and the gate structure includes a gate insulating layer and a gate electrode. The method also includes forming a first stress layer on the substrate, removing the first stress layer, and forming a second stress layer on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of solar cells comprising a selective emitter using an improved etching-paste composition which has significantly improved selectivity for silicon layers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes subjecting a substrate to a first oxidation process to form a tunnel oxide layer overlying a polysilicon channel, and forming over the tunnel oxide layer a multi-layer charge storing layer comprising an oxygen-rich, first layer comprising a nitride, and an oxygen-lean, second layer comprising a nitride on the first layer. The substrate is then subjected to a second oxidation process to consume a portion of the second layer and form a high-temperature-oxide (HTO) layer overlying the multi-layer charge storing layer. The stoichiometric composition of the first layer results in it being substantially trap free, and the stoichiometric composition of the second layer results in it being trap dense. The second oxidation process can comprise a plasma oxidation process or a radical oxidation process using In-Situ Steam Generation.

Abstract: An insulating film having features such as a low dielectric constant, a low etching rate and a high insulating property is formed.

Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device by forming a structure film on a substrate in a reaction chamber of a manufacturing apparatus, cleaning inside the reaction chamber is performed. That is, a precoat film made of a silicon nitride film containing boron is deposited on an inner wall of the reaction chamber, a silicon nitride film not containing boron is formed as the structure film on the substrate in the reaction chamber, and the inner wall of the reaction chamber is dry etched to be cleaned. At this time, the dry etching is terminated after boron is detected in a gas exhausted from the reaction chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for manufacturing flash memory devices. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a plasma comprising nitrogen-containing radicals in a remote plasma applicator, flowing the plasma comprising nitrogen-containing radicals into a processing region of the processing chamber where a semiconductor device is disposed, wherein the semiconductor device has a substrate comprising an oxide layer formed thereon, exposing an exposed surface of the oxide layer to the nitrogen-containing radicals, and incorporating nitrogen in the exposed surface of the oxide layer of the substrate.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A silicon oxide layer is formed. A nitridation process including at least two steps is performed to nitridate the silicon oxide layer into a silicon oxynitride (SiON) layer. The nitridation process comprises a first nitridation step and a second nitridation step in sequence, wherein the first nitridation step and the second nitridation step are different in the setting of at least one parameter.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a compound semiconductor layer formed over the substrate, and a protective insulating film composed of silicon nitride, which is formed over a surface of the compound semiconductor layer and whose film density in an intermediate portion is lower than that in a lower portion.

Abstract: Provided are processes for the low temperature deposition of silicon-containing films using carbosilane precursors containing a carbon atom bridging at least two silicon atoms. Certain methods comprise providing a substrate; in a PECVD process, exposing the substrate surface to a carbosilane precursor containing at least one carbon atom bridging at least two silicon atoms; exposing the carbosilane precursor to a low-powered energy sourcedirect plasma to provide a carbosilane at the substrate surface; and densifying the carbosilanestripping away at least some of the hydrogen atoms to provide a film comprising SiC. The SiC film may be exposed to the carbosilane surface to a nitrogen source to provide a film comprising SiCN.

Abstract: An in-situ process is described incorporating plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition comprising flowing at least one of a Si, Si+C, B, Si+B, Si+B+C, and B+C containing precursor, and a N containing precursors at first times and removing the N precursor at second times and starting the flow of an oxidant gas and a porogen gas into the chamber. A dielectric layer is described comprising a network having inorganic random three dimensional covalent bonding throughout the network which contains at least one SiCN, SiCNH, SiN, SiNH, BN, BNH, CBN, CBNH, BSiN, BSiNH, SiCBN and SiCBNH as a first component and a low k dielectric as a second component adjacent thereto.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming nitrogen-containing layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes exposing a first layer of a substrate to a plasma formed from a process gas comprising predominantly a mixture of ammonia (NH3) and a noble gas, wherein ammonia is about 0.5 to about 15 percent of the process gas; and maintaining the process chamber at a pressure of about 10 mTorr to about 80 mTorr while exposing the first layer to the plasma to transform at least an upper portion of the first layer into a nitrogen-containing layer.

Abstract: A gate dielectric layer forming method is applied to a fabrication process of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. The gate dielectric layer forming method includes the following steps. Firstly, a substrate is provided. Then, an interlayer is formed on the substrate. Then, a high-k dielectric layer is formed on the interlayer. A nitridation process is performed to convert the high-k dielectric layer into a nitridated high-k dielectric layer. A first low temperature post-nitridation annealing process is performed to treat the nitridated high-k dielectric layer with a first gas. Afterwards, a second low temperature post-nitridation annealing process is performed to treat the nitridated high-k dielectric layer with a second gas.

