公开(公告)号：US20250029841A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-23

申请号：US18223156

申请日：2023-07-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jiayin Huang ,  Zihui Li ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a pre-treatment precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material and a second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material may be disposed on a substrate housed within the processing region. A native oxide may be present on the first layer and the second layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the pre-treatment precursor to remove the native oxide. The methods may include providing an oxygen-containing precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor to oxidize at least a portion of the second layer. The methods may include providing an etchant precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the etchant precursor to selectively etch the first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US20240290623A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18115269

申请日：2023-02-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Bin Yao ,  Zihui Li ,  Jiayin Huang ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Chia-Ling Kao ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32816 ,  H01J2237/182 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a pre-treatment precursor to a processing a remote plasma system of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor in the remote plasma system. The methods may include flowing plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor to a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate including alternating layers of material may be disposed within the processing region. The alternating layers of material may include a silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor. The methods may include etching the silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include providing a post-treatment precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the post-treatment precursor. The methods may include removing the portion of the silicon-and-germanium-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US20240087910A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-14

申请号：US17944540

申请日：2022-09-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Lala Zhu ,  Shi Che ,  Dongqing Yang ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/324

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02595 ,  H01L21/324

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method may include providing a fluorine-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region. The substrate may include an exposed region of silicon-and-oxygen-containing material. The substrate may include an exposed region of a liner material. The methods may include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the semiconductor processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include selectively removing at least a portion of the exposed silicon-and-oxygen-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US11732352B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-22

申请号：US17173871

申请日：2021-02-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zeqing Shen ,  Bo Qi ,  Abhijit Basu Mallick ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/52

CPC classification number: C23C16/402 ,  C23C16/52

Abstract: Hydrogen free (low-H) silicon dioxide layers are disclosed. Some embodiments provide methods for forming low-H layers using hydrogen-free silicon precursors and hydrogen-free oxygen sources. Some embodiments provide methods for tuning the stress profile of low-H silicon dioxide films. Further, some embodiments of the disclosure provide oxide-nitride stacks which exhibit reduced stack bow after anneal.

公开(公告)号：US20230157004A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-18

申请号：US18096923

申请日：2023-01-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chang Seok Kang ,  Tomohiko Kitajima ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Sung-Kwan Kang

IPC: H10B12/00 ,  H01L27/12 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L29/423 ,  H01L29/786

CPC classification number: H10B12/30 ,  H01L27/124 ,  H01L27/127 ,  H01L27/1222 ,  H01L27/1255 ,  H01L29/6675 ,  H01L29/42392 ,  H01L29/78672 ,  H10B12/03 ,  H10B12/05 ,  H10B12/482

Abstract: Memory devices incorporating bridged word lines are described. The memory devices include a plurality of active regions spaced along a first direction, a second direction and a third direction. A plurality of conductive layers is arranged so that at least one conductive layer is adjacent to at least one side of each of the active regions along the third direction. A conductive bridge extends along the second direction to connect each of the conductive layers to one or more adjacent conductive layer. Some embodiments include an integrated etch stop layer. Methods of forming stacked memory devices are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20220216058A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-07

申请号：US17142626

申请日：2021-01-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jialiang Wang ,  Susmit Singha Roy ,  Abhijit Basu Mallick ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/285 ,  H01L23/532

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include delivering a carbon-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a layer of graphene on a substrate positioned within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate may be maintained at a temperature below or about 600° C. The methods may include halting flow of the carbon-containing precursor while maintaining the plasma with the hydrogen-containing precursor.

公开(公告)号：US20210249415A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-12

申请号：US17159534

申请日：2021-01-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： CHANG SEOK KANG ,  Tomohiko Kitajima ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Sung-Kwan Kang

IPC: H01L27/108 ,  H01L27/12 ,  H01L29/423 ,  H01L29/786 ,  H01L29/66

Abstract: Memory devices incorporating bridged word lines are described. The memory devices include a plurality of active regions spaced along a first direction, a second direction and a third direction. A plurality of conductive layers is arranged so that at least one conductive layer is adjacent to at least one side of each of the active regions along the third direction. A conductive bridge extends along the second direction to connect each of the conductive layers to one or more adjacent conductive layer. Some embodiments include an integrated etch stop layer. Methods of forming stacked memory devices are also described.

公开(公告)号：US10886137B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-05

申请号：US16399391

申请日：2019-04-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Prerna Sonthalia Goradia ,  Yogita Pareek ,  Geetika Bajaj ,  Robert Jan Visser ,  Nitin K. Ingle

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selective etching of semiconductor materials may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include flowing a silicon-containing suppressant into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include contacting a substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing suppressant. The substrate may include an exposed region of silicon nitride and an exposed region of silicon oxide. The methods may also include selectively etching the exposed region of silicon nitride to the exposed region of silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：US10593523B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15139243

申请日：2016-04-26

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Soonam Park ,  Yufei Zhu ,  Edwin C. Suarez ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky ,  Jiayin Huang

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/52

Abstract: A method of conditioning internal surfaces of a plasma source includes flowing first source gases into a plasma generation cavity of the plasma source that is enclosed at least in part by the internal surfaces. Upon transmitting power into the plasma generation cavity, the first source gases ignite to form a first plasma, producing first plasma products, portions of which adhere to the internal surfaces. The method further includes flowing the first plasma products out of the plasma generation cavity toward a process chamber where a workpiece is processed by the first plasma products, flowing second source gases into the plasma generation cavity. Upon transmitting power into the plasma generation cavity, the second source gases ignite to form a second plasma, producing second plasma products that at least partially remove the portions of the first plasma products from the internal surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US10465294B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-05

申请号：US15095342

申请日：2016-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xikun Wang ,  Jie Liu ,  Anchuan Wang ,  Nitin K. Ingle ,  Jeffrey W. Anthis ,  Benjamin Schmiege

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  C23F1/02 ,  C23F1/12 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods are described herein for etching metal films which are difficult to volatize. The methods include exposing a metal film to a chlorine-containing precursor (e.g. Cl2). Chlorine is then removed from the substrate processing region. A carbon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor (e.g. TMEDA) is delivered to the substrate processing region to form volatile metal complexes which desorb from the surface of the metal film. The methods presented remove metal while very slowly removing the other exposed materials. A thin metal oxide layer may be present on the surface of the metal layer, in which case a local plasma from hydrogen may be used to remove the oxygen or amorphize the near surface region, which has been found to increase the overall etch rate.