Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Birgit Morris, Esq.
  • Patent number: 6449525
    Abstract: A multiple step process sputter deposits material of uniform thickness on stepped surfaces of an integrated circuit substrate such as the surfaces of a high aspect ratio via or a narrow trench. Material is first sputter deposited at the bottom of the opening at high pressure using a high power RF source connected to a coil in the deposition chamber to couple energy into the plasma. A high power RF bias is applied to the substrate, and a low power DC bias is applied to the sputtering target. The same parameters are repeated in a second step except that the high power RF bias on the substrate support is either reduced to a low power level or reduced to zero (by the end of the second step) to deposit on the lowest quarter of the sidewall of the opening. In a third step, no RF bias is applied to the pedestal remains and the pressure is reduced to a medium pressure state, resulting in a deposition on the second quarter of the sidewall of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joanna Liu, Zheng Xu