Patents Examined by Thomas T Pham
  • Patent number: 11682554
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a silicon-containing precursor and a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The carbon-containing precursor may be characterized by a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing a boron-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include thermally reacting the silicon-containing precursor, the carbon-containing precursor, and the boron-containing precursor at a temperature above about 250° C. The methods may include forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing layer on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zeqing Shen, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Patent number: 11682560
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The halogen-containing precursor may be characterized by a gas density greater than or about 5 g/L. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the substrate processing region with the halogen-containing precursor. The substrate may define an exposed region of a hafnium-containing material. The methods may also include removing the hafnium-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjiang Cui, Hanshen Zhang, Daniella Holm
  • Patent number: 11676812
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a layer structure in a trench includes: simultaneously forming a dielectric film containing a Si—N bond on an upper surface, and a bottom surface and sidewalls of the trench, wherein a top/bottom portion of the film formed on the upper surface and the bottom surface and a sidewall portion of the film formed on the sidewalls are given different chemical resistance properties by bombardment of a plasma excited by applying voltage between two electrodes between which the substrate is place in parallel to the two electrodes; and substantially removing the sidewall portion of the film by wet etching which removes the sidewall portion of the film more predominantly than the top/bottom portion according to the different chemical resistance properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Dai Ishikawa, Atsuki Fukazawa, Eiichiro Shiba, Shinya Ueda, Taishi Ebisudani, SeungJu Chun, YongMin Yoo, YoonKi Min, SeYong Kim, JongWan Choi
  • Patent number: 11661332
    Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing stiction through roughening the surface and reducing the contact area in MEMS devices are disclosed. A method includes fabricating bumpstops on a surface of a MEMS device substrate to reduce stiction. Another method is directed to applying roughening etchant to a surface of a silicon substrate to enhance roughness after cavity etch and before removal of hardmask. Another embodiment described herein is directed to a method to reduce contact area between proof mass and UCAV (“upper cavity”) substrate surface with minimal impact on the cavity volume by introducing a shallow etch process step and maintaining high pressure in accelerometer cavity. Another method is described as to increasing the surface roughness of a UCAV substrate surface by depositing a rough layer (e.g. polysilicon) on the surface of the substrate and etching back the rough layer to transfer the roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Daesung Lee, Ian Flader, Alan Cuthbertson, Emad Mehdizadeh
  • Patent number: 11651977
    Abstract: Methods for processing a workpiece are provided. Conducting a thermal treatment on a workpiece are provided. The workpiece contains at least one layer of metal. The method can include generating one or more species from a process gas. The process gas can include hydrogen or deuterium. The method can include filtering the one or more species to create a filtered mixture and exposing the workpiece to the filtered mixture. An oxidation process on a workpiece are provided. The method can be conducted at a process temperature of less than 350° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD, MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Shanyu Wang, Chun Yan
  • Patent number: 11651969
    Abstract: An etching method according to one embodiment, includes alternately switching a first step and a second step. The first step introduces a first gas containing a fluorine atom without supplying radiofrequency voltage to form a surface layer on a surface of a target cooled at a temperature equal to or lower than a liquefaction temperature of the first gas. The second step introduces a second gas gaseous at the first temperature and different from the first gas, and supplies the radiofrequency voltage, to generate plasma from the second gas to etch the target by sputtering using the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Chihiro Abe, Toshiyuki Sasaki, Hisataka Hayashi, Mitsuhiro Omura, Tsubasa Imamura
  • Patent number: 11643728
    Abstract: Vapor deposition methods for depositing transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) films, such as rhenium sulfide thin films, are provided. In some embodiments TMDC thin films are deposited using a deposition cycle in which a substrate in a reaction space is alternately and sequentially contacted with a vapor phase transition metal precursor, such as a transition metal halide, a reactant comprising a reducing agent, such as NH3 and a chalcogenide precursor. In some embodiments rhenium sulfide thin films are deposited using a vapor phase rhenium halide precursor, a reducing agent and a sulfur precursor. The deposited TMDC films can be etched by chemical vapor etching using an oxidant such as O2 as the etching reactant and an inert gas such as N2 to remove excess etching reactant. The TMDC thin films may find use, for example, as 2D materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Jani Hämäläinen, Mikko Ritala, Markku Leskelä
  • Patent number: 11610784
    Abstract: A method for introducing at least one cutout, in particular in the form of an aperture, into a sheetlike workpiece having a thickness of less than 3 mm, involving detecting a laser beam onto the surface of the workpiece, selecting the exposure time of the laser beam to be extremely short so that only a modification of the workpiece concentrically around a beam axis of the laser beam occurs, such a modified region having defects resulting in a chain of blisters, and, as a result of the action of a corrosive medium, anisotropically removing material by successive etching in those regions of the workpiece that are formed by the defects and have previously been modified by the laser beam, resulting, along the cylindrical zone of action, in producing a cutout as an aperture in the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: LPKF LASER & ELECTRONICS SE
    Inventors: Norbert Ambrosius, Roman Ostholt
  • Patent number: 11603592
    Abstract: A surface treatment agent capable of forming a hexavalent chromium-free chemical conversion coating that can provide an excellent corrosion-resistant coating on various metallic materials; a metallic material having a surface treatment coating obtained therefrom; and a method of producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Nihon Parkerizing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamamoto, Satoshi Kawabe
