Patents by Inventor Srinivas Gandikota

Srinivas Gandikota 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: 11557478
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques for deposition of high-density films for patterning applications. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes depositing a carbon hardmask over a film stack formed on a substrate, wherein the substrate is positioned on an electrostatic chuck disposed in a process chamber, implanting ions into the carbon hardmask, wherein depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask are performed in the same process chamber, and repeating depositing the carbon hardmask and implanting ions into the carbon hardmask in a cyclic fashion until a pre-determined thickness of the carbon hardmask is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Pramit Manna, Abhijit B. Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11552177
    Abstract: Metal gate stacks and integrated methods of forming metal gate stacks are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise NbN as a PMOS work function material at a thickness in a range of greater than or equal to 5 ? to less than or equal to 50 ?. The PMOS work function material comprising NbN has an effective work function of greater than or equal to 4.75 eV. Some embodiments comprise HfO2 as a high-? metal oxide layer. Some embodiments provide improved PMOS bandedge performance evidenced by improved flatband voltage. Some embodiments exclude transition metal niobium nitride materials as work function materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C. H. Hung, Mandyam Sriram, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Yong Yang
  • Publication number: 20230005945
    Abstract: Methods of forming memory structures are discussed. Specifically, methods of forming 3D NAND devices are discussed. Some embodiments form memory structures with a metal nitride barrier layer, an ?-tungsten layer, and a bulk metal material. The barrier layer comprises a TiXN or TaXN material, where X comprises a metal selected from one or more of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), tungsten (W), lanthanum (La), yttrium (Yt), strontium (Sr), or magnesium (Mg).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Yong Wu, Wei V. Tang, Srinivas Gandikota, Yongjing Lin, Karla M Bernal Ramos, Shih Chung Chen
  • Publication number: 20220403505
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate is provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises depositing a silicide layer within a feature defined in a layer on a substrate, forming one of a metal liner layer or a metal seed layer atop the silicide layer within the feature via depositing at least one of molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W) using physical vapor deposition, and depositing Mo using at least one of chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition atop the at least one of the metal liner layer or the metal seed layer, without vacuum break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Annamalai LAKSHMANAN, Jacqueline S. WRENCH, Feihu WANG, Yixiong YANG, Joung Joo LEE, Srinivas GANDIKOTA, Sang-heum KIM, Zhebo CHEN, Gang SHEN
  • Publication number: 20220389585
    Abstract: Process chamber lids, processing chambers and methods using the lids are described. The lid includes a pumping liner with a showerhead, blocker plate and gas funnel positioned therein. A liner heater is positioned on the pumping liner to control temperature in the pumping liner. Gas is flowed into the gas funnel using a dead-volume free one-way valve with a remote plasma source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhannad Mustafa, Muhammad M. Rasheed, Mario D. Sanchez, Srinivas Gandikota, Wei V. Tang
  • Publication number: 20220389568
    Abstract: Methods for filling a substrate feature with a seamless metal gate fill are described. Methods comprise sequentially depositing a film on a substrate surface having at least one feature thereon. The at least one feature extends a feature depth from the substrate surface to a bottom surface and has a width defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The film is treated with an oxidizing plasma. Then the film is etched to remove the oxidized film. A second film is deposited to fill the feature, where the second film substantially free of seams and voids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Subramanian Tamilmani, Srinivas Gandikota, Jianqiu Guo, Luping Li
  • Publication number: 20220384469
    Abstract: A memory device comprises: a stack of alternating silicon oxide layers and wordline layers; each of the wordline layers comprising dipole regions adjacent to the silicon oxide layers, the dipole regions comprising a nitride, a carbide, an oxide, a carbonitride, or combinations thereof of a dipole metal. The dipole regions are formed by driving a dipole film into a gate oxide layer of the wordline layers, and any residual dipole film is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Pradeep K. Subrahmanyan, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11515207
    Abstract: Methods of producing a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide are described. Some methods comprise forming a metal-containing film in a substrate feature and exposing the metal-containing film to a chalogen precursor to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Some methods comprise forming a metal-containing film in a substrate feature, expanding the metal-containing film to form a pillar and exposing the pillar to a chalogen precursor to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Some methods comprise directly forming a metal chalcogenide pillar in a substrate feature to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Methods of forming self-aligned vias are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Amrita B. Mullick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11515144
    Abstract: Methods for filling the gap of a semiconductor feature comprising exposure of a substrate surface to a precursor and reactant and an anneal environment to decrease the wet etch rate ratio of the deposited film and fill the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Tanaka, Andrew Short, Mandyam Sriram, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220359532
