公开(公告)号：US10665501B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-26

申请号：US15821097

申请日：2017-11-22

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Meliha Gozde Rainville ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy ,  Dennis M. Hausmann

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/768 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/40 ,  H01L23/532 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C22/05 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Aluminum oxide films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 (such as between about 4-6) and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 (such as about 3.0-3.2 g/cm3) are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices over both metal and dielectric to serve as etch stop layers. The films are deposited using a deposition method that does not lead to oxidative damage of the metal. The deposition involves reacting an aluminum-containing precursor (e.g., a trialkylaluminum) with an alcohol and/or aluminum alkoxide. In one implementation the method involves flowing trimethylaluminum to the process chamber housing a substrate having an exposed metal and dielectric layers; purging and/or evacuating the process chamber; flowing t-butanol to the process chamber and allowing it to react with trimethylaluminum to form an aluminum oxide film and repeating the process steps until the film of desired thickness is formed.

公开(公告)号：US10580690B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-03

申请号：US15972554

申请日：2018-05-07

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Yongsik Yu ,  Bart J. van Schravendijk ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Bhadri N. Varadarajan

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L21/56 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11575 ,  H01L27/11582

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing an encapsulation layer over a staircase structure during fabrication of a 3D NAND structure to prevent degradation of an oxide-oxide interface and to prevent punchthrough of a wordline are provided. The encapsulation layer is a carbon-containing conformal film deposited over a staircase structure of alternating oxide and nitride layers prior to depositing oxide over the staircase structure.

公开(公告)号：US10472716B1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US15982913

申请日：2018-05-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Nagraj Shankar ,  Jeffrey D. Womack ,  Meliha Gozde Rainville ,  Emile C. Draper ,  Pankaj G. Ramnani ,  Feng Bi ,  Pengyi Zhang ,  Elham Mohimi ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy

IPC: C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Showerheads for independently delivering different, mutually-reactive process gases to a wafer processing space are provided. The showerheads include a first gas distributor that has multiple plenum structures that are separated from one another by a gap, as well as a second gas distributor positioned above the first gas distributor. Isolation gas from the second gas distributor may be flowed down onto the first gas distributor and through the gaps in between the plenum structures of the first gas distributor, thereby establishing an isolation gas curtain that prevents the process gases released from each plenum structure from parasitically depositing on the plenum structures that provide other gases.

公开(公告)号：US20180144977A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-24

申请号：US15408291

申请日：2017-01-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Yongsik Yu ,  Bart J. van Schravendijk ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Bhadri N. Varadarajan

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/56 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L27/11551 ,  H01L27/11578 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532

CPC classification number: H01L21/76816 ,  H01L21/02167 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/31111 ,  H01L21/56 ,  H01L21/76877 ,  H01L23/5226 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/53257 ,  H01L23/53295 ,  H01L27/11575 ,  H01L27/11582

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing an encapsulation layer over a staircase structure during fabrication of a 3D NAND structure to prevent degradation of an oxide-oxide interface and to prevent punchthrough of a wordline are provided. The encapsulation layer is a carbon-containing conformal film deposited over a staircase structure of alternating oxide and nitride layers prior to depositing oxide over the staircase structure.

公开(公告)号：US09214334B2

公开(公告)日：2015-12-15

申请号：US14183287

申请日：2014-02-18

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Shankar Swaminathan ,  Ananda Banerji ,  Nagraj Shankar ,  Adrien LaVoie

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/28 ,  H01L21/314 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458

CPC classification number: H01L21/0254 ,  C23C16/045 ,  C23C16/303 ,  C23C16/45523 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/02178 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/28194 ,  H01L21/3141 ,  H01L21/76829 ,  H01L21/76831

Abstract: Methods of depositing conformal aluminum nitride films on semiconductor substrates are provided. Disclosed methods involve (a) exposing a substrate to an aluminum-containing precursor, (b) purging the aluminum-containing precursor for a duration insufficient to remove substantially all of the aluminum-containing precursor in gas phase, (c) exposing the substrate to a nitrogen-containing precursor to form aluminum nitride, (d) purging the nitrogen-containing precursor, and (e) repeating (a) through (d). Increased growth rate and 100% step coverage and conformality are attained.

Abstract translation: 提供了在半导体衬底上沉积保形氮化铝膜的方法。 公开的方法包括（a）将基底暴露于含铝前体，（b）清除含铝前体持续时间不足以在气相中基本上除去所有的含铝前体，（c）将基材暴露于 （d）清洗含氮前体，和（e）重复（a）至（d）的氮气前体。 实现增长速度提高，步距覆盖率达100％。

公开(公告)号：US11869770B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-09

申请号：US17389301

申请日：2021-07-29

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Nagraj Shankar ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy ,  Jon Henri ,  Pengyi Zhang ,  Elham Mohimi ,  Bhavin Jariwala ,  Arpan Pravin Mahorowala

IPC: H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/311 ,  C23C16/40 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23F1/08

CPC classification number: H01L21/0337 ,  C23C16/401 ,  C23C16/403 ,  C23C16/45536 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/0273 ,  H01L21/02115 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02178 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0332 ,  H01L21/0338 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/3086 ,  H01L21/3088 ,  H01L21/30604 ,  H01L21/31058 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  C23F1/08 ,  H01L21/67069

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for selective deposition of etch-stop layers for enhanced patterning during semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes an operation for adding a photo-resist material (M2) on top of a base material (M1) of a substrate, M2 defining a pattern for etching M1 in areas where M2 is not present above M1. The method further includes operations for conformally capping the substrate with an oxide material (M3) after adding M2, and for gap filling the substrate with filling material M4 after the conformally capping. Further, a stop-etch material (M5) is selectively grown on exposed surfaces of M3 and not on surfaces of M4 after the gap filling. Additionally, the method includes operations for removing M4 from the substrate after selectively growing M5, and for etching the substrate after removing M4 to transfer the pattern into M1. M5 adds etching protection to enable deeper etching into M1.

公开(公告)号：US20230366089A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-16

申请号：US18029641

申请日：2021-10-08

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Shriram Vasant Bapat ,  Pankaj Ghanshyam Ramnani ,  Brian Joseph Williams ,  Christopher Matthew Jones ,  Curtis W. Bailey ,  Emile Draper ,  Nagraj Shankar

IPC: C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/505

CPC classification number: C23C16/45565 ,  C23C16/505

Abstract: In some examples, a faceless showerhead comprises a body including a backing plate, the body devoid of a faceplate or plenum; a gas supply stem to admit gas into the showerhead; and a baffle supported adjacent the backing plate or the gas supply stem. The faceless showerhead may further comprise at least one support element for supporting the baffle in a baffle cavity in the backing plate or the gas supply stem.

公开(公告)号：US11427908B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-30

申请号：US16966831

申请日：2019-01-30

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Damodar Rajaram Shanbhag ,  Nagraj Shankar

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/52 ,  F16K27/00

Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus to supply precursor gases to a processing tool. In various examples, the apparatus includes a point-of-use (POU) valve manifold that includes a manifold body to couple to a processing chamber of the processing tool. The manifold body has a multiple precursor-gas outlet ports surrounded by an annulus. A purge-gas outlet port of the manifold body is directed substantially toward interior walls of the annulus. For each of multiple precursor gases, the POU-valve manifold further includes: a first valve coupled to the manifold body and a divert valve coupled to the first valve. The first valve can be coupled to a precursor-gas supply and has a separate precursor-gas flow path internal to the manifold body. The divert valve diverts the precursor gas during a period when the precursor gas is not to be directed into the processing chamber by the first valve. Other examples are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US11094542B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-17

申请号：US16744022

申请日：2020-01-15

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Nagraj Shankar ,  Kapu Sirish Reddy ,  Jon Henri ,  Pengyi Zhang ,  Elham Mohimi ,  Bhavin Jariwala ,  Arpan Pravin Mahorowala

IPC: H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/40 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/308 ,  C23F1/08

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for selective deposition of etch-stop layers for enhanced patterning during semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes an operation for adding a photo-resist material (M2) on top of a base material (M1) of a substrate, M2 defining a pattern for etching M1 in areas where M2 is not present above M1. The method further includes operations for conformally capping the substrate with an oxide material (M3) after adding M2, and for gap filling the substrate with filling material M4 after the conformally capping. Further, a stop-etch material (M5) is selectively grown on exposed surfaces of M3 and not on surfaces of M4 after the gap filling. Additionally, the method includes operations for removing M4 from the substrate after selectively growing M5, and for etching the substrate after removing M4 to transfer the pattern into M1. M5 adds etching protection to enable deeper etching into M1.

公开(公告)号：US10900124B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-26

申请号：US16006355

申请日：2018-06-12

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Damodar Rajaram Shanbhag ,  Nagraj Shankar

IPC: C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/34 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A showerhead for a substrate processing chamber includes: inner walls; an inner plenum between the inner walls; and a faceplate having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. Holes through the faceplate extend from the first surface to the second surface. A first inlet is fluidly connected to the inner plenum. A first outer plenum is between the inner walls and outer walls. A second outer plenum is between the inner walls and the outer walls. Coolant: fluidly connect the first outer plenum with the second outer plenum; are located within the faceplate between the first and second surfaces; and are fluidly isolated from the holes. The showerhead also includes a second inlet that is fluidly connected to the first outer plenum.