公开(公告)号：US20240014075A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18206042

申请日：2023-06-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nicolas Louis BREIL ,  Lisa MCGILL ,  Amritha RAMMOHAN ,  Shashank SHARMA

IPC: H01L21/8238 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768

CPC classification number: H01L21/823871 ,  H01L21/02063 ,  H01L21/28518 ,  H01L21/76805 ,  H01L21/76814 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L21/76889 ,  H01L21/76895

Abstract: A method of forming an electrical contact in a semiconductor structure includes performing a patterning process to form a mask on a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure comprising a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, a dielectric layer having a first opening over the first semiconductor region and a second opening over the second semiconductor region, wherein the mask covers an exposed surface of the second semiconductor region within the second opening, performing an amorphization ion implant process to amorphize an exposed surface of the first semiconductor region within the first opening, performing a removal process to remove the mask, performing a selective epitaxial deposition process, to epitaxially form a contact layer on the exposed surface of the second semiconductor region, and performing a recrystallization anneal process to recrystallize the amorphized surface of the first semiconductor region.

公开(公告)号：US20200266068A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16784460

申请日：2020-02-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xuebin LI ,  Wei LIU ,  Gaurav THAREJA ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Patricia M. LIU ,  Schubert CHU

IPC: H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20170032865A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-02

申请号：US15213844

申请日：2016-07-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Joseph M. RANISH ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Diwakar N. KEDLAYA ,  Aaron Muir HUNTER

IPC: G21K5/10

CPC classification number: G21K5/10 ,  H01L21/67115

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to thermal processing of substrates. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to flash on spike annealing processes and apparatus suitable for performing such processes. In one embodiment, a thermal processing apparatus may include a lamp radiation source, a laser source, and a reflector plate disposed between the lamp radiation source and the laser source. One or more apertures may be formed in the reflector plate and the laser source may be positioned adjacent to the reflector plate such that a laser beam emitted from the laser source propagates through the one or more apertures. In one embodiment, the reflector plate may be substantially circular and the one or more apertures may approximate a sector of the reflector plate.

Abstract translation: 本公开的实施例涉及基板的热处理。 更具体地说，本文描述的实施例涉及闪光退火工艺和适于执行这些工艺的装置。 在一个实施例中，热处理设备可以包括灯辐射源，激光源和设置在灯辐射源和激光源之间的反射板。 可以在反射板中形成一个或多个孔，并且激光源可以邻近反射板定位，使得从激光源发射的激光束传播通过一个或多个孔。 在一个实施例中，反射板可以是基本上圆形的并且一个或多个孔可以接近反射板的扇形。

公开(公告)号：US20230127138A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-27

申请号：US17892968

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Wei LIU ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Matthew SPULLER ,  Vladimir NAGORNY

IPC: C23C8/36 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C8/24

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for nitriding a substrate is provided. The method includes flowing a nitrogen-containing source and a carrier gas into a plasma processing source coupled to a chamber such that a flow rate of the nitrogen-containing source is from about 3% to 20% of a flow rate of the carrier gas; generating an inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) in the plasma processing source by operating an ICP source, the ICP comprising a radical species formed from the nitrogen-containing source, the carrier gas, or both; and nitriding the substrate within the chamber, wherein nitriding includes operating a heat source within the chamber at a temperature from about 150° C. to about 650° C. to heat the substrate; maintaining a pressure of the chamber from about 50 mTorr to about 2 Torr; introducing the ICP to the chamber; and adjusting a characteristic of the substrate by exposing the substrate to the radical species.

公开(公告)号：US20220108914A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-07

申请号：US17398899

申请日：2021-08-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xinming ZHANG ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Abhilash J. MAYUR ,  Norman L. TAM ,  Matthew SPULLER

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/108

Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to methods of forming titanium nitride films suitable for use as a bulk fill material for conductive features in a semiconductor device, such as for capacitor electrodes and/or buried word lines in a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device. In one embodiment, a method of forming conductive features in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes thermally treating a substrate surface comprising at least portions of a titanium nitride layer in the presence of hydrogen radicals. Thermally treating the substrate includes positioning the substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber, heating the substrate to a treatment temperature of more than about 250° C., generating the hydrogen radicals using a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the processing volume, and maintaining the substrate at the treatment temperature while concurrently exposing the at least portions of the titanium nitride layer to the generated hydrogen radicals. Here, the substrate includes a field surface having a plurality of openings formed therein and the at least portions of the titanium nitride layer are disposed in the plurality of openings.

公开(公告)号：US20240178004A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-30

申请号：US18437058

申请日：2024-02-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Pradeep SAMPATH KUMAR ,  Norman L. TAM ,  Dongming IU ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Eric R. RIESKE ,  Michael P. KAMP

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/321 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/321 ,  H01L21/67098 ,  H01L21/67201

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods, systems, and apparatus for conducting a radical treatment operation on a substrate prior to conducting an annealing operation on the substrate. In one implementation, a method of processing semiconductor substrates includes pre-heating a substrate, and exposing the substrate to species radicals. The exposing of the substrate to the species radicals includes a treatment temperature that is less than 300 degrees Celsius, a treatment pressure that is less than 1.0 Torr, and a treatment time that is within a range of 8.0 minutes to 12.0 minutes. The method includes annealing the substrate after the exposing of the substrate to the species radicals. The annealing includes exposing the substrate to molecules, an anneal temperature that is 300 degrees Celsius or greater, an anneal pressure that is within a range of 500 Torr to 550 Torr, and an anneal time that is less than 4.0 minutes.

公开(公告)号：US20240055265A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US17886269

申请日：2022-08-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Pradeep SAMPATH KUMAR ,  Norman L. TAM ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Zhiming JIANG ,  Jingmin LENG ,  Victor CALDERON ,  Mahesh RAMAKRISHNA

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67207 ,  H01L29/66439 ,  H01L29/66742 ,  H01L29/6653 ,  H01L29/66553 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01L29/42392

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes thermally treating a substrate having one or more silicon nanosheets formed thereon. Thermally treating the substrate includes positioning the substrate in a processing volume of a first processing chamber, the substrate having one or more silicon nanosheets formed thereon. Thermally treating the substrate further includes heating the substrate to a first temperature of more than about 250 degrees Celsius, generating hydrogen radicals using a remote plasma source fluidly coupled with the processing volume, and maintaining the substrate at the first temperature while concurrently exposing the one or more silicon nanosheets to the generated hydrogen radicals. The generated hydrogen radicals remove residual germanium from the one or more silicon nanosheets.

公开(公告)号：US20220005705A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-06

申请号：US17477808

申请日：2021-09-17

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xuebin LI ,  Wei LIU ,  Gaurav THAREJA ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Patricia M. LIU ,  Schubert CHU

IPC: H01L21/321 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L21/8234 ,  H01L21/3205 ,  H01L29/417

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20210280418A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-09

申请号：US17123386

申请日：2020-12-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xinming ZHANG ,  Abhilash J. MAYUR ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Norman L. TAM ,  Matthew SPULLER ,  Zeqiong ZHAO

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11556

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume being in fluid communication with a plasma source. The substrate can include a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method can also include forming an oxide cap layer over a silicon-containing layer of the channel structure and exposing the oxide cap layer to a hydrogen-or-deuterium radical to nucleate the silicon-containing layer of the channel structures of the substrate. Forming the oxide cap layer and exposing the channel structure with the hydrogen radical occurs in the first processing chamber to form a nucleated substrate. The method can also include positioning the nucleated substrate in a second processing chamber with a second processing volume and heating the nucleated substrate in the second processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20170365512A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-21

申请号：US15438490

申请日：2017-02-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Johanes S. SWENBERG ,  Wei LIU ,  Houda GRAOUI ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Shankar MUTHUKRISHNAN ,  Rene GEORGE

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285

CPC classification number: H01L21/76856 ,  H01L21/28556 ,  H01L21/28568 ,  H01L21/7685 ,  H01L21/76889

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a sequential hydrogenation and nitridization process for reducing interfacial and bulk O atoms in a conductive structure in a semiconductor device. A hydrogenation and plasma nitridization process is performed on a metal nitride layer in a conductive structure prior to deposition of a second metal layer, thereby reducing interfacial oxygen atoms formed on a surface of the metal nitride and oxygen atoms present in the bulk metal layers of the conductive structure. As a result, adhesion of the second metal layer to the metal nitride layer is improved and the electrical resistance of the contact structure is reduced.