公开(公告)号：US12211908B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-28

申请号：US18460290

申请日：2023-09-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Akhil Singhal ,  Allison Yau ,  Sang-Jin Kim ,  Zeqiong Zhao ,  Zhijun Jiang ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01L21/28 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L29/423

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor structures and processing methods may include forming a first portion of a first semiconductor layer characterized by a first etch rate for an etch treatment, forming a second portion of the first semiconductor layer characterized by a second etch rate that is less than the first etch rate for the etch treatment, and forming a third portion of the first semiconductor layer characterized by a third etch rate that is greater than the second etch rate. The processing methods may further include etching an opening through the first semiconductor layer, where the opening has a height and a width, and where the opening is characterized by a variation in the width between a midpoint of the height of the opening and an endpoint of the opening that is less than or about 5 Å.

公开(公告)号：US11929278B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-12

申请号：US17324495

申请日：2021-05-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Madhu Santosh Kumar Mutyala ,  Saketh Pemmasani ,  Akshay Dhanakshirur ,  Mayur Govind Kulkarni ,  Hang Yu ,  Deenesh Padhi

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/6833 ,  C23C16/4583 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32899 ,  H01J2237/2007 ,  H01J2237/332

Abstract: Exemplary substrate support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body that defines a substrate support surface. The substrate support surface may define a plurality of protrusions that extend upward from the substrate support surface. A density of the plurality of protrusions within an outer region of the substrate support surface may be greater than in an inner region of the substrate support surface. The substrate support assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include an electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body.

公开(公告)号：US20230094180A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-30

申请号：US18074849

申请日：2022-12-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shaunak Mukherjee ,  Kang Sub Yim ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Abhijit A. Kangude ,  Rahul Rajeev ,  Shubham Chowdhuri

IPC: H01L21/02

Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing material may include flowing a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The plasma may be formed at a frequency above 15 MHz. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant below or about 3.0.

公开(公告)号：US11600468B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-07

申请号：US16748632

申请日：2020-01-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Madhu Santosh Kumar Mutyala ,  Sanjay G. Kamath ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Arkajit Roy Barman

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H05B1/02 ,  C23C16/455

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to gas line systems with a multichannel splitter spool. In these embodiments, the gas line systems will include a first gas line that is configured to supply a first gas. The first gas line is coupled to a multichannel splitter spool with a plurality of second gas lines into which the first gas flows. Each gas line of the plurality of second gas lines will have a smaller volume than the volume of the first gas line. The smaller second gas lines will be wrapped by a heater jacket. Due to the smaller volume of the second gas lines, when the first gas is flowed through the second gas lines, the heater jacket will sufficiently heat the first gas, eliminating the condensation induced particle defects that occur in conventional gas line systems when the first gas meets with a second gas in the gas line system.

公开(公告)号：US20220384189A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-01

申请号：US17330013

申请日：2021-05-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Siyu Zhu ,  Chuanxi Yang ,  Hang Yu ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Yeonju Kwak ,  Jeong Hwan Kim ,  Qian Fu ,  Xiawan Yang

IPC: H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/34 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/04

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

公开(公告)号：US20220336216A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-20

申请号：US17235222

申请日：2021-04-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zeqiong Zhao ,  Allison Yau ,  Sang-Jin Kim ,  Akhil Singhal ,  Zhijun Jiang ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/56

Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include delivering a silicon-containing precursor and an inert gas 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 inert gas. 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-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be maintained free of helium delivery during the deposition method.

公开(公告)号：US20220068630A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-03

申请号：US17009002

申请日：2020-09-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chuanxi Yang ,  Hang Yu ,  Yu Yang ,  Chuan Ying Wang ,  Allison Yau ,  Xinhai Han ,  Sanjay G. Kamath ,  Deenesh Padhi

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/34

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and diatomic hydrogen into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor, the nitrogen-containing precursor, and the diatomic hydrogen. The plasma may be formed at a frequency above 15 MHz. The methods may also include depositing a silicon nitride material on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US11217443B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-04

申请号：US16676097

申请日：2019-11-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Vinayak Veer Vats ,  Hang Yu ,  Philip Allan Kraus ,  Sanjay G. Kamath ,  William John Durand ,  Lakmal Charidu Kalutarage ,  Abhijit B. Mallick ,  Changling Li ,  Deenesh Padhi ,  Mark Joseph Saly ,  Thai Cheng Chua ,  Mihaela A. Balseanu

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/34 ,  C23C16/56

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include methods of forming high quality silicon nitride films. In an embodiment, a method of depositing a film on a substrate may comprise forming a silicon nitride film over a surface of the substrate in a first processing volume with a deposition process, and treating the silicon nitride film in a second processing volume, wherein treating the silicon nitride film comprises exposing the film to a plasma induced by a modular high-frequency plasma source. In an embodiment, a sheath potential of the plasma is less than 100 V, and a power density of the high-frequency plasma source is approximately 5 W/cm2 or greater, approximately 10 W/cm2 or greater, or approximately 20 W/cm2 or greater.

公开(公告)号：US20210040607A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-11

申请号：US16986632

申请日：2020-08-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xinhai Han ,  Hang Yu ,  Kesong Hu ,  Kristopher Enslow ,  Masaki Ogata ,  Wenjiao Wang ,  Chuan Ying Wang ,  Chuanxi Yang ,  Joshua Maher ,  Phaik Lynn Leong ,  Qi En Teong ,  Alok Jain ,  Nagarajan Rajagopalan ,  Deenesh Padhi

IPC: C23C16/34 ,  H01L27/11524 ,  H01L27/11551 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11578 ,  C23C16/40

Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming semiconductor structures may include forming a silicon oxide layer from a silicon-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a silicon nitride layer from a silicon-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and an oxygen-containing precursor. The silicon nitride layer may be characterized by an oxygen concentration greater than or about 5 at. %. The methods may also include repeating the forming a silicon oxide layer and the forming a silicon nitride layer to produce a stack of alternating layers of silicon oxide and silicon nitride.

公开(公告)号：US10593543B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15976945

申请日：2018-05-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Milind Gadre ,  Praket P. Jha ,  Deenesh Padhi

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/509

Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and particularly to the deposition of a boron-doped amorphous silicon (a-Si) layers on a semiconductor substrate. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method comprises generating a pressure within a processing volume between 2 Torr and 60 Torr. The method further comprises heating a substrate in the processing volume to a temperature between 300 degrees Celsius and 550 degrees Celsius. The method further comprises flowing a silane-containing gas mixture into the processing volume having the substrate positioned therein. The method further comprises flowing a borane-containing gas mixture into the processing volume having the substrate positioned therein and depositing a boron-doped amorphous silicon layer on the substrate.