Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100248497 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING NITROGEN-CONTAINING LAYERS - Methods and apparatus for forming nitrogen-containing layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes 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 comprising nitrogen 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. In some embodiments, the process gas includes ammonia (NH | 09-30-2010 |
20110217834 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SINGLE STEP SELECTIVE NITRIDATION - Methods and apparatus for selective one-step nitridation of semiconductor substrates is provided. Nitrogen is selectively incorporated in silicon regions of a semiconductor substrate having silicon regions and silicon oxide regions by use of a selective nitridation process. Nitrogen containing radicals may be directed toward the substrate by forming a nitrogen containing plasma and filtering or removing ions from the plasma, or a thermal nitridation process using selective precursors may be performed. A remote plasma generator may be coupled to a processing chamber, optionally including one or more ion filters, showerheads, and radical distributors, or an in situ plasma may be generated and one or more ion filters or shields disposed in the chamber between the plasma generation zone and the substrate support. | 09-08-2011 |
20110281442 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING NITROGEN-CONTAINING LAYERS - 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 (NH | 11-17-2011 |
20120202357 | In Situ Vapor Phase Surface Activation Of SiO2 - Methods for preparing a substrate for a subsequent film formation process are described. Methods for preparing a substrate for a subsequent film formation process, without immersion in an aqueous solution, are also described. A process is described that includes disposing a substrate into a process chamber, the substrate having a thermal oxide surface with substantially no reactive surface terminations. The thermal oxide surface is exposed to a partial pressure of water above the saturated vapor pressure at a temperature of the substrate to convert the dense thermal oxide with substantially no reactive surface terminations to a surface with hydroxyl surface terminations. This can occur in the presence of a Lewis base such as ammonia. | 08-09-2012 |
20130012032 | NH3 CONTAINING PLASMA NITRIDATION OF A LAYER ON A SUBSTRATE - 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 (NH | 01-10-2013 |
20140273530 | Post-Deposition Treatment Methods For Silicon Nitride - Provided are methods post deposition treatment of films comprising SiN. Certain methods pertain to providing a film comprising SiN; and exposing the film to an inductively coupled plasma, capacitively coupled plasma or a microwave plasma to provide a treated film with a modulated film stress and/or wet etch rate in dilute HF. Certain other methods comprise depositing a PEALD SiN film followed by exposure to a plasma nitridation process or a UV treatment to provide a treated film. | 09-18-2014 |
20140302686 | Apparatus and Method for Conformal Treatment of Dielectric Films Using Inductively Coupled Plasma - Disclosed are apparatus and methods for processing a substrate. The substrate having a feature with a layer thereon is exposed to an inductively coupled plasma which forms a substantially conformal layer. | 10-09-2014 |
20140342543 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SINGLE STEP SELECTIVE NITRIDATION - Methods and apparatus for selective one-step nitridation of semiconductor substrates is provided. Nitrogen is selectively incorporated in silicon regions of a semiconductor substrate having silicon regions and silicon oxide regions by use of a selective nitridation process. Nitrogen containing radicals may be directed toward the substrate by forming a nitrogen containing plasma and filtering or removing ions from the plasma, or a thermal nitridation process using selective precursors may be performed. A remote plasma generator may be coupled to a processing chamber, optionally including one or more ion filters, showerheads, and radical distributors, or an in situ plasma may be generated and one or more ion filters or shields disposed in the chamber between the plasma generation zone and the substrate support. | 11-20-2014 |