Abstract: A method of forming a carbon-rich silicon carbide-like dielectric film having a carbon concentration of greater than, or equal to, about 30 atomic % C and a dielectric constant of less than, or equal to, about 4.5 is provided. The dielectric film may optionally include nitrogen. When nitrogen is present, the carbon-rich silicon carbide-like dielectric film has a concentration nitrogen that is less than, or equal, to about 5 atomic % nitrogen.

Abstract: According to the present invention,when a nitridation process by plasma generated by a microwave is applied to a substrate with an oxide film having been formed thereon to from an oxynitride film, the microwave is intermittently supplied. By the intermittent supply of the microwave, ion bombardment is reduced in accordance with a decrease in electron temperature, and a diffusion velocity of nitride species in the oxide film lowers, which as a result makes it possible to prevent nitrogen from concentrating in a substrate-side interface of an oxynitride film to increase the nitrogen concentration therein. Consequently,it is possible to improve quality of the oxynitride film, resulting in a reduced leadage current, an improved operating speed, and improved NBTI resistance.

Abstract: Provided are methods for re-incorporating carbon into low-k films after processes which result in depletion of carbon from the films. Additionally, methods for replenished depleted carbon and capping with tantalum nitride are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus that includes: a substrate supporting member that supports a substrate; a processing chamber capable of housing the substrate supporting member; a rotating mechanism that rotates the substrate supporting member; a carrying mechanism that carries out the substrate supporting member from the processing chamber; a material gas supply system that supplies material gas into the processing chamber; a nitrogen-containing-gas supply system that supplies nitrogen containing gas into the processing chamber; and a controller that controls the material gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing-gas supply system, the carrying mechanism, and the rotating mechanism, after forming a nitride film on the substrate by using the material gas and the nitrogen containing gas, to carry out the substrate supporting member that supports the substrate while being rotated from the processing chamber.

Abstract: In a silicon carbide MOSFET, interface state generated at an interface between a silicon carbide layer and a gate insulating film cannot be reduced sufficiently, and mobility of a carrier is decreased. To solve this problem, a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to this invention includes a substrate introduction step of introducing a substrate, which includes a silicon carbide layer on which a gate insulating film is formed, in a furnace, and a heating step of heating the furnace having the substrate introduced therein while introducing nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen therein, wherein, in the heating step, nitrogen is reacted to nitride an interface between the gate insulating film and the silicon carbide layer.

Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device by forming a structure film on a substrate in a reaction chamber of a manufacturing apparatus, cleaning inside the reaction chamber is performed. That is, a precoat film made of a silicon nitride film containing boron is deposited on an inner wall of the reaction chamber, a silicon nitride film not containing boron is formed as the structure film on the substrate in the reaction chamber, and the inner wall of the reaction chamber is dry etched to be cleaned. At this time, the dry etching is terminated after boron is detected in a gas exhausted from the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage layer formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the charge storage layer, and a control electrode formed on the second insulating film, forming the second insulating film comprises forming a lower insulating film containing oxygen and a metal element, thermally treating the lower insulating film in an atmosphere containing oxidizing gas, and forming an upper insulating film on the thermally treated lower insulating film using film forming gas containing at least one of hydrogen and chlorine.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming nitrogen-containing layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a nitrogen-containing layer may include placing a substrate having a first layer disposed thereon on a substrate support of a process chamber; heating the substrate to a temperature of at least about 250 degrees Celsius; and exposing the first layer to a radio frequency (RF) plasma formed from a process gas consisting essentially of ammonia (NH3) and an inert gas while maintaining the process chamber at a pressure of about 10 mTorr to about 40 mTorr to transform at least an upper portion of the first layer into a nitrogen-containing layer.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a reducing gas ambient containing a reducing agent is established in a batch process chamber before substrates are subjected to a deposition. The reducing atmosphere is established before and/or during loading of the substrates into the process chamber, and can include flowing reducing gas into the process chamber while the chamber is open. The reducing gas can be a mixture of a reducing agent and an inert gas, with the reducing agent being a minority component of the reducing gas. Using the reducing gas ambient, oxidation of substrate surfaces is reduced.

Abstract: An insulating film having features such as a low dielectric constant, a low etching rate and a high insulating property is formed.

