Semiconductor processing methods

A semiconductor processing method comprising:

• forming a metal silicide layer over a substrate;
• depositing a layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen over the metal silicide layer,
• while the layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen is over the metal silicide layer annealing the metal silicide layer;
• and
• wherein the layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen comprises SixNyOz:H, wherein x is from 0.39 to 0.65, y is from 0.02 to 0.56, and z is from 0.05 to 0.33.

A semiconductor processing method comprising:

• forming a metal silicide layer over a substrate;
• depositing a layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen over the metal silicide layer;
• forming a layer of silicon nitride over the layer of silicon, nitrogen and oxygen;
• and
• wherein the layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen comprises SixNyOz:H, wherein x is from 0.39 to 0.65, y is from 0.02 to 0.56, and z is from 0.05 to 0.33.

A semiconductor processing method comprising:

• forming a metal silicide layer over a substrate;
• chemical vapor depositing an antireflective material layer in physical contact with the metal silicide, the deposited antireflective material layer comprising silicon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen;
• forming a layer of photoresist over the antireflective material layer;
• and
• photolithographically patterning the layer of photoresist.

A gate stack forming method, comprising:

• forming a polysilicon layer over a substrate;
• forming a metal silicide layer over the polysilicon layer;
• depositing an antireflective material layer over the metal silicide layer, the deposited antireflective material layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and oxygen;
• forming a silicon nitride layer over the antireflective material layer;
• forming a layer of photoresist over the silicon nitride layer;
• photolithographically patterning the layer of photoresist to form a patterned masking layer from the layer of photoresist;
• and
• transferring a pattern from the patterned masking layer to the silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer to pattern the silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer into a gate stack.

A gate stack forming method, comprising:

• forming a polysilicon layer over a substrate;
• forming a metal silicide layer over the polysilicon layer;
• depositing an antireflective material layer over the metal silicide layer;
• forming a silicon nitride layer over the antireflective material layer;
• forming a layer of photoresist over the silicon nitride layer;
• photolithographically patterning the layer of photoresist to form a patterned masking layer from the layer of photoresist;
• transferring a pattern from the patterned masking layer to the silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer to pattern the silicon nitride layer, antireflective material layer, metal silicide layer and polysilicon layer into a gate stack;
• and
• wherein the deposited antireflective material layer comprises silicon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen.