Patents by Inventor Frank L. Pasquale
Frank L. Pasquale 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).
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Patent number: 11072860Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use of a fill on demand ampoule are disclosed. The fill on demand ampoule may refill an ampoule with precursor concurrent with the performance of other deposition processes. The fill on demand may keep the level of precursor within the ampoule at a relatively constant level. The level may be calculated to result in an optimum head volume. The fill on demand may also keep the precursor at a temperature near that of an optimum precursor temperature. The fill on demand may occur during parts of the deposition process where the agitation of the precursor due to the filling of the ampoule with the precursor minimally effects the substrate deposition. Substrate throughput may be increased through the use of fill on demand.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Tuan Nguyen, Eashwar Ranganathan, Shankar Swaminathan, Adrien LaVoie, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Frank L. Pasquale, Jennifer L. Petraglia
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Patent number: 10741365Abstract: A low volume showerhead in a semiconductor processing apparatus can include a porous baffle to improve the flow uniformity and purge time during atomic layer deposition. The showerhead can include a plenum volume, one or more gas inlets in fluid communication with the plenum volume, a faceplate including a plurality of first through-holes for distributing gas onto a substrate in the semiconductor processing apparatus, and a porous baffle positioned in a region between the plenum volume and the one or more gas inlets. The one or more gas inlets can include a stem having a small volume to improve purge time. The baffle can be porous and positioned between the stem and the plenum volume to improve flow uniformity and avoid jetting.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Saangrut Sangplung, Shankar Swaminathan, Frank L. Pasquale, Hu Kang, Adrien LaVoie
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Patent number: 10679848Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing films in high aspect ratio features and trenches using a post-dose treatment operation during atomic layer deposition are provided. Post-dose treatment operations are performed after adsorbing precursors onto the substrate to remove adsorbed precursors at the tops of features prior to converting the adsorbed precursors to a silicon-containing film. Post-dose treatments include exposure to non-oxidizing gas, exposure to non-oxidizing plasma, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Purushottam Kumar, Adrien LaVoie, Ishtak Karim, Jun Qian, Frank L. Pasquale, Bart J. van Schravendijk
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Patent number: 10541117Abstract: Heights of carrier ring supports are increased at a side of a wafer that is located closer to a spindle of a plasma chamber. The heights are increased relative to a height of a carrier ring support that is located closer to side walls of the plasma chamber. The increase in the height results in an increase in thickness of a thin film deposited on the wafer to further achieve uniformity in thickness of the thin film across a top surface of the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Shankar Swaminathan, Pramod Subramonium, Frank L. Pasquale, Jeongseok Ha, Chloe Baldasseroni
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Patent number: 10526700Abstract: The present inventors have conceived of a multi-stage process gas delivery system for use in a substrate processing apparatus. In certain implementations, a first process gas may first be delivered to a substrate in a substrate processing chamber. A second process gas may be delivered, at a later time, to the substrate to aid in the even dosing of the substrate. Delivery of the first process gas and the second process gas may cease at the same time or may cease at separate times.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Purushottam Kumar, Hu Kang, Adrien LaVoie, Yi Chung Chiu, Frank L. Pasquale, Jun Qian, Chloe Baldasseroni, Shankar Swaminathan, Karl F. Leeser, David Charles Smith, Wei-Chih Lai
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Patent number: 10418236Abstract: Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The dielectric composite film in one embodiment includes Al, Si, and O and has a thickness of between about 10-100 ?. The dielectric composite film can reside between two layers of inter-layer dielectric, and may be in contact with metal layers. An apparatus for depositing such dielectric composite films includes a process chamber, a conduit for delivering an aluminum containing precursor to the process chamber, a second conduit for delivering a silicon-containing precursor to the process chamber and a controller having program instructions for depositing the dielectric composite film from these precursors, e.g., by reacting the precursors adsorbed to the substrate with an oxygen-containing species.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Kapu Sirish Reddy, Nagraj Shankar, Shankar Swaminathan, Meliha Gozde Rainville, Frank L. Pasquale
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Patent number: 10407773Abstract: Disclosed are methods of depositing films of material on semiconductor substrates employing the use of a secondary purge. The methods may include flowing a film precursor into a processing chamber and adsorbing the film precursor onto a substrate in the processing chamber such that the precursor forms an adsorption-limited layer on the substrate. The methods may further include removing at least some unadsorbed film precursor from the volume surrounding the adsorbed precursor by purging the processing chamber with a primary purge gas, and thereafter reacting adsorbed film precursor while a secondary purge gas is flowed into the processing chamber, resulting in the formation of a film layer on the substrate. The secondary purge gas may include a chemical species having an ionization energy and/or a disassociation energy equal to or greater than that of O2. Also disclosed are apparatuses which implement the foregoing processes.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Adrien LaVoie, Hu Kang, Purushottam Kumar, Shankar Swaminathan, Jun Qian, Frank L. Pasquale, Chloe Baldasseroni