Abstract: A method of forming a boron nitride or boron carbon nitride dielectric produces a conformal layer without loading effect. The dielectric layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a boron-containing film on a substrate, at least a portion of the deposition being conducted without plasma, and then exposing the deposited boron-containing film to a plasma. The CVD component dominates the deposition process, producing a conformal film without loading effect. The dielectric is ashable, and can be removed with a hydrogen plasma without impacting surrounding materials. The dielectric has a much lower wet etch rate compared to other front end spacer or hard mask materials such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride, and has a relatively low dielectric constant, much lower then silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method for the deposition of a dielectric film including forming silicon nitride on the surface of the substrate, oxidizing the silicon nitride on the surface of the substrate, exposing the surface of the substrate to a hydrogen-free nitrogen source, and annealing the substrate. A method for the deposition of a dielectric film including forming silicon nitride on the surface of the substrate, oxidizing the silicon nitride on the surface of the substrate, including exposing the surface of the substrate to a gas selected from the group of oxygen, nitric oxide, and nitrous oxide, and exposing the surface of the substrate to a hydrogen-free nitrogen source, wherein the hydrogen-free nitrogen source is a gas selected from the group of nitrogen, nitric oxide, and nitrous oxide.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device including an insulating layer with a high dielectric strength voltage, a low dielectric constant, and low hygroscopicity. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic appliance with high performance and high reliability, which uses the semiconductor device. An insulator containing nitrogen, such as silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride oxide, and an insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine, such as silicon oxynitride added with fluorine or silicon nitride oxide added with fluorine, are alternately deposited so that an insulating layer is formed. By sandwiching an insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine between insulators containing nitrogen, the insulator containing nitrogen and fluorine can be prevented from absorbing moisture and thus a dielectric strength voltage can be increased. Further, an insulator contains fluorine so that a dielectric constant can be reduced.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when a nitridation process by plasma generated by a microwave is applied to a substrate with an oxide film having been formed thereon to form an oxynitride film, the microwave is intermittently supplied. By the intermittent supply of the microwave, ion bombardment is reduced in accordance with a decrease in electron temperature, and a diffusion velocity of nitride species in the oxide film lowers, which as a result makes it possible to prevent nitrogen from concentrating in a substrate-side interface of an oxynitride film to increase the nitrogen concentration therein. Consequently, it is possible to improve quality of the oxynitride film, resulting in a reduced leakage current, an improved operating speed, and improved NBTI resistance.

Abstract: A characteristic feature of the invention is to form, in a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor device, a negative electrode on a surface other than a Ga-polar C-plane. In a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device, there are formed, on an R-plane sapphire substrate, an n-contact layer, a layer for improving static breakdown voltage, an n-cladding layer made of a multi-layer structure having ten stacked sets of an undoped In0.1Ga0.9N layer, an undoped GaN layer, and a silicon (Si)-doped GaN layer, a multi-quantum well (MQW) light-emitting layer made of a combination of In0.25Ga0.75N well layers and GaN barrier layers stacked alternatingly, a p-cladding layer made of a multi-layer structure including a p-type Al0.3Ga0.7N layer and a p-In0.08Ga0.92N layer, and a p-contact layer (thickness: about 80 nm) made of a stacked structure including two p-GaN layers having different magnesium concentrations.

Abstract: An electronic component comprising several superimposed layers of materials including a TiCN barrier layer. A process for depositing a TiCN layer in order to obtain an electronic component, where a titanium precursor is chosen from among tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium and/or tetrakis(diethylamido)titanium and is decomposed on a substrate by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) where the plasma is obtained with a hydrogen-rich gas which can contain nitrogen with at most 5 atomic % nitrogen and at least 95 atomic % hydrogen.

Abstract: In a substrate nitriding method for nitriding a target substrate by allowing a nitrogen-containing plasma to act on silicon on a surface of the substrate in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the nitridation by the nitrogen-containing plasma is performed by controlling a sheath voltage Vdc around the substrate to be less than or equal to about 3.5 eV. The sheath voltage Vdc is a potential difference Vp?Vf between a plasma potential Vp in a plasma generating region and a floating potential Vf of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a transistor gate construction includes forming a gate stack comprising a sacrificial material received over conductive gate material. The gate stack has lateral sidewalls having insulative material received there-against. The sacrificial material is removed from being received over the conductive gate material to form a void space between the insulative material over the conductive gate material. Elemental tungsten is selectively deposited within the void space over the conductive gate material and a transistor gate construction forming there-from is formed there-from, and which has a conductive gate electrode which includes the conductive gate material and the elemental tungsten. The transistor gate might be used in NAND, DRAM, or other integrated circuitry.