    Abstract: Methods of forming memory devices are described. A molybdenum silicide nucleation layer is formed, and the substrate is soaked in a titanium precursor prior to a bulk molybdenum gap fill process. In other embodiments, a molybdenum silicide film is formed in a first process cycle and a second process cycle is performed where the substrate is exposed to a titanium precursor. In further embodiments, a substrate having at least one feature thereon is exposed to a first titanium precursor and a nitrogen-containing reactant. The substrate is then soaked in a second titanium precursor, and then is exposed to a first molybdenum precursor followed by exposure to a silane to form a molybdenum silicide layer on a surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Kunal Bhatnagar, Srinivas Gandikota, Seshadri Ganguli, Jose Alexandro Romero, Mandyam Sriram, Mohith Verghese, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang
  • Publication number: 20220359281
    Abstract: Methods for forming a semiconductor structure are described. The method includes cleaning a substrate to form a substrate surface substantially free of oxide, exposing the substrate surface to a first molybdenum precursor, and exposing the substrate surface to a reactant to selectively deposit a first molybdenum film on the substrate surface. The method may be performed in a processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The method may also include forming one or more of a cap layer and a liner and annealing the substrate. The method may also include depositing a second molybdenum film on the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Seshadri Ganguli, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Yong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11488856
    Abstract: Methods for seam-less gapfill comprising sequentially depositing a film with a seam, reducing the height of the film to remove the seam and repeating until a seam-less film is formed. Some embodiments include optional film doping and film treatment (e.g., ion implantation and annealing).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Pramit Manna, Ludovic Godet, Rui Cheng, Erica Chen, Ziqing Duan, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11476267
    Abstract: Methods of forming memory structures are discussed. Specifically, methods of forming 3D NAND devices are discussed. Some embodiments form memory structures with a metal nitride barrier layer, an ?-tungsten layer, and a bulk metal material. The barrier layer comprises a TiXN or TaXN material, where X comprises a metal selected from one or more of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), tungsten (W), lanthanum (La), yttrium (Yt), strontium (Sr), or magnesium (Mg).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Yong Wu, Wei V. Tang, Srinivas Gandikota, Yongjing Lin, Karla M Bernal Ramos, Shih Chung Chen
  • Publication number: 20220328308
    Abstract: A method of forming a high-? dielectric cap layer on a semiconductor structure formed on a substrate includes depositing the high-? dielectric cap layer on the semiconductor structure, depositing a sacrificial silicon cap layer on the high-? dielectric cap layer, performing a post cap anneal process to harden and densify the as-deposited high-? dielectric cap layer, and removing the sacrificial silicon cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Srinivas GANDIKOTA, Yixiong YANG, Jacqueline Samantha WRENCH, Yong YANG, Steven C. H. HUNG
  • Patent number: 11462438
    Abstract: Methods of producing a self-aligned structure are described. The methods comprise forming a metal-containing film in a substrate feature and silicidizing the metal-containing film to form a self-aligned structure comprising metal silicide. In some embodiments, the rate of formation of the self-aligned structure is controlled. In some embodiments, the amount of volumetric expansion of the metal-containing film to form the self-aligned structure is controlled. Methods of forming self-aligned vias are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Srinivas Gandikota, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Amrita B. Mullick
  • Patent number: 11447866
    Abstract: Process chamber lids, processing chambers and methods using the lids are described. The lid includes a pumping liner with a showerhead, blocker plate and gas funnel positioned therein. A liner heater is positioned on the pumping liner to control temperature in the pumping liner. Gas is flowed into the gas funnel using a dead-volume free one-way valve with a remote plasma source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhannad Mustafa, Muhammad M. Rasheed, Mario D. Sanchez, Srinivas Gandikota, Wei V. Tang
  • Patent number: 11437271
    Abstract: Methods for filling a substrate feature with a seamless gap fill are described. Methods comprise forming a metal film a substrate surface, the sidewalls and the bottom surface of a feature, the metal film having a void located within the width of the feature; treating the metal film with a plasma; and annealing the metal film to remove the void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yixiong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota, Wei Liu
  • Publication number: 20220277961
    Abstract: Methods for depositing a metal contact stack on a substrate are described. The method stack includes a metal cap layer and a molybdenum conductor layer. The method includes depositing the metal cap layer on the substrate by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and depositing the molybdenum conductor layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the metal cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Annamalai Lakshmanan, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Feihu Wang, Yixiong Yang, Joung Joo Lee, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220278108
    Abstract: Methods for DRAM device with a buried word line are described. The method includes forming a metal cap layer and a molybdenum conductor