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Publication number: 20190040528Abstract: The present inventors have conceived of a multi-stage process gas delivery system for use in a substrate processing apparatus. In certain implementations, a first process gas may first be delivered to a substrate in a substrate processing chamber. A second process gas may be delivered, at a later time, to the substrate to aid in the even dosing of the substrate. Delivery of the first process gas and the second process gas may cease at the same time or may cease at separate times.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Purushottam Kumar, Hu Kang, Adrien LaVoie, Yi Chung Chiu, Frank L. Pasquale, Jun Qian, Chloe Baldasseroni, Shankar Swaminathan, Karl F. Leeser, David Charles Smith, Wei-Chih Lai
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Patent number: 10192742Abstract: Methods for depositing nanolaminate protective layers over a core layer to enable deposition of high quality conformal films over the core layer for use in advanced multiple patterning schemes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a thin silicon oxide or titanium oxide film using plasma-based atomic layer deposition techniques with a low high frequency radio frequency (HFRF) plasma power, followed by depositing a conformal titanium oxide film or spacer with a high HFRF plasma power.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2018Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Frank L. Pasquale, Shankar Swaminathan, Adrien LaVoie, Nader Shamma, Girish A. Dixit
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Publication number: 20180342389Abstract: Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The dielectric composite film in one embodiment includes Al, Si, and O and has a thickness of between about 10-100 ?. The dielectric composite film can reside between two layers of inter-layer dielectric, and may be in contact with metal layers. An apparatus for depositing such dielectric composite films includes a process chamber, a conduit for delivering an aluminum containing precursor to the process chamber, a second conduit for delivering a silicon-containing precursor to the process chamber and a controller having program instructions for depositing the dielectric composite film from these precursors, e.g., by reacting the precursors adsorbed to the substrate with an oxygen-containing species.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2018Publication date: November 29, 2018Inventors: Kapu Sirish Reddy, Nagraj Shankar, Shankar Swaminathan, Meliha Gozde Rainville, Frank L. Pasquale
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Publication number: 20180323057Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing films in high aspect ratio features and trenches using a post-dose treatment operation during atomic layer deposition are provided. Post-dose treatment operations are performed after adsorbing precursors onto the substrate to remove adsorbed precursors at the tops of features prior to converting the adsorbed precursors to a silicon-containing film. Post-dose treatments include exposure to non-oxidizing gas, exposure to non-oxidizing plasma, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Inventors: Purushottam Kumar, Adrien LaVoie, Ishtak Karim, Jun Qian, Frank L. Pasquale, Bart J. van Schravendijk
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Patent number: 10100407Abstract: The present inventors have conceived of a multi-stage process gas delivery system for use in a substrate processing apparatus. In certain implementations, a first process gas may first be delivered to a substrate in a substrate processing chamber. A second process gas may be delivered, at a later time, to the substrate to aid in the even dosing of the substrate. Delivery of the first process gas and the second process gas may cease at the same time or may cease at separate times.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Purushottam Kumar, Hu Kang, Adrien LaVoie, Yi Chung Chiu, Frank L. Pasquale, Jun Qian, Chloe Baldasseroni, Shankar Swaminathan, Karl F. Leeser, David Charles Smith, Wei-Chih Lai
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Patent number: 10062563Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing films in high aspect ratio features and trenches using a post-dose treatment operation during atomic layer deposition are provided. Post-dose treatment operations are performed after adsorbing precursors onto the substrate to remove adsorbed precursors at the tops of features prior to converting the adsorbed precursors to a silicon-containing film. Post-dose treatments include exposure to non-oxidizing gas, exposure to non-oxidizing plasma, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Purushottam Kumar, Adrien LaVoie, Ishtak Karim, Jun Qian, Frank L. Pasquale, Bart J. van Schravendijk
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Patent number: 10049869Abstract: Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The composite films in one embodiment include at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, and Ge, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, N, and C. In one embodiment the composite film includes Al, Si and O. In one implementation, a substrate containing an exposed dielectric layer (e.g., a ULK dielectric) and an exposed metal layer is contacted with an aluminum-containing compound (such as trimethylaluminum) and, sequentially, with a silicon-containing compound. Adsorbed compounds are then treated with an oxygen-containing plasma (e.g., plasma formed in a CO2-containing gas) to form a film that contains Al, Si, and O.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Kapu Sirish Reddy, Nagraj Shankar, Shankar Swaminathan, Meliha Gozde Rainville, Frank L. Pasquale