Abstract: A thin film can be formed on a substrate at a low temperature with a practicable film-forming rate. There is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method for forming an oxide or nitride film on a substrate. The method comprises: exposing the substrate to a source gas; exposing the substrate to a modification gas comprising an oxidizing gas or a nitriding gas, wherein an atom has electronegativity different from that of another atom in molecules of the oxidizing gas or the nitriding gas; and exposing the substrate to a catalyst. The catalyst has acid dissociation constant pKa in a range from 5 to 7, but a pyridine is not used as the catalyst.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an insulation layer includes forming an insulation layer over a nitride layer using a silicon source and a phosphorus source, wherein the insulation layer includes a first insulation layer contacting the nitride layer and a second insulation layer formed on the first insulation layer, wherein the first insulation layer is formed using a higher flow rate of the silicon source and a lower flow rate of the phosphorus source than used with the second insulation layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an insulating film according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a method of forming an insulating film for use in a semiconductor device, performs thermal oxidation of a tantalum nitride film at a temperature range of 200 to 400 degrees centigrade by a wet oxidation process, whereby a tantalum oxide film is formed as the insulating film.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor device having dielectric material and its method of manufacture. A method comprises a short (?2 sec) flash activation of an ILD surface followed by flowing a precursor such as silane, DEMS, over the activated ILD surface. The precursor reacts with the activated ILD surface thereby selectively protecting the ILD surface. The protected ILD surface is resistant to plasma processing damage. The protected ILD surface eliminates the requirement of using a hard mask to protect a dielectric from plasma damage.

Abstract: In a method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device, forming a spacer for double patterning of a cell region is performed separate from forming a mask pattern that defines a dummy pattern for a pad of a peripheral circuit region.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for depositing a metal containing film on a substrate are disclosed. A reactor and at least one substrate disposed in the reactor are provided. A metal containing precursor is provided and introduced into the reactor, which is maintained at a temperature of at least 100° C. A metal is deposited on to the substrate through a deposition process to form a thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: In a substrate nitriding method for nitriding a target substrate by allowing a nitrogen-containing plasma to act on silicon on a surface of the substrate in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the nitridation by the nitrogen-containing plasma is performed by controlling a sheath voltage Vdc around the substrate to be less than or equal to about 3.5 eV. The sheath voltage Vdc is a potential difference Vp?Vf between a plasma potential Vp in a plasma generating region and a floating potential Vf of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices having gapped dual stressors with dielectric gap fillers. Specifically, each CMOS device of the present invention includes at least one n-channel field effect transistor (n-FET) and at least one p-channel field effect transistor (p-FET). A tensilely stressed dielectric layer overlays the n-FET, and a compressively stressed dielectric layer overlays the p-FET. A gap is located between the tensilely and compressively stressed dielectric layers and is filled with a dielectric filler material. In one specific embodiment of the present invention, both the tensilely and compressively stressed dielectric layers are covered by a layer of the dielectric filler material, which is essentially free of stress. In an alternatively embodiment of the present invention, the dielectric filler material is only present in the gap between the tensilely and compressively stressed dielectric layers.

Abstract: A nitride-based light-emitting device capable of suppressing reduction of the light output characteristic as well as reduction of the manufacturing yield is provided. This nitride-based light-emitting device comprises a conductive substrate at least containing a single type of metal and a single type of inorganic material having a lower linear expansion coefficient than the metal and a nitride-based semiconductor element layer bonded to the conductive substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. A first gate oxide layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate in which a core region and an input/output region are defined. The first gate oxide layer of the core region is selectively removed, and a second gate oxide layer is formed under the first gate oxide layer of the input/output region and on the semiconductor substrate of the core region. Nitrogen annealing is performed to form a nitrogen-rich oxide layer under the second gate oxide layer. An additional thermal process is performed to diffuse nitrogen segregated on an interface between the first gate oxide layer and the second gate oxide layer of the input/output region to a surface of the semiconductor substrate. Impurities generated during the additional thermal process are discharged to the outside.

Abstract: A process is described that forms a low resistivity connection between a tungsten layer and a silicon surface with high adherence of the tungsten to the silicon. The silicon surface is plasma-cleaned to remove native oxide. A very thin layer (one or more monolayers) of Si-NH2 is formed on the silicon surface, serving as an adhesion layer. A WNx layer is formed over the Si-NH2 layer, using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, to serve as a barrier layer. A thick tungsten layer is formed over the WNx layer by CVD. An additional metal layer (e.g., aluminum) may be formed over the tungsten layer.