  • Patent number: 11581189
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods forming optical device structures. One embodiment of the method includes exposing a substrate to ions at an ion angle relative to a surface normal of a surface of the substrate to form an initial depth of a plurality of depths. A patterned mask is disposed over the substrate and includes two or more projections defining exposed portions of the substrate or a device layer disposed on the substrate. Each projection has a trailing edge at a bottom surface contacting the device layer, a leading edge at a top surface of each projection, and a height from the top surface to the device layer. Exposing the substrate to ions at the ion angle is repeated to form at least one subsequent depth of the plurality of depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ludovic Godet, Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen
  • Patent number: 11572490
    Abstract: A polishing liquid containing abrasive grains, a hydroxy acid, a polyol, and a liquid medium, in which a zeta potential of the abrasive grains is positive, and the hydroxy acid has one carboxyl group and one to three hydroxyl groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Iwano
  • Patent number: 11567247
    Abstract: A plasma etching method using a Faraday cage, which effectively produces a blazed grating pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Kyu Her, Jeong Ho Park, Seong Min Park, Sang Choll Han, Bu Gon Shin
  • Patent number: 11551917
    Abstract: One or more embodiments described herein relate to abatement systems for reducing Br2 and Cl2 in semiconductor processes. In embodiments described herein, semiconductor etch processes are performed within process chambers. Thereafter, fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs), HBr, and Cl2 gases exit the process chamber and enter a plasma reactor. Reagent gases are delivered from a reagent gas delivery apparatus to the plasma reactor to mix with the process gases. Radio frequency (RF) power is applied to the plasma reactor, which adds energy and “excites” the gases within the process chamber. When HBr is energized, it forms Br2. Br2 and Cl2 are corrosive and toxic. However, the addition of H2O in the plasma reactor quenches the Br2 and Cl2 emissions, as the H atoms recombine with the Br atoms and the Cl atoms to form HBr and HCl. HBr and HCl are readily water-soluble and removed through a wet scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Van Gompel, James L'Heureux
  • Patent number: 11551935
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: holding a substrate having a processing target surface and an opposite surface which is opposite to the processing target surface; preheating a center portion of the opposite surface of the substrate; after the preheating, ejecting a sulfuric acid hydrogen peroxide mixture (SPM) to a peripheral edge portion of the processing target surface of the substrate; and after the ejecting, moving an ejection position of the SPM from the peripheral edge portion of the processing target surface to a center portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Nakazawa, Kazuyoshi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 11543376
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a sample for thin film property measurement and analysis, and a sample manufactured thereby and, more specifically, to: a method for manufacturing a sample capable of measuring or analyzing various properties in one sample; and a sample manufactured thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Ki-Bum Kim, Min-Sik Kim, Hyun-Mi Kim, Ki-Ju Kim
  • Patent number: 11529605
    Abstract: Devices for photoelectrodes for water splitting based on indium nanowires on flexible substrates as well as methods of manufacture by transferring nanowire arrays to flexible substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Rami Tarek El Afandy, Mohamed Ebaid Abdrabou Hussein, Boon S. Ooi, Tien Khee Ng
  • Patent number: 11521857
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of performing an etch process. The method is performed by forming a first plurality of openings defined by first sidewalls of a mask disposed over a substrate. A cut layer is between two of the first plurality of openings. A spacer is formed onto the first sidewalls of the mask and a second plurality of openings are formed. The second plurality of openings are defined by second sidewalls of the mask and are separated by the spacer. The substrate is etched according to the mask and the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuan-Wei Huang, Chia-Ying Lee, Ming-Chung Liang
  • Patent number: 11521860
    Abstract: A method for selectively etching layers of a first material with respect to layers of a second material in a stack is provided. The layers of the first material are partially etched with respect to the layers of the second material. A deposition layer is selectively deposited on the stack, wherein portions of the deposition layer covering the layers of the second material are thicker than portions covering the layers of the first material, the selective depositing comprising providing a first reactant, purging some of the first reactant, wherein some undeposited first reactant is not purged, and providing a second reactant, wherein the undeposited first reactant combines with the second reactant and selectively deposits on the layers of the second material with respect to the layers of the first material. The layers of the first material are selectively etched with respect to the layers of the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Xue, Samantha SiamHwa Tan, Mohand Brouri, Yuanhui Li, Daniel Peter, Alexander Kabansky
  • Patent number: 11469095
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a cavity that traverses a stack of layers including a bottom layer, a first portion of which locally presents an excess thickness, the method comprising a first step of non-selective etching and a second step of selective etching vertically in line with the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Delia Ristoiu, Pierre Bar, Francois Leverd
  • Patent number: 11443954
    Abstract: An apparatus and method process a substrate in a first session and a second session. In the first session, a hybrid gas application cycle is performed in a chamber that holds the substrate. A first gas is introduced for a first time period so components of the first gas adsorb onto the substrate. Subsequently, a second gas is introduced for a second time period so the second gas reacts with the components of the first gas to provide a protective layer on sidewalls of a pattern of the substrate, and the second gas etches a bottom portion of the pattern, a ratio of the first time period to the second time period being a use-ratio. Then, in a second session, the hybrid gas application cycle is repeated with a different use-ratio that corresponds with a vertical dimension of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Takayuki Katsunuma