1094 results about "Noble gas" patented technology

A method for etching features in a dielectric layer through a photoresist (PR) mask is provided. The PR mask is patterned using laser light having a wavelength not more than 193 nm. The PR mask is pre-treated with a noble gas plasma, and then a plurality of cycles of a plasma process is provided. Each cycle includes a deposition phase that deposits a deposition layer over the PR mask, the deposition layer covering a top and sidewalls of mask features of the PR mask, and a shaping phase that shapes the deposition layer deposited over the PR mask.

A method of forming a dielectric film having Si—C bonds on a semiconductor substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD), includes: (i) adsorbing a precursor on a surface of a substrate; (ii) reacting the adsorbed precursor and a reactant gas on the surface; and (iii) repeating steps (i) and (ii) to form a dielectric film having at least Si—C bonds on the substrate. The precursor has a Si—C—Si bond in its molecule, and the reactant gas is oxygen-free and halogen-free and is constituted by at least a rare gas.

A method of forming a film on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and a rare gas into a reaction space inside which the semiconductor substrate is placed; introducing a precursor in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration into the reaction space wherein the reactive gas and the rare gas are introduced; exiting a plasma in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration immediately after the precursor is shut off; and maintaining the reactive gas and the rare gas as a purge of less than 2.0-second duration.

A method of forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and a rare gas into a reaction space inside which a semiconductor substrate is placed; applying RF power to the reaction space; and introducing a hydrogen-containing silicon precursor as a first precursor and a hydrocarbon gas as a second precursor in pulses into the reaction space wherein a plasma is excited, thereby forming a conformal dielectric film doped with carbon and having Si—N bonds on the substrate.

A method of forming a dielectric film having Si—C bonds and / or Si—N bonds on a semiconductor substrate by cyclic deposition, includes: (i) conducting one or more cycles of cyclic deposition in a reaction space wherein a semiconductor substrate is placed, using a Si-containing precursor and a reactant gas; and (ii) before or after step (i), applying a pulse of RF power to the reaction space while supplying a rare gas and a treatment gas without supplying a Si-containing precursor, whereby a dielectric film having Si—C bonds and / or Si—N bonds is formed on the semiconductor substrate.

A method for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate includes the steps of positioning a substrate in a chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a heavy noble gas into the processing chamber, and generating a plasma in the processing chamber. The heavy noble gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, krypton, xenon, and combinations thereof and the molar flow rate of the noble gas is greater than the molar flow rate of the hydrocarbon source. A post-deposition termination step may be included, wherein the flow of the hydrocarbon source and the noble gas is stopped and a plasma is maintained in the chamber for a period of time to remove particles therefrom.

A method of forming a film on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and a rare gas into a reaction space inside which the semiconductor substrate is placed; introducing a precursor in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration into the reaction space wherein the reactive gas and the rare gas are introduced; exiting a plasma in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration immediately after the precursor is shut off; and maintaining the reactive gas and the rare gas as a purge of less than 2.0-second duration.

A method for protecting a layer includes: providing a substrate having a target layer and forming a protective layer on the target layer, said protective layer contacting and covering the target layer and containing a hydrocarbon-based layer constituting at least an upper part of the protective layer, which hydrocarbon-based layer is formed by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) using an alkylaminosilane precursor and a noble gas without a reactant.

A method for protecting a layer includes: providing a substrate having a target layer; depositing a protective layer on the target layer, which protective layer contacts and covers the target layer and is constituted by a hydrocarbon-based layer; and depositing an oxide layer on the protective layer so that the protective layer in contact with the oxide layer is oxidized. The hydrocarbon-based layer is formed by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) using an alkylaminosilane precursor and a noble gas without a reactant.

Disclosed is a process for exfoliating a layered material to produce nano-scaled platelets having a thickness smaller than 100 nm, typically smaller than 10 nm, and often between 0.34 nm and 1.02 nm. The process comprises: (a) subjecting a layered material to a gaseous environment at a first temperature and first pressure sufficient to cause gas species to penetrate between layers of the layered material, forming a gas-intercalated layered material; and (b) subjecting the gas-intercalated layered material to a second pressure, or a second pressure and a second temperature, allowing gas species to partially or completely escape from the layered material and thereby exfoliating the layered material to produce partially delaminated or totally separated platelets. The gaseous environment preferably contains only environmentally benign gases that are reactive (e.g., oxygen) or non-reactive (e.g., noble gases) with the layered material. The process can also include dispersing the platelets in a matrix material to form a nanocomposite.

