Patents by Inventor John Hautala
John Hautala 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: 10113229Abstract: Approaches herein increase a ratio of reactive ions to a neutral species in a plasma processing apparatus. Exemplary approaches include providing a processing apparatus having a plasma source chamber including a first gas inlet, and a deposition chamber coupled to the plasma source chamber, wherein the deposition chamber includes a second gas inlet for delivering a point of use (POU) gas to an area proximate a substrate disposed within the deposition chamber. Exemplary approaches further include generating an ion beam for delivery to the substrate, and modifying a pressure within the deposition chamber in the area proximate the substrate to increase an amount of reactive ions present for impacting the substrate when the ion beam is delivered to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, John Hautala, Shurong Liang, Joseph Olson
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Patent number: 10109498Abstract: A method may include providing an initial mask feature in a mask disposed on a substrate, the initial mask feature comprising a first material, the substrate defining a substrate plane; directing ions as an ion beam to the initial mask feature at a non-zero angle of incidence ? with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein a composite mask feature is formed, the composite mask feature comprising a cap material disposed on the initial mask feature, the cap material comprising the ions; and performing a substrate etch, wherein an etch feature is formed in the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the initial mask feature remains after the substrate etch, wherein the substrate etch etches the first material at a first etch rate and etches the cap material at a second etch rate, the first etch rate being greater than the second etch rate.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventor: John Hautala
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Publication number: 20180261463Abstract: A method may include providing a surface feature on a substrate, the surface feature comprising a feature shape a feature location, and a dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane; depositing a layer comprising a layer material on the surface feature; and directing ions in an ion exposure at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein the ion exposure comprises the ions and reactive neutral species, the ion exposure reactively etching the layer material, wherein the ions impact a first portion of the surface feature and do not impact a second portion of the surface feature, and wherein an altered surface feature is generated, the altered surface feature differing from the surface feature in at least one of: the dimension along the first direction, the feature shape, or the feature location.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Simon Ruffell, Huixiong Dai, Jun Lang, John Hautala
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Publication number: 20180204719Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate, comprising: providing a photoresist patterning feature on the substrate, the substrate defining a substrate plane, the photoresist patterning feature having a softening temperature below 200° C. The method may include directing a first ion species into the photoresist patterning feature during a first exposure; and depositing a sidewall layer on the patterning feature after the directing at a deposition temperature, the deposition temperature being 200° C. or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2017Publication date: July 19, 2018Inventors: Tristan Y. Ma, Maureen K. Petterson, John Hautala, Steven R. Sherman
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Publication number: 20180182637Abstract: A method of treating a substrate includes directing ions to the substrate along at least one non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to a substrate surface in a presence of a reactive ambient containing a reactive species where the substrate includes a surface feature. At least one surface of the surface feature is etched using the ions in combination with the reactive ambient at a first etch rate that is greater than a second etch rate when the ions are directed to the substrate without the reactive ambient and greater than a third etch rate when the reactive ambient is provided to the substrate without the ions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2018Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Steven R. Sherman, Simon Ruffell, John Hautala, Adam Brand
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Patent number: 10008384Abstract: A method of patterning a substrate. The method may include providing a surface feature on the substrate, the surface feature having a first dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane, and a second dimension along a second direction within the substrate plane, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; and directing first ions in a first exposure to the surface feature along the first direction at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, in a presence of a reactive ambient containing a reactive species; wherein the first exposure etches the surface feature along the first direction, wherein after the directing, the surface feature retains the second dimension along the second direction, and wherein the surface feature has a third dimension along the first direction different than the first dimension.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Simon Ruffell, John Hautala, Adam Brand, Huixiong Dai
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Publication number: 20180174843Abstract: A method of etching a workpiece comprising two or more materials is disclosed. The method involves using physical sputtering as the etching method where the processing parameters of the sputtering process are tuned to achieve a desired etch rate selectivity. The method includes determining the etch rate of each material disposed on the workpiece as a function of various processing parameters, such as ion species, ion energy, incidence angle and temperature. Once the relationship between etch rate and these parameters is determined for each material, a set of values for these processing parameters may be chosen to achieve the desired etch rate selectivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Kevin Anglin, Tristan Ma, Morgan D. Evans, John Hautala, Heyun Yin
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Patent number: 10002764Abstract: A method of etching a workpiece comprising two or more materials is disclosed. The method involves using physical sputtering as the etching method where the processing parameters of the sputtering process are tuned to achieve a desired etch rate selectivity. The method includes determining the etch rate of each material disposed on the workpiece as a function of various processing parameters, such as ion species, ion energy, incidence angle and temperature. Once the relationship between etch rate and these parameters is determined for each material, a set of values for these processing parameters may be chosen to achieve the desired etch rate selectivity.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Anglin, Tristan Ma, Morgan D. Evans, John Hautala, Heyun Yin
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Patent number: 9997351Abstract: A method may include generating a plasma in a plasma chamber and directing the ions comprising at least one of a condensing species and inert gas species from the plasma to a cavity within a substrate at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of the substrate. The method may further include; depositing a fill material within the cavity using the condensing species, the depositing taking place concurrently with the directing the ions, wherein the fill material accumulates on a lower surface of the cavity at a first rate, and wherein the fill material accumulates on an upper portion of a sidewall of the cavity at a second rate less than the first rate.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, John Hautala, Shurong Liang
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Patent number: 9984889Abstract: A method may include providing a surface feature on a substrate, the surface feature comprising a feature shape a feature location, and a dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane; depositing a layer comprising a layer material on the surface feature; and directing ions in an ion exposure at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein the ion exposure comprises the ions and reactive neutral species, the ion exposure reactively etching the layer material, wherein the ions impact a first portion of the surface feature and do not impact a second portion of the surface feature, and wherein an altered surface feature is generated, the altered surface feature differing from the surface feature in at least one of: the dimension along the first direction, the feature shape, or the feature location.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Simon Ruffell, Huixiong Dai, Jun Lang, John Hautala
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Publication number: 20180122650Abstract: A method of processing a layer. The method may include providing the layer on a substrate, the substrate defining a substrate plane; directing an ion beam to an exposed surface of the layer in an ion exposure when the substrate is disposed in a first rotational position, the ion beam having a first ion trajectory, the first ion trajectory extending along a first direction, wherein the first ion trajectory forms a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane; performing a rotation by rotating the substrate with respect to the ion beam about the perpendicular from the first rotational position to a second rotational position; and directing the ion beam to the exposed surface of the layer in an additional ion exposure along the first ion trajectory when the substrate is disposed in the second rotational position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2016Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Tristan Y. Ma, Morgan Evans, Kevin Anglin, Robert J. Masci, John Hautala
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Patent number: 9934981Abstract: A method of treating a substrate includes directing ions to the substrate along at least one non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to a substrate surface in a presence of a reactive ambient containing a reactive species where the substrate includes a surface feature. At least one surface of the surface feature is etched using the ions in combination with the reactive ambient at a first etch rate that is greater than a second etch rate when the ions are directed to the substrate without the reactive ambient and greater than a third etch rate when the reactive ambient is provided to the substrate without the ions.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Steven R. Sherman, Simon Ruffell, John Hautala, Adam Brand
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Patent number: 9929015Abstract: In one embodiment, a processing apparatus may include a process chamber configured to house a substrate and a hybrid source assembly that includes a gas channel coupled to a molecular source; and a plasma chamber configured to generate a plasma and isolated from the gas channel. The processing apparatus may also include an extraction assembly disposed between the hybrid source assembly and process chamber, coupled to the gas channel and plasma chamber, and configured to direct an ion beam to a substrate, the ion beam comprising angled ions wherein the angled ions form a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to a substrate plane; and configured to direct a molecular beam comprising molecular species received from the gas channel to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2014Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Thomas R. Omstead, Simon Ruffell, Tristan Ma, Ethan A. Wright, John Hautala
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Publication number: 20180082824Abstract: A workpiece processing apparatus allowing independent control of the voltage applied to the shield ring and the workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece processing apparatus includes a platen. The platen includes a dielectric material on which a workpiece is disposed. A bias electrode is disposed beneath the dielectric material. A shield ring, which is constructed from a metal, ceramic, semiconductor or dielectric material, is arranged around the perimeter of the workpiece. A ring electrode is disposed beneath the shield ring. The ring electrode and the bias electrode may be separately powered. This allows the surface voltage of the shield ring to match that of the workpiece, which causes the plasma sheath to be flat. Additionally, the voltage applied to the shield ring may be made different from that of the workpiece to compensate for mismatches in geometries. This improves uniformity of incident angles along the outer edge of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Maureen Petterson, John Hautala, Anthony Renau, Christopher A. Rowland, Costel Biloiu
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Publication number: 20180082844Abstract: A method of patterning a substrate. The method may include: providing a first surface feature and a second surface feature in a staggered configuration within a layer, the layer being disposed on the substrate, and directing first ions in a first exposure to a first side of the first surface feature and a first side of the second surface feature, in a presence of a reactive ambient containing a reactive species, wherein the first exposure etches the first side of the first surface feature and the first side of the second surface feature, wherein after the directing, the first surface feature and the second surface feature merge to form a third surface feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Steven R. Sherman, John Hautala, Simon Ruffell
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Publication number: 20180047583Abstract: A method may include providing an initial mask feature in a mask disposed on a substrate, the initial mask feature comprising a first material, the substrate defining a substrate plane; directing ions as an ion beam to the initial mask feature at a non-zero angle of incidence ? with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein a composite mask feature is formed, the composite mask feature comprising a cap material disposed on the initial mask feature, the cap material comprising the ions; and performing a substrate etch, wherein an etch feature is formed in the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the initial mask feature remains after the substrate etch, wherein the substrate etch etches the first material at a first etch rate and etches the cap material at a second etch rate, the first etch rate being greater than the second etch rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventor: John Hautala
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Patent number: 9885957Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for patterning a semiconductor device. Exemplary approaches include providing a set of photoresist patterning features atop a substrate, the set of patterning features having a surface roughness characterized by a set of protrusions and a set of indentations. The approaches further include implanting first ions into a sidewall surface of the set of photoresist patterning features to form a film layer having a non-uniform thickness along the sidewall surface, wherein a thickness of the film layer formed over the indentations is greater than a thickness of the film layer formed over the protrusions. The approaches further include sputtering the sidewall surface of the photoresist patterning features following the formation of the film layer to modify a portion of the film layer and/or the set of protrusions, wherein the sputtering includes directing second ions to photoresist patterning features at an angle with the sidewall surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Maureen K. Petterson, Tristan Ma, John Hautala
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Publication number: 20170330796Abstract: A method may include providing a cavity in a surface of a substrate, the cavity comprising a sidewall portion and a lower surface; directing depositing species to the surface of the substrate, wherein the depositing species condense to form a fill material on the sidewall portion and lower surface; and directing angled ions at the cavity at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane defined by the substrate, wherein the angled ions strike an exposed part of the sidewall portion and do not strike the lower surface, and wherein the cavity is filled by the fill material in a bottom-up fill process.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2016Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Simon Ruffell, John Hautala
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Publication number: 20170278031Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a crisis management platform are described. A method includes receiving a first notification of an event, such as a crisis event. A second notification of the event is transmitted to user equipment devices of a plurality of individuals. A user selection of a crisis-related option from a plurality of crisis-related options is received after transmitting the second notification is transmitted, and an action is taken in response to receiving the user selection of the crisis-related option. An electronic document is designed and distributed as a portable tool with easily accessible information for a crisis team to use as a straightforward reference to manage the decisioning and workflow coordination related to crisis management. Interactive user interfaces with hyperlinks to various electronic resources and tools may be provided to automatically and methodologically inform various users of their roles and guide them through a crisis response procedure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2015Publication date: September 28, 2017Inventors: Eric John Hautala, Mary Jane Tohlen, Robert Anthony Fucito
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Publication number: 20170263460Abstract: A method may include providing a surface feature on a substrate, the surface feature comprising a feature shape a feature location, and a dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane; depositing a layer comprising a layer material on the surface feature; and directing ions in an ion exposure at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, wherein the ion exposure comprises the ions and reactive neutral species, the ion exposure reactively etching the layer material, wherein the ions impact a first portion of the surface feature and do not impact a second portion of the surface feature, and wherein an altered surface feature is generated, the altered surface feature differing from the surface feature in at least one of: the dimension along the first direction, the feature shape, or the feature location.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2016Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Simon Ruffell, Huixiong Dai, Jun Lang, John Hautala