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Patent number: 10049911Abstract: A method for performing temporally pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is provided, including: providing a first reactant configured to adsorb on exposed surfaces of a substrate in a self-limiting manner, the first reactant being provided at a partial pressure so that the first reactant diffuses into a gap feature of the substrate; performing a first purge operation, the first purge operation being configured to partially purge the first reactant, so that gas phase first reactant species remain in the gap feature; providing a second reactant to the process chamber, the second reactant being configured to react with the first reactant to form a film product, including reaction of the provided second reactant with the adsorbed first reactant species, and reaction of the provided second reactant with the gas phase first reactant species in the gap feature; performing a second purge operation.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Shankar Swaminathan, Frank L. Pasquale
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Patent number: 10043657Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for depositing an encapsulation layer over memory stacks in MRAM and PCRAM applications. The encapsulation layer is a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer deposited through an atomic layer deposition reaction. In some embodiments, the encapsulation layer may be deposited as a bilayer, with an electrically favorable layer formed atop a protective layer. In certain implementations, gaps between neighboring memory stacks may be filled with titanium oxide, for example through an atomic layer deposition reaction or a chemical vapor deposition reaction.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Shankar Swaminathan, Frank L. Pasquale, Adrien LaVoie
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Publication number: 20180158683Abstract: Methods for depositing nanolaminate protective layers over a core layer to enable deposition of high quality conformal films over the core layer for use in advanced multiple patterning schemes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a thin silicon oxide or titanium oxide film using plasma-based atomic layer deposition techniques with a low high frequency radio frequency (HFRF) plasma power, followed by depositing a conformal titanium oxide film or spacer with a high HFRF plasma power.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2018Publication date: June 7, 2018Applicant: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Frank L. Pasquale, Shankar Swaminathan, Adrien LaVoie, Nader Shamma, Girish A. Dixit
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Publication number: 20180096886Abstract: Dielectric composite films characterized by a dielectric constant (k) of less than about 7 and having a density of at least about 2.5 g/cm3 are deposited on partially fabricated semiconductor devices to serve as etch stop layers. The composite films in one embodiment include at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, and Ge, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, N, and C. In one embodiment the composite film includes Al, Si and O. In one implementation, a substrate containing an exposed dielectric layer (e.g., a ULK dielectric) and an exposed metal layer is contacted with an aluminum-containing compound (such as trimethylaluminum) and, sequentially, with a silicon-containing compound. Adsorbed compounds are then treated with an oxygen-containing plasma (e.g., plasma formed in a CO2-containing gas) to form a film that contains Al, Si, and O.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Kapu Sirish Reddy, Nagraj Shankar, Shankar Swaminathan, Meliha Gozde Rainville, Frank L. Pasquale
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Publication number: 20180082886Abstract: A method for performing temporally pulsed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is provided, including: providing a first reactant configured to adsorb on exposed surfaces of a substrate in a self-limiting manner, the first reactant being provided at a partial pressure so that the first reactant diffuses into a gap feature of the substrate; performing a first purge operation, the first purge operation being configured to partially purge the first reactant, so that gas phase first reactant species remain in the gap feature; providing a second reactant to the process chamber, the second reactant being configured to react with the first reactant to form a film product, including reaction of the provided second reactant with the adsorbed first reactant species, and reaction of the provided second reactant with the gas phase first reactant species in the gap feature; performing a second purge operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Shankar Swaminathan, Frank L. Pasquale
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Patent number: 9905423Abstract: Methods for depositing nanolaminate protective layers over a core layer to enable deposition of high quality conformal films over the core layer for use in advanced multiple patterning schemes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a thin silicon oxide or titanium oxide film using plasma-based atomic layer deposition techniques with a low high frequency radio frequency (HFRF) plasma power, followed by depositing a conformal titanium oxide film or spacer with a high HFRF plasma power.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Frank L. Pasquale, Shankar Swaminathan, Adrien LaVoie, Nader Shamma, Girish A. Dixit