Patents by Inventor Amit Khandelwal

Amit Khandelwal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110086509
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide. In one embodiment, a method for forming a cobalt silicide material includes exposing a substrate having a silicon-containing material to either a wet etch solution or a pre-clean plasma during a first step and then to a hydrogen plasma during a second step of a pre-clean process. The method further includes depositing a cobalt metal layer on the silicon-containing material by a CVD process, heating the substrate to form a first cobalt silicide layer comprising CoSi at the interface of the cobalt metal layer and the silicon-containing material during a first annealing process, removing any unreacted cobalt metal from the substrate during an etch process, and heating the substrate to form a second cobalt silicide layer comprising CoSi2 during a second annealing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: SESHADRI GANGULI, Sang-Ho Yu, See-Eng Phan, Mei Chang, Amit Khandelwal, Hyoung-Chan Ha
  • Patent number: 7838441
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a titanium nitride barrier material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a titanium nitride layer on the substrate by a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, and thereafter, densifying the titanium nitride layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma process. In one example, the MOCVD process and the densifying plasma process is repeated to form a barrier stack by depositing a second titanium nitride layer on the first titanium nitride layer. In another example, a third titanium nitride layer is deposited on the second titanium nitride layer. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a conductive material on the substrate and exposing the substrate to a annealing process. In one example, each titanium nitride layer may have a thickness of about 15 ? and the titanium nitride barrier stack may have a copper diffusion potential of less than about 5×1010 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Christophe Marcadal, Mei Chang
  • Publication number: 20100167527
    Abstract: A method of controlling the resistivity and morphology of a tungsten film is provided, comprising depositing a first film of a bulk tungsten layer on a substrate during a first deposition stage by (i) introducing a continuous flow of a reducing gas and a pulsed flow of a tungsten-containing compound to a process chamber to deposit tungsten on a surface of the substrate, (ii) flowing the reducing gas without flowing the tungsten-containing compound into the chamber to purge the chamber, and repeating steps (i) through (ii) until the first film fills vias in the substrate surface, increasing the pressure in the process chamber, and during a second deposition stage after the first deposition stage, depositing a second film of the bulk tungsten layer by providing a flow of reducing gas and tungsten-containing compound to the process chamber until a second desired thickness is deposited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kai Wu, Amit Khandelwal, Averinos V. Gelatos
  • Patent number: 7745333
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Kaung Lai, Ravi Rajagopalan, Amit Khandelwal, Madhu Moorthy, Srinivas Gandikota, Joseph Castro, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Cheryl Knepfler, Ping Jian, Hongbin Fang, Chao-Ming Huang, Ming Xi, Michael X. Yang, Hua Chung, Jeong Soo Byun
  • Patent number: 7732327
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity while increasing the production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes depositing a tungsten silicide layer on the substrate by exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a silicon precursor while also exposing the substrate to intermittent pulses of a tungsten precursor. The method further provides that the substrate is exposed to the silicon and tungsten precursors which have a silicon/tungsten precursor flow rate ratio of greater than 1, for example, about 2, about 3, or greater. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the tungsten suicide layer, depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyeob Lee, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Kai Wu, Amit Khandelwal, Ross Marshall, Emily Renuart, Wing-Cheong Gilbert Lai, Jing Lin
  • Patent number: 7691442
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for depositing materials on substrates. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a barrier layer containing tantalum or titanium on a substrate, depositing a ruthenium layer or a cobalt layer on the barrier layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer thereover. In some examples, the barrier layer may contain tantalum nitride deposited by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, the tungsten bulk layer may be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, and the ruthenium or cobalt layer may be deposited by an ALD process. The ruthenium or cobalt layer may be exposed to a soak compound, such as hydrogen, diborane, silane, or disilane, during a soak process prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer. In some examples, a tungsten nucleation layer may be deposited on the ruthenium or cobalt layer, such as by ALD, prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Madhu Moorthy, Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Mei Chang, Kavita Shah, Seshadri Ganguli
  • Publication number: 20090280640
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a titanium nitride barrier material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a titanium nitride layer on the substrate by a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, and thereafter, densifying the titanium nitride layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma process. In one example, the MOCVD process and the densifying plasma process is repeated to form a barrier stack by depositing a second titanium nitride layer on the first titanium nitride layer. In another example, a third titanium nitride layer is deposited on the second titanium nitride layer. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a conductive material on the substrate and exposing the substrate to a annealing process. In one example, each titanium nitride layer may have a thickness of about 15 ? and the titanium nitride barrier stack may have a copper diffusion potential of less than about 5×1010 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Applied Materials Incorporated
