Patents by Inventor Dan Towery

Dan Towery 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: 20040192172
    Abstract: An oxidizing slurry for removal of low dielectric constant materials. The slurry is formed utilizing non-oxidizing particles with a separate oxidizing agent, oxidizing particles alone or reducible abrasive particles with a compatible oxidizing agent. The particles can be formed of a metal oxide, nitride, or carbide material, by itself or mixtures thereof, or can be coated on a core material such as silicon dioxide or can be coformed therewith. A preferred oxidizing slurry is multi-modal in particle size distribution. Although developed for utilization in CMP semiconductor processing the oxidizing slurry of the present invention also can be utilized for other high precision polishing processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Dan Towery, Neil H. Hendricks, Paul E. Schilling, Tian-An Chen
  • Publication number: 20040175941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, procedures and compositions for avoiding and reducing damage to low dielectric constant materials and other soft materials, such as Cu and Al, used in fabricating semiconductor devices. Damage reduction can be achieved by decreasing the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP of these materials and increasing the role of chemical polishing, which can also improve material removal rates. Increasing the role of chemical polishing can be accomplished by creating a polishing slurry, which contains components that interact chemically with the surface to be polished. This slurry may or may not also contain soft abrasive particles, which replace the hard abrasive particles of conventional slurries. Use of soft abrasive particles can reduce the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP process. Use of this slurry in CMP can reduce surface scratches and device damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Feng Liu, Dan Towery
  • Patent number: 6736992
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, procedures and compositions for avoiding and reducing damage to low dielectric constant materials and other soft materials, such as Cu and Al, used in fabricating semiconductor devices. Damage reduction can be achieved by decreasing the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP of these materials and increasing the role of chemical polishing, which can also improve material removal rates. Increasing the role of chemical polishing can be accomplished by creating a polishing slurry, which contains components that interact chemically with the surface to be polished. This slurry may or may not also contain soft abrasive particles, which replace the hard abrasive particles of conventional slurries. Use of soft abrasive particles can reduce the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP process. Use of this slurry in CMP can reduce surface scratches and device damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Feng Liu, Dan Towery
  • Publication number: 20040046148
    Abstract: Chemical mechanical planarization or spin etch planarization of surfaces of copper, tantalum and tantalum nitride is accomplished by means of the chemical formulations of the present invention. The chemical formulations may optionally include abrasive particles and which may be chemically reactive or inert. Contact or non-contact CMP may be performed with the present chemical formulations. Substantially 1:1 removal rate selectivity for Cu and Ta/TaN is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Dan Towery, Joseph Levert, Shyama Mukherjee, Yanpei Deng
  • Patent number: 6610114
    Abstract: An oxidizing slurry for removal of low dielectric constant materials. The slurry is formed utilizing non-oxidizing particles with a separate oxidizing agent, oxidizing particles alone or reducible abrasive particles with a compatible oxidizing agent. The particles can be formed of a metal oxide, nitride, or carbide material, by itself or mixtures thereof, or can be coated on a core material such as silicon dioxide or can be coformed therewith. A preferred oxidizing slurry is multi-modal in particle size distribution. Although developed for utilization in CMP semiconductor processing the oxidizing slurry of the present invention also can be utilized for other high precision polishing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Towery, Neil Hendricks, Paul Schilling, Tian-An Chen
  • Publication number: 20020177314
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, procedures and compositions for avoiding and reducing damage to low dielectric constant materials and other soft materials, such as Cu and Al, used in fabricating semiconductor devices. Damage reduction can be achieved by decreasing the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP of these materials and increasing the role of chemical polishing, which can also improve material removal rates. Increasing the role of chemical polishing can be accomplished by creating a polishing slurry, which contains components that interact chemically with the surface to be polished. This slurry may or may not also contain soft abrasive particles, which replace the hard abrasive particles of conventional slurries. Use of soft abrasive particles can reduce the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP process. Use of this slurry in CMP can reduce surface scratches and device damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Feng Liu, Dan Towery
  • Patent number: 6416685
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, procedures and compositions for avoiding and reducing damage to low dielectric constant materials and other soft materials, such as Cu and Al, used in fabricating semiconductor devices. Damage reduction can be achieved by decreasing the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP of these materials and increasing the role of chemical polishing, which can also improve material removal rates. Increasing the role of chemical polishing can be accomplished by creating a polishing slurry, which contains components that interact chemically with the surface to be polished. This slurry may or may not also contain soft abrasive particles, which replace the hard abrasive particles of conventional slurries. Use of soft abrasive particles can reduce the role of mechanical abrasion in the CMP process. Use of this slurry in CMP can reduce surface scratches and device damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Feng Liu, Dan Towery