Method to alter silicide properties using GCIB treatment

A method for cleaning material on a substrate, comprising:

• providing a substrate having a dielectric layer over a silicide region;
• forming an opening in said dielectric layer by exposing said dielectric layer to an etching process;
• irradiating an exposed surface within said opening with a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) to clean said exposed surface;
• and
• exposing said substrate to another GCIB prior to forming said opening to enhance formation of said silicide region.

A method for forming a silicide contact surface on a substrate, comprising:

• reacting a metal-containing layer with an underlying portion of a silicon-containing substrate to form a silicide region;
• forming a dielectric layer over the silicide region;
• performing a contact etch process to open a contact via through the dielectric layer to a contact surface of the silicide region;
• irradiating said contact surface with a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) to clean said contact surface, etch said contact surface, dope said contact surface, modify said contact surface, deposit material on said contact surface, or grow material on said contact surface, or any combination thereof;
• and
• exposing said silicon-containing substrate to another GCIB after said reacting and prior to forming said dielectric layer to modify said silicide region.