公开(公告)号：US11676813B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-13

申请号：US17025009

申请日：2020-09-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aykut Aydin ,  Rui Cheng ,  Yi Yang ,  Krishna Nittala ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Bo Qi ,  Abhijit Basu Mallick

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/30 ,  C23C16/24

CPC classification number: H01L21/0257 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/30 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/56 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01J2237/332

Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include delivering a silicon-containing precursor and a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include delivering a dopant-containing precursor with the silicon-containing precursor and the boron-containing precursor. The dopant-containing precursor may include one or more of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. The methods may include forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-boron material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The silicon-and-boron material may include greater than or about 1 at. % of a dopant from the dopant-containing precursor.

公开(公告)号：US11664226B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-30

申请号：US17035265

申请日：2020-09-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jui-Yuan Hsu ,  Pramit Manna ,  Karthik Janakiraman

IPC: H01L21/033 ,  C23C16/27 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/50

CPC classification number: H01L21/0337 ,  C23C16/276 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/56 ,  H01L21/0332

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the embodiments described herein provide methods for producing reduced-stress diamond-like carbon films for patterning applications. In one or more embodiments, a method includes flowing a deposition gas containing a hydrocarbon compound into a processing volume of a process chamber having a substrate positioned on an electrostatic chuck and generating a plasma above the substrate in the processing volume by applying a first RF bias to the electrostatic chuck to deposit a stressed diamond-like carbon film on the substrate. The stressed diamond-like carbon film has a compressive stress of −500 MPa or greater. The method further includes heating the stressed diamond-like carbon film to produce a reduced-stress diamond-like carbon film during a thermal annealing process. The reduced-stress diamond-like carbon film has a compressive stress of less than −500 MPa.

公开(公告)号：US11618949B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-04

申请号：US17087346

申请日：2020-11-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yi Yang ,  Krishna Nittala ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Aykut Aydin ,  Diwakar Kedlaya

IPC: C23C16/38 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/30

Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include delivering a silicon-containing precursor and a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor with the silicon-containing precursor and the boron-containing precursor. A flow rate ratio of the hydrogen-containing precursor to either of the silicon-containing precursor or the boron-containing precursor is greater than or about 2:1. The methods may include forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-boron material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US11562902B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-24

申请号：US16932793

申请日：2020-07-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Rui Cheng ,  Diwakar Kedlaya ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Gautam K. Hemani ,  Krishna Nittala ,  Alicia J. Lustgraaf ,  Zubin Huang ,  Brett Spaulding ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Kelvin Chan

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/50

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region, and the substrate may be maintained at a temperature below or about 450° C. The methods may include striking a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a layer of amorphous silicon on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon may be characterized by less than or about 3% hydrogen incorporation.

公开(公告)号：US11443919B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-13

申请号：US16785331

申请日：2020-02-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Krishna Nittala ,  Diwakar N. Kedlaya ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Yi Yang ,  Rui Cheng

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/515 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/505

Abstract: Systems and methods of using pulsed RF plasma to form amorphous and microcrystalline films are discussed herein. Methods of forming films can include (a) forming a plasma in a process chamber from a film precursor and (b) pulsing an RF power source to cause a duty cycle on time (TON) of a duty cycle of a pulse generated by the RF power source to be less than about 20% of a total cycle time (TTOT) of the duty cycle to form the film. The methods can further include (c) depositing a first film interlayer on a substrate in the process chamber; (d) subsequent to (c), purging the process chamber; and (e) subsequent to (d), introducing a hydrogen plasma to the process chamber. Further in the method, (b)-(e) are repeated to form a film. The film can have an in-film hydrogen content of less than about 10%.

公开(公告)号：US11421324B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-23

申请号：US17075812

申请日：2020-10-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jui-Yuan Hsu ,  Krishna Nittala ,  Pramit Manna ,  Karthik Janakiraman

IPC: C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/26 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to hardmasks and to processes for forming hardmasks by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In an embodiment, a process for forming a hardmask layer on a substrate is provided. The process includes introducing a substrate to a processing volume of a PECVD chamber, the substrate on a substrate support, the substrate support comprising an electrostatic chuck, and flowing a process gas into the processing volume within the PECVD chamber, the process gas comprising a carbon-containing gas. The process further includes forming, under plasma conditions, an energized process gas from the process gas in the processing volume, electrostatically chucking the substrate to the substrate support, depositing a first carbon-containing layer on the substrate while electrostatically chucking the substrate, and forming the hardmask layer by depositing a second carbon-containing layer on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20220238331A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-28

申请号：US17157307

申请日：2021-01-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aykut Aydin ,  Rui Cheng ,  Shishi Jiang ,  Karthik Janakiraman

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods for gap filling features of a substrate surface are described. Each of the features extends a distance into the substrate from the substrate surface and have a bottom and at least one sidewall. The methods include depositing a non-conformal film in the feature of the substrate surface with a plurality of high-frequency ratio-frequency (HFRF) pulses. The non-conformal film has a greater thickness on the bottom of the features than on the at least one sidewall. The deposited film is substantially etched from the sidewalls of the feature. The deposition and etch processes are repeated to fill the features.

公开(公告)号：US11170990B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-09

申请号：US16795191

申请日：2020-02-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Krishna Nittala ,  Rui Cheng ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Praket Prakash Jha ,  Jinrui Guo ,  Jingmei Liang

IPC: H01L21/02

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method including depositing an underlayer comprising silicon oxide over a substrate, depositing a polysilicon liner on the underlayer, and depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the polysilicon liner. Aspects of the disclosure provide a device intermediate including a substrate, an underlayer comprising silicon oxide formed over the substrate, a polysilicon liner disposed on the underlayer, and an amorphous silicon layer disposed on the polysilicon liner.

公开(公告)号：US10734265B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-04

申请号：US16016767

申请日：2018-06-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Karthik Janakiraman ,  Hari K. Ponnekanti ,  Juan Carlos Rocha ,  Mukund Srinivasan

IPC: H01L21/677

Abstract: A system for processing a substrate is provided including a first planar motor, a substrate carrier, a first processing chamber, and a first lift. The first planar motor includes a first arrangement of coils disposed along a first horizontal direction, a top surface parallel to the first horizontal direction, a first side, a second side. The substrate carrier has a substrate supporting surface parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first processing chamber has an opening to receive a substrate disposed on the substrate carrier. The first lift includes a second planar motor having a second arrangement of coils disposed along the first horizontal direction. A top surface top surface of the second planar motor is parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first lift is configured to move the top surface of the second planar motor between a first vertical location and a second vertical location.

公开(公告)号：US10711347B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-14

申请号：US15486548

申请日：2017-04-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Dale R. DuBois ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Kien N. Chuc

IPC: C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/458

Abstract: Processing chambers having a lid with a lower surface, a substrate support with an upper surface facing the lid and an inner baffle ring between the substrate support and the lid are described. Methods of using the processing chamber are described.