1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a gate structure on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween;
forming a first insulating film to cover top and side surfaces of the gate structure and the major surface of the semiconductor substrate;
reforming portions of the first insulating film which cover the top surface of the gate structure and the major surface of the semiconductor substrate by an anisotropic plasma process using a gas not containing fluorine; and
removing the reformed portions of the first insulating film.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes oxidizing, nitriding, or damaging the portions of the first insulating film.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein removing the reformed portions of the first insulating film is carried out by a wet process.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film is formed of silicon nitride, and reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes introducing oxygen into the portions of the first insulating film.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film is formed of silicon oxide, and reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes introducing nitrogen into the portions of the first insulating film.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes introducing rare gas into the portions of the first insulating film.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film is formed of silicon nitride, and reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes introducing hydrogen into the portions of the first insulating film.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein reforming the portions of the first insulating film includes controlling a plasma power in the anisotropic plasma process to form a reformed layer having a desired depth.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming an epitaxial semiconductor film on the major surface of the semiconductor substrate which has become exposed by removing the reformed portions of the first insulating film.
10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a conducting portion containing metal on or above a semiconductor substrate;
forming a first insulating film on the conducting portion;
forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film;
removing a portion of the second insulating film to expose a portion of the first insulating film;
reforming the exposed portion of the first insulating film by an anisotropic plasma process using a gas not containing fluorine; and
removing the reformed portion of the first insulating film.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein reforming the exposed portion of the first insulating film includes oxidizing, nitriding, or damaging the exposed portion of the first insulating film.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein removing the reformed portion of the first insulating film is carried out by a wet process.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first insulating film is formed of silicon nitride, and reforming the exposed portion of the first insulating film includes introducing oxygen into the exposed portion of the first insulating film.
14. The method-according to claim 10, wherein the first insulating film is formed of silicon nitride, and reforming the exposed portion of the first insulating film includes introducing hydrogen into the exposed portion of the first insulating film.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein reforming the exposed portion of the first insulating film includes controlling a plasma power in the anisotropic plasma process to form a reformed layer having a desired depth.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first insulating film functions as an etching stopper in removing the portion of the second insulating film.
17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a first insulating film on or above a semiconductor substrate;
reforming the first insulating film by an anisotropic plasma process using a gas not containing fluorine; and
removing the reformed first insulating film,
wherein reforming the first insulating film and removing the reformed first insulating film are repeated at least two times.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein reforming the first insulating film includes oxidizing, nitriding, or damaging the first insulating film.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein removing the reformed first insulating film is carried out by a wet process.
20. The method according to claim 17, wherein reforming the first insulating film includes controlling a plasma power in the anisotropic plasma process to form a reformed layer having a desired depth.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A hydrodynamic coupling device, in particular torque converter or fluid clutch, comprising:
a housing arrangement (12),
a turbine wheel (14) provided in the housing arrangement (12),
a lockup clutch arrangement (16) enabling the optional production of a torque transmission connection between the turbine wheel (14) and the housing arrangement (12),
the lockup clutch arrangement (16) comprising:
at least one essentially annular friction element (62, 64) which is connected to the turbine wheel (14) for rotation together about an axis of rotation (A) and has a friction surface region (R),
a contact element (56) which is connected to the housing arrangement (12) for rotation together about the axis of rotation (A) and can be used to act upon the friction surface region (R) of the at least one friction element (62, 64) to produce the torque transmission connection between the turbine wheel (14) and housing arrangement (12),
characterized in that the contact element (56) is connected radially outside the friction surface region (R) to the housing arrangement (12) in the manner such that they essentially rotate together.
2. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the contact element (56) is connected to the housing arrangement (12) via an elastic device (60), in particular a tangential leaf spring arrangement.
3. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact element (56) can be displaced axially on the turbine wheel (14) and is mounted (58) rotatably relative to the turbine wheel (14).
4. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one friction element (62, 64) is connected to the turbine wheel (14) radially within the friction surface region (R) in a manner such that they essentially rotate together.
5. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one friction element (62, 64) comprises a friction element carrier section (74, 76) which extends radially inward from the friction surface region (R).
6. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one friction element (62, 64) is connected to the turbine wheel (14) via a radial toothing (74, 76, 80).
7. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the toothing (74, 76, 80) is provided between the at least one friction element (62, 64) and a circumferential surface of a hub (40) of the turbine wheel (14).
8. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a plurality of friction elements (62, 64) is provided, an intermediate friction element (82), which is connected to the contact element (56) in a manner such that they essentially rotate together, being arranged in each case between friction surface regions (R) of two mutually adjacent friction elements (62, 64).
9. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the intermediate friction element (82) extends in a manner such that it engages in carry-along cutouts (84) of the contact element (56).
10. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that an interior space (24) of the housing arrangement (12) is divided by the contact element (56) into a first spatial region (86) in which the turbine wheel (14) is arranged, and into a second spatial region (88), and in that, in order to replace working fluid provided in the interior space (24), working fluid can be introduced into the first spatial region (86) and working fluid can be removed from the second spatial region (88), or vice versa.
11. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that at least one fluid passage opening (94) is provided in the contact element (56) radially within the friction surface region (R) to permit an exchange of fluid between the first spatial region (86) and the second spatial region (88).
12. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a flow duct arrangement preferably designed with a curved shaping is provided in the friction surface region (R) of the at least one friction element (62, 64).
13. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the housing arrangement (12) has a shaping matched to the contour of the lockup clutch arrangement (16) with an axial bulge (96) in the region of the lockup clutch arrangement (16).
14. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by a first coupling element (98) which is of essentially annular design, is joined in its radially inner region to an outer side of the housing arrangement (12), preferably by laser welding, and is designed in its radially outer region for coupling to a second coupling element (100) which is connected fixedly or can be connected fixedly to a drive shaft.
15. The hydrodynamic coupling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a ratio of a flow outside diameter (a) in the region of the turbine wheel (14) to a friction outside diameter (b) of the at least one friction element (62, 64) is in the range of from 1.30 to 1.80, preferably 1.35 to 1.70, andor in that a ratio of a friction outside diameter (b) of the at least one friction element (62, 64) to a friction inside diameter (c) of the at least one friction element (62, 64) is in the range of from 1.10 to 1.30, preferably 1.15 to 1.25.