In the first part of this review, the characteristics of Au–H bonds in gold hydrides are reviewed including the data of recently prepared stable organometallic complexes with gold(I) and gold(III) centers. In the second part, the reports are summarized where authors have tried to provide evidence for hydrogen bonds to gold of the type Au⋯H–X. Such interactions have been proposed for gold atoms in the Au(−I), Au(0), Au(I), and Au(III) oxidation states as hydrogen bonding acceptors and H–X units with X = O, N, C as donors, based on both experimental and quantum chemistry studies. To complement these findings, the literature was screened for examples with similar molecular geometries, for which such bonding has not yet been considered. In the discussion of the results, the recently issued IUPAC definitions of hydrogen bonding and the currently accepted description of agostic interactions have been used as guidelines to rank the Au⋯H–X interactions in this broad range of weak chemical bonding. From the available data it appears that all the intra- and intermolecular Au⋯H–X contacts are associated with very low binding energies and non-specific directionality. To date, the energetics have not been estimated, because there are no thermochemical and very limited IR/Raman and temperature-dependent NMR data that can be used as reliable references. Where conspicuous structural or spectroscopic effects have been observed, explanations other than hydrogen bonding Au⋯H–X can also be advanced in most cases. Although numerous examples of short Au⋯H–X contacts exist in the literature, it seems, at this stage, that these probably make only very minor contributions to the energy of a given system and have only a marginal influence on molecular conformations which so far have most often attracted researchers to this topic. Further, more dedicated investigations will be necessary before well founded conclusions can be drawn.

The gold–hydrogen bond, Au–H, and the hydrogen bond to gold, Au⋯H–X

The invention relates to a method of providing a structure by depositing a layer on a substrate in a reactor. The method comprising:
 introducing a silicon halide precursor in the reactor; introducing a reactant gas comprising oxygen in the reactor; and, providing an energy source to create a plasma from the reactant gas so that the oxygen reacts with the first precursor in a layer comprising silicon dioxide.

Method of forming a structure on a substrate

Multi-zone reactors, systems including a multi-zone reactor, and methods of using the systems and reactors are disclosed. Exemplary multi-zone reactors include a movable susceptor assembly and a moveable plate. The movable susceptor assembly and movable plate can move vertically between reaction zones of a reactor to expose a substrate to multiple processes or reactants.

Multi-zone reactor, system including the reactor, and method of using the same

A vertical adjustment assembly is disclosed in order to provide for matching vertical positions of two substrates within separate chambers or cavities of a reaction system for processing of semiconductor substrates. The vertical adjustment assembly, in cooperation with a main lift driver, can provide for a more accurate positioning of the substrates to account for a tolerance stack-up error.

Variable adjustment for precise matching of multiple chamber cavity housings

Methods of forming thin-film structures including metal carbide material, and structures and devices including the metal carbide material are disclosed. Exemplary structures include metal carbide material formed using two or more different processes (e.g., two or more different precursors), which enables tuning of various metal carbide material properties, including resistivity, current leakage, and work function.

Structures including metal carbide material, devices including the structures, and methods of forming same

A method for etching a target layer on a substrate by a dry etching process includes at least one etching cycle, wherein an etching cycle includes: depositing a halogen-containing film using reactive species on the target layer on the substrate; and etching the halogen-containing film using a plasma of a non-halogen etching gas, which plasma alone does not substantially etch the target layer, to generate etchant species at a boundary region of the halogen-containing film and the target layer, thereby etching a portion of the target layer in the boundary region.

Method of cyclic dry etching using etchant film

A method of reforming an insulating film deposited on a substrate having a recess pattern constituted by a bottom and sidewalls, includes: providing the film deposited on the substrate having the recess pattern in an evacuatable reaction chamber, wherein a property of a portion of the film deposited on the sidewalls is inferior to that of a portion of the film deposited on a top surface of the substrate; adjusting a pressure of an atmosphere of the reaction chamber to 10 Pa or less, which atmosphere is constituted by H 2 and/or He without a precursor and without a reactant; and applying RF power to the atmosphere of the pressure-adjusted reaction chamber to generate a plasma to which the film is exposed, thereby reforming the portion of the film deposited on the sidewalls to improve the property of the sidewall portion of the film.

Method of reforming insulating film deposited on substrate with recess pattern

The crystal structure of the single-component molecular metal [Au(tmdt)2] was examined at pressures up to 10.7 GPa in order to examine whether the high-pressure structure reflects the crystal’s metallic nature. Crystal structure analyses were performed at 0.2, 0.8, 1.3, 3.0, 5.5, and 10.7 GPa on the basis of the powder X-ray diffraction data obtained by using the synchrotron radiation source SPring-8. The unit cell volume at 10.7 GPa was ∼75% of the initial volume, indicating that [Au(tmdt)2] is a ‘soft material’ like a typical molecular crystal in spite of its metallic nature. The pressure dependences of the bond lengths of the Au(tmdt)2 molecule were found to be ∼1 order of magnitude smaller than those of the intermolecular atomic distances. These results seem to justify the commonly accepted conjecture that the molecule usually behaves almost like a rigid body up to a fairly high pressure. It was found that the anisotropy of the lattice compression of the insulating I2 crystal below 20 GPa can be essen...

High-pressure (up to 10.7 GPa) crystal structure of single-component molecular metal [Au(tmdt)2].

This work demonstrated a process for the atomic-scale etching of SiO2 films, consisting of alternating nanometer-thick fluorocarbon film deposition with O2 plasma irradiation in a capacitively coupled plasma reactor. Ar plasma etching after fluorocarbon film deposition tends to suffer from nanometer- or subnanometer-thick carbon films deposited on the SiO2 surface and chamber walls. These carbon films cause various problems, such as reductions in the etching rate per cycle and degradation of the SiO2 quality. In contrast, in our two-step process, O2 plasma removes carbon atoms in such fluorocarbon films. This process therefore allows the atomic scale etching of SiO2 films without any residue or surface contamination. Additionally, since the etching rate per cycle plateaus as both the etching time and deposition time are extended, it is unnecessary to uniformly deposit a fluorocarbon film over the wafer.

Akiko Kobayashi

Papers

Method of cyclic dry etching using etchant film

Method of reforming insulating film deposited on substrate with recess pattern

High-pressure (up to 10.7 GPa) crystal structure of single-component molecular metal [Au(tmdt)2].

Atomic layer etching of SiO2 by alternating an O2 plasma with fluorocarbon film deposition