Patents by Inventor James Samuel Sims

James Samuel Sims 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: 11832533
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming an encapsulation bilayer over a chalcogenide material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Methods involve forming a bilayer including a barrier layer directly on chalcogenide material deposited using pulsed plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PP-PECVD) and an encapsulation layer over the barrier layer deposited using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). In various embodiments, the barrier layer is formed using a halogen-free silicon precursor and the encapsulation layer deposited by PEALD is formed using a halogen-containing silicon precursor and a hydrogen-free nitrogen-containing reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James Samuel Sims, Andrew John McKerrow, Meihua Shen, Thorsten Lill, Shane Tang, Kathryn Merced Kelchner, John Hoang, Alexander Dulkin, Danna Qian, Vikrant Rai
  • Publication number: 20220115592
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming an encapsulation bilayer over a chalcogenide material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Methods involve forming a bilayer including a barrier layer directly on chalcogenide material deposited using pulsed plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PP-PECVD) and an encapsulation layer over the barrier layer deposited using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). In various embodiments, the barrier layer is formed using a halogen-free silicon precursor and the encapsulation layer deposited by PEALD is formed using a halogen-containing silicon precursor and a hydrogen-free nitrogen-containing reactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: James Samuel Sims, Andrew John McKerrow, Meihua Shen, Thorsten Lill, Shane Tang, Kathryn Merced Kelchner, John Hoang, Alexander Dulkin, Danna Qian, Vikrant Rai
  • Patent number: 11239420
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming an encapsulation bilayer over a chalcogenide material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Methods involve forming a bilayer including a barrier layer directly on chalcogenide material deposited using pulsed plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PP-PECVD) and an encapsulation layer over the barrier layer deposited using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). In various embodiments, the barrier layer is formed using a halogen-free silicon precursor and the encapsulation layer deposited by PEALD is formed using a halogen-containing silicon precursor and a hydrogen-free nitrogen-containing reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James Samuel Sims, Andrew John McKerrow, Meihua Shen, Thorsten Lill, Shane Tang, Kathryn Merced Kelchner, John Hoang, Alexander Dulkin, Danna Qian, Vikrant Rai
  • Patent number: 11075127
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of and apparatuses and systems for depositing a film in a multi-station deposition apparatus. The methods may include: (a) providing a substrate to a first station of the apparatus, (b) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a first temperature, (c) depositing a first portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the first temperature in the first station, (d) transferring the substrate to the second station, (e) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a second temperature, and (f) depositing a second portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the second temperature, such that the first portion and the second portion exhibit different values of a property of the material. The apparatuses and systems may include a multi-station deposition apparatus and a controller having control logic for performing one or more of (a)-(f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Seshasayee Varadarajan, Aaron R. Fellis, Andrew John McKerrow, James Samuel Sims, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Jon Henri
  • Publication number: 20200066987
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming an encapsulation bilayer over a chalcogenide material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Methods involve forming a bilayer including a barrier layer directly on chalcogenide material deposited using pulsed plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PP-PECVD) and an encapsulation layer over the barrier layer deposited using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). In various embodiments, the barrier layer is formed using a halogen-free silicon precursor and the encapsulation layer deposited by PEALD is formed using a halogen-containing silicon precursor and a hydrogen-free nitrogen-containing reactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: James Samuel Sims, Andrew John McKerrow, Meihua Shen, Thorsten Lill, Shane Tang, Kathryn Merced Kelchner, John Hoang, Alexander Dulkin, Danna Qian, Vikrant Rai
  • Publication number: 20200066607
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of and apparatuses and systems for depositing a film in a multi-station deposition apparatus. The methods may include: (a) providing a substrate to a first station of the apparatus, (b) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a first temperature, (c) depositing a first portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the first temperature in the first station, (d) transferring the substrate to the second station, (e) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a second temperature, and (f) depositing a second portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the second temperature, such that the first portion and the second portion exhibit different values of a property of the material. The apparatuses and systems may include a multi-station deposition apparatus and a controller having control logic for performing one or more of (a)-(f).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Seshasayee Varadarajan, Aaron R. Fellis, Andrew John McKerrow, James Samuel Sims, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Jon Henri
  • Patent number: 10347547
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of and apparatuses and systems for depositing a film in a multi-station deposition apparatus. The methods may include: (a) providing a substrate to a first station of the apparatus, (b) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a first temperature, (c) depositing a first portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the first temperature in the first station, (d) transferring the substrate to the second station, (e) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a second temperature, and (f) depositing a second portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the second temperature, such that the first portion and the second portion exhibit different values of a property of the material. The apparatuses and systems may include a multi-station deposition apparatus and a controller having control logic for performing one or more of (a)-(f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seshasayee Varadarajan, Aaron R. Fellis, Andrew John McKerrow, James Samuel Sims, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Jon Henri
  • Publication number: 20180047645
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of and apparatuses and systems for depositing a film in a multi-station deposition apparatus. The methods may include: (a) providing a substrate to a first station of the apparatus, (b) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a first temperature, (c) depositing a first portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the first temperature in the first station, (d) transferring the substrate to the second station, (e) adjusting the temperature of the substrate to a second temperature, and (f) depositing a second portion of the material on the substrate while the substrate is at the second temperature, such that the first portion and the second portion exhibit different values of a property of the material. The apparatuses and systems may include a multi-station deposition apparatus and a controller having control logic for performing one or more of (a)-(f).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Seshasayee Varadarajan, Aaron R. Fellis, Andrew John McKerrow, James Samuel Sims, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Jon Henri
  • Patent number: 9865455
    Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatuses for depositing a nitride film using one or more plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition cycles and one or more thermal atomic layer deposition cycles in a single reactor. The number of thermal atomic layer deposition cycles can be equal to or greater than the number of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition cycles. Incorporation of thermal atomic layer deposition cycles with plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition cycles can allow for greater fine-tuning of properties of the nitride film. In some implementations, the nitride film is a silicon nitride film. The silicon nitride film can be fine-tuned to allow for a more silicon-rich film with a greater refractive index. In some implementations, the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition cycles and the thermal atomic layer deposition cycles can be maintained at the same wafer temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James Samuel Sims, Kathryn Merced Kelchner