    Inventors: AMIT KHANDELWAL, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Christophe Marcadal, Mei Chang
  • Publication number: 20090142474
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for depositing materials on substrates. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a barrier layer containing tantalum or titanium on a substrate, depositing a ruthenium layer or a cobalt layer on the barrier layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer thereover. In some examples, the barrier layer may contain tantalum nitride deposited by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, the tungsten bulk layer may be deposited by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, and the ruthenium or cobalt layer may be deposited by an ALD process. The ruthenium or cobalt layer may be exposed to a soak compound, such as hydrogen, diborane, silane, or disilane, during a soak process prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer. In some examples, a tungsten nucleation layer may be deposited on the ruthenium or cobalt layer, such as by ALD, prior to depositing the tungsten bulk layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Madhu Moorthy, Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Mei Chang, Kavita Shah, Seshadri Ganguli
  • Patent number: 7521379
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a titanium nitride barrier material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a titanium nitride layer on the substrate by a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, and thereafter, densifying the titanium nitride layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma process. In one example, the MOCVD process and the densifying plasma process is repeated to form a barrier stack by depositing a second titanium nitride layer on the first titanium nitride layer. In another example, a third titanium nitride layer is deposited on the second titanium nitride layer. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a conductive material on the substrate and exposing the substrate to a annealing process. In one example, each titanium nitride layer may have a thickness of about 15 ? and the titanium nitride barrier stack may have a copper diffusion potential of less than about 5×1010 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Christophe Marcadal, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 7514353
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods of filling contact level features formed in a semiconductor device by depositing a barrier layer over the contact feature and then filing the layer using an PVD, CVD, ALD, electrochemical plating process (ECP) and/or electroless deposition processes. In one embodiment, the barrier layer has a catalytically active surface that will allow the electroless deposition of a metal on the barrier layer. In one aspect, the electrolessly deposited metal is copper or a copper alloy. In one aspect, the contact level feature is filled with a copper alloy by use of an electroless deposition process. In another aspect, a copper alloy is used to from a thin conductive copper layer that is used to subsequently fill features with a copper containing material by use of an ECP, PVD, CVD, and/or ALD deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Kapila P. Wijekoon, Zhize Zhu, Avgerinos V. (Jerry) Gelatos, Amit Khandelwal, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Michael X. Yang, Fang Mei, Farhad K. Moghadam
  • Publication number: 20090081866
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity while increasing the production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes depositing a tungsten silicide layer on the substrate by exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a silicon precursor while also exposing the substrate to intermittent pulses of a tungsten precursor. The method further provides that the substrate is exposed to the silicon and tungsten precursors which have a silicon/tungsten precursor flow rate ratio of greater than 1, for example, about 2, about 3, or greater. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the tungsten suicide layer, depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: SANG-HYEOB LEE, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Kai Wu, Amit Khandelwal, Ross Marshall, Emily Renuart, Wing-Cheong Gilbert Lai, Jing Lin
  • Publication number: 20090053893
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity and production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten-containing material on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a process chamber, wherein the substrate contains an underlayer disposed thereon, exposing the substrate sequentially to a tungsten precursor and a reducing gas to deposit a tungsten nucleation layer on the underlayer during an ALD process, wherein the reducing gas contains a hydrogen/hydride flow rate ratio of about 40:1, 100:1, 500:1, 800:1, 1,000:1, or greater, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer. The reducing gas contains a hydride compound, such as diborane, silane, or disilane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Amit Khandelwal, Madhu Moorthy, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Kai Wu
  • Publication number: 20090004850
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide layers and metallic cobalt layers by using various deposition processes and annealing processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming a metallic silicide containing material on a substrate is provided which includes forming a metallic silicide material over a silicon-containing surface during a vapor deposition process by sequentially depositing a plurality of metallic silicide layers and silyl layers on the substrate, depositing a metallic capping layer over the metallic silicide material, heating the substrate during an annealing process, and depositing a metallic contact material over the barrier material. In one example, the metallic silicide layers and the metallic capping layer both contain cobalt. The cobalt silicide material may contain a silicon/cobalt atomic ratio of about 1.9 or greater, such as greater than about 2.0, or about 2.2 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: SESHADRI GANGULI, SANG-HO YU, See-Eng Phan, Mei Chang, Amit Khandelwal, Hyoung-Chan Ha
  • Publication number: 20080280438