A plasma processing method, which enables the etching controllability for a high-dielectric-constant insulating film to be improved. A substrate having a high-dielectric-constant gate insulating film and a hard mask formed thereon is subjected to etching processing using a plasma of a processing gas containing a noble gas and a reducing gas.

An electrosurgical device to generate a plasma stream and method to perform endoscopic or laparoscopic surgery within a patient's body comprising an electrosurgical generator coupled to a electrical power source to supply power to the electrosurgical device and a plasma generator including an electrode operatively coupled to the electrosurgical generator to receive electrical energy therefrom and concentrically disposed within an inner noble gas conduit to form a plasma channel coupled to a noble gas source to feed noble gas to the inner noble gas conduit and an outer electronegative gas conduit disposed in surrounding coaxial relation relative to the inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an electronegative gas channel therebetween coupled to a gas source to feed electronegative gas to the electronegative gas channel or an outer aspiration conduit disposed in surrounding coaxial relation relative to the inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an aspiration channel therebetween coupled to a negative pressure source such that the electrode heats the noble gas to at least partially ionize the noble gas to generate the plasma stream to be directed to the surgical site to perform the surgical procedure while the electronegative gas sustains the plasma stream at the surgical site and dilutes the noble gas adjacent the surgical site or the negative pressure source removes fluid and solid debris from the surgical site respectively.

A method for performing dry etching on a metal film containing Pt via a mask layer includes performing dry etching on the metal film by generating a plasma of an etching gas including a gaseous mixture of H2 gas, CO2 gas, methane gas and rare gas. With the dry etching method, it is possible to make a vertical sidewall of a hole or trench more vertical without using a halogen gas.

A power generator provides power with minimal CO2, NOx, CO, CH4, and particulate emissions and substantially greater efficiency as compared to traditional power generation techniques. Specifically nitrogen is removed from the combustion cycle, either being replaced by a noble gas as a working gas in a combustion engine. The noble gas is supplemented with oxygen and fuel, to provide a combustion environment substantially free of nitrogen or alternatively working in 100% oxygen-fuel combustion environments. Upon combustion, Very little to no nitrogen is present, and thus there is little production of NOx compounds. Additionally, the exhaust constituents are used in the production of power through work exerted upon expansion of the exhaust products, and the exhaust products are separated into their constituents of noble gas, water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide may be used in conjunction with a biomass to accelerate the biomass growth and to recover the oxygen enriched air resulting from algae photosynthesis for enhancing the operation of the power generator using the as Biomass for processing into methanol / ethanol and biological oils as fuel for the power generator. The biomass fuel is seen as a solar fuel and may be used in conjunctions with other solar fuels like heated thermal oil and others, as well as clean fossil fuels to optimize to clean, and efficient operation of the power generator in various regulatory contexts.

A plasma cleaning method is performed in a plasma CVD apparatus for depositing a silicon nitride film on a surface of a target substrate, and includes a stage (S1) of supplying a cleaning gas containing NF3 gas into a process container, thereby removing extraneous deposits formed on portions inside the process container; a stage (S2) of supplying a gas containing hydrogen gas into the process container and generating plasma thereof, thereby removing residual fluorine inside the process container; and a stage (S3) of supplying a gas containing a rare gas into the process container and generating plasma thereof, thereby removing residual hydrogen inside the process container.

A power generator provides power with minimal CO2, NOx, CO, CH4, and particulate emissions and substantially greater efficiency as compared to traditional power generation techniques. Specifically nitrogen is removed from the combustion cycle, either being replaced by a noble gas as a working gas in a combustion engine. The noble gas is supplemented with oxygen and fuel, to provide a combustion environment substantially free of nitrogen or alternatively working in 100% oxygen-fuel combustion environments. Upon combustion, Very little to no nitrogen is present, and thus there is little production of NOx compounds. Additionally, the exhaust constituents are used in the production of power through work exerted upon expansion of the exhaust products, and the exhaust products are separated into their constituents of noble gas, water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide may be used in conjunction with a biomass to accelerate the biomass growth and to recover the oxygen enriched air resulting from algae photosynthesis for enhancing the operation of the power generator using the as Biomass for processing into methanol / ethanol and biological oils as fuel for the power generator. The biomass fuel is seen as a solar fuel and may be used in conjunctions with other solar fuels like heated thermal oil and others, as well as clean fossil fuels to optimize to clean, and efficient operation of the power generator in various regulatory contexts.