Patents by Inventor Dan B. Millward

Dan B. Millward 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).

  • Patent number: 8507191
    Abstract: Methods of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched developable antireflective material. One such method comprises forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition. The silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition comprises a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent. The silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent are reacted to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material that is insoluble and has at least one acid-sensitive moiety. A positive-tone photosensitive material, such as a positive-tone photoresist, is formed over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material and regions thereof are exposed to radiation. The exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material are removed. Additional methods are disclosed, as are semiconductor device structures including a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Yuan He, Lijing Gou, Zishu Zhang, Anton J. deVilliers, Jianming Zhou, Kaveri Jain, Scott Light, Michael Hyatt
  • Patent number: 8455082
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale polymeric microstructures utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8450418
    Abstract: Methods of modifying block copolymers to enhance thermodynamic properties thereof without sacrificing material properties and methods of forming modified block copolymers having desired properties are disclosed. The modified block copolymers may be used, for example, as a mask for sublithographic patterning during various stages of semiconductor device fabrication. For example, block copolymers having desirable material properties, such as etch selectively, may be chemically modified to tailor a ? value thereof to optimize the process conditions for achieving a self-assembled state and to reduce a defectivity of the self-assembled block copolymer pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Scott E. Sills
  • Publication number: 20130127021
    Abstract: Methods for adhering materials and methods for enhancing adhesion between materials are disclosed. In some embodiments, a polymer brush material is bonded to a base material, and a developable polymer resist material is applied over the grafted polymer brush material. The resist material is at least partially miscible in the grafted polymer brush material. As such, the resist material at least partially dissolves within the grafted polymer brush material to form an intertwined material of grafted polymer brush macromolecules and resist polymer macromolecules. Adhesion between the developable polymer resist and the base material may be thereby enhanced. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8445592
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating a random graft PS-r-PEO copolymer and its use as a neutral wetting layer in the fabrication of sublithographic, nanoscale arrays of elements including openings and linear microchannels utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. In some embodiments, the films can be used as a template or mask to etch openings in an underlying material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8440371
    Abstract: An imaging device comprising at least one array pattern region and at least one attenuation region. A plurality of imaging features in the at least one array pattern region and a plurality of assist features in the at least one attenuation region are substantially the same size as one another and are formed substantially on pitch. Methods of forming an imaging device and methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan He, Kaveri Jain, Lijing Gou, Zishu Zhang, Anton J. DeVilliers, Michael Hyatt, Jianming Zhou, Scott Light, Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20130105755
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure. The method comprises forming a block copolymer assembly comprising at least two different domains over an electrode. At least one metal precursor is selectively coupled to the block copolymer assembly to form a metal-complexed block copolymer assembly comprising at least one metal-complexed domain and at least one non-metal-complexed domain. The metal-complexed block copolymer assembly is annealed in to form at least one metal structure. Other methods of forming a semiconductor device structures are described. Semiconductor device structures are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8426313
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microstructures utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Timothy Quick
  • Patent number: 8409449
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sub-lithographic, nanoscale linear microchannel arrays over surfaces without defined features utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. Embodiments of the methods use a multi-layer induced ordering approach to align lamellar films to an underlying base film within trenches, and localized heating to anneal the lamellar-phase block copolymer film overlying the trenches and outwardly over the remaining surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Eugene P. Marsh
  • Patent number: 8404124
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microstructures arrays including openings and linear microchannels utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. In some embodiments, the films can be used as a template or mask to etch openings in an underlying material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Donald Westmoreland, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 8394483
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microstructures in two-dimensional square and rectangular arrays utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8372295
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale arrays of openings and linear microchannels utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. Embodiments of the invention use a self-templating or multilayer approach to induce ordering of a self-assembling block copolymer film to an underlying base film to produce a multilayered film having an ordered array of nanostructures that can be removed to provide openings in the film which, in some embodiments, can be used as a template or mask to etch openings in an underlying material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20130017335
    Abstract: Methods of modifying block copolymers to enhance thermodynamic properties thereof without sacrificing material properties and methods of forming modified block copolymers having desired properties are disclosed. The modified block copolymers may be used, for example, as a mask for sublithographic patterning during various stages of semiconductor device fabrication. For example, block copolymers having desirable material properties, such as etch selectively, may be chemically modified to tailor a ? value thereof to optimize the process conditions for achieving a self-assembled state and to reduce a defectivity of the self-assembled block copolymer pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Scott E. Sills
  • Publication number: 20130011561
    Abstract: Multi-layer antireflection coatings, devices including multi-layer antireflection coatings and methods of forming the same are disclosed. A block copolymer is applied to a substrate and self-assembled into parallel lamellae above a substrate. The block copolymer may optionally be allowed to self-assemble into a multitude of domains oriented either substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to an underlying substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Eugene P. Marsh, Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20130004707
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating a random graft PS-r-PEO copolymer and its use as a neutral wetting layer in the fabrication of sublithographic, nanoscale arrays of elements including openings and linear microchannels utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. In some embodiments, the films can be used as a template or mask to etch openings in an underlying material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 8304493
    Abstract: Methods of modifying block copolymers to enhance thermodynamic properties thereof without sacrificing material properties and methods of forming modified block copolymers having desired properties are disclosed. The modified block copolymers may be used, for example, as a mask for sublithographic patterning during various stages of semiconductor device fabrication. For example, block copolymers having desirable material properties, such as etch selectively, may be chemically modified to tailor a ? value thereof to optimize the process conditions for achieving a self-assembled state and to reduce a defectivity of the self-assembled block copolymer pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan B. Millward, Scott E. Sills
  • Patent number: 8294139
    Abstract: Multi-layer antireflection coatings, devices including multi-layer antireflection coatings and methods of forming the same are disclosed. A block copolymer is applied to a substrate and self-assembled into parallel lamellae above a substrate. The block copolymer may optionally be allowed to self-assemble into a multitude of domains oriented either substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to an underlying substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene P. Marsh, Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20120263915
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microstructures in two-dimensional square and rectangular arrays utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20120225243
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale arrays of openings and linear microchannels utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided. Embodiments of the invention use a self-templating or multilayer approach to induce ordering of a self-assembling block copolymer film to an underlying base film to produce a multilayered film having an ordered array of nanostructures that can be removed to provide openings in the film which, in some embodiments, can be used as a template or mask to etch openings in an underlying material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward
  • Publication number: 20120223051
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microchannels utilizing an aqueous emulsion of an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventor: Dan B. Millward