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Ken Kaung Lai, Ravi Rajagopalan, Amit Khandelwal, Madhu Moorthy, Srinivas Gandikota, Joseph Castro, Aygerinos V. Gelatos, Cheryl Knepfler, Ping Jian, Hongbin Fang, Chao-Ming Huang, Ming Xi, Michael X. Yang, Hua Chung, Jeong Soo Byun
  • Publication number: 20080268635
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein generally provide methods for forming cobalt silicide layers and metallic cobalt layers by using various deposition processes and annealing processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming a cobalt silicide material on a substrate is provided which includes treating the substrate with at least one preclean process to expose a silicon-containing surface, depositing a cobalt silicide material over the silicon-containing surface, and depositing a copper material over the cobalt silicide material. In another embodiment, a metallic cobalt material may be deposited over the cobalt silicide material prior to depositing the copper material. In one example, the copper material may be formed by depositing a copper seed layer and a copper bulk layer on the substrate. The copper seed layer may be deposited by a PVD process and the copper bulk layer may be deposited by an ECP process or an electroless deposition process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Sang-Ho Yu, Kevin Ti Moraes, Seshadri Ganguli, Hua Chung, See-Eng Phan, Amit Khandelwal, Kai Wu
  • Patent number: 7429402
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a tungsten-containing film on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, such as a titanium or tantalum containing barrier layer and depositing a ruthenium layer on the barrier layer. The method further includes depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the ruthenium layer and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer. The barrier layer, the ruthenium layer, the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer are independently deposited by an ALD process, a CVD process or a PVD process, preferably by an ALD process. In some examples, the substrate is exposed to a soak process prior to depositing a subsequent layer, such as between the deposition of the barrier layer and the ruthenium layer, the ruthenium layer and the tungsten nucleation layer or the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Madhu Moorthy, Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Mei Chang, Kavita Shah, Seshadri Ganguli
  • Patent number: 7405158
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a tungsten-containing layer on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a barrier layer disposed thereon in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a first soak process for a first time period and depositing a nucleation layer on the barrier layer by flowing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reductant into the process chamber. The method further includes exposing the nucleation layer to a second soak process for a second time period and depositing a bulk layer on the nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Kaung Lai, Ravi Rajagopalan, Amit Khandelwal, Madhu Moorthy, Srinivas Gandikota, Joseph Castro, Averginos V. Gelatos, Cheryl Knepfler, Ping Jian, Hongbin Fang, Chao-Ming Huang, Ming Xi, Michael X. Yang, Hua Chung, Jeong Soo Byun
  • Publication number: 20080085611
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a titanium nitride barrier material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a titanium nitride layer on the substrate by a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, and thereafter, densifying the titanium nitride layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma process. In one example, the MOCVD process and the densifying plasma process is repeated to form a barrier stack by depositing a second titanium nitride layer on the first titanium nitride layer. In another example, a third titanium nitride layer is deposited on the second titanium nitride layer. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a conductive material on the substrate and exposing the substrate to a annealing process. In one example, each titanium nitride layer may have a thickness of about 15 ? and the titanium nitride barrier stack may have a copper diffusion potential of less than about 5×1010 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: AMIT KHANDELWAL, AVGERINOS V. GELATOS, CHRISTOPHE MARCADAL, MEI CHANG
  • Publication number: 20060251800
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods of filling contact level features formed in a semiconductor device by depositing a barrier layer over the contact feature and then filing the layer using an PVD, CVD, ALD, electrochemical plating process (ECP) and/or electroless deposition processes. In one embodiment, the barrier layer has a catalytically active surface that will allow the electroless deposition of a metal on the barrier layer. In one aspect, the electrolessly deposited metal is copper or a copper alloy. In one aspect, the contact level feature is filled with a copper alloy by use of an electroless deposition process. In another aspect, a copper alloy is used to from a thin conductive copper layer that is used to subsequently fill features with a copper containing material by use of an ECP, PVD, CVD, and/or ALD deposition process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Timothy Weidman, Kapila Wijekoon, Zhize Zhu, Avgerinos Gelatos, Amit Khandelwal, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Michael Yang, Fang Mei, Farhad Moghadam
  • Publication number: 20060128150
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a tungsten-containing film on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, such as a titanium or tantalum containing barrier layer and depositing a ruthenium layer on the barrier layer. The method further includes depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the ruthenium layer and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer. The barrier layer, the ruthenium layer, the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer are independently deposited by an ALD process, a CVD process or a PVD process, preferably by an ALD process. In some examples, the substrate is exposed to a soak process prior to depositing a subsequent layer, such as between the deposition of the barrier layer and the ruthenium layer, the ruthenium layer and the tungsten nucleation layer or the tungsten nucleation layer and the tungsten bulk layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Madhu Moorthy, Amit Khandelwal, Avgerinos Gelatos, Mei Chang, Kavita Shah, Seshadri Ganguli