Methods of uniformly removing silicon oxide, a method of removing a sacrifical oxide, and an intermediate semiconductor device structure

A method of uniformly removing silicon oxide, comprising:

• providing an intermediate semiconductor device structure comprising a semiconductor substrate and silicon oxide, the silicon oxide comprising at least two portions, wherein a first portion of the silicon oxide has a first property and a second portion of the silicon oxide has a second property and wherein a presence of the at least two portions of the silicon oxide affects substantially uniform removal of the silicon oxide;
• and
• substantially uniformly removing the at least two portions of the silicon oxide.

A method of removing a sacrificial oxide layer, comprising:

• providing an intermediate semiconductor device structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, an exposed sacrificial layer, and exposed isolation regions;
• and
• substantially removing the exposed sacrificial layer without substantially removing the exposed isolation regions.

An intermediate semiconductor device structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a sacrificial layer overlying the semiconductor substrate, a diffusion barrier overlying the sacrificial layer, and exposed isolation regions, the sacrificial layer in contact with the exposed isolation regions.

A method of uniformly removing silicon oxide, comprising:

• processing an intermediate semiconductor device structure resulting in at least one cavity in a silicon oxide material, wherein a presence of the at least one cavity affects substantially uniform removal of the silicon oxide material;
• and
• substantially uniformly removing at least a portion of the silicon oxide material having the at least one cavity therein.

A method of uniformly removing silicon oxide, comprising:

• processing an intermediate semiconductor device structure comprising a silicon oxide material, the silicon oxide material comprising at least one portion of a first oxide and at least one portion of a second oxide, wherein a presence of the at least one portion of the first oxide and the at least one portion of the second oxide affects substantially uniform removal of the silicon oxide material;
• and
• substantially uniformly removing the at least one portion of the first oxide and the at least one portion of the second oxide.

A method of removing a sacrificial oxide layer, comprising:

• processing an intermediate semiconductor device structure resulting in a semiconductor substrate, an exposed sacrificial layer, and exposed isolation regions;
• and
• substantially removing the exposed sacrificial layer without substantially removing the exposed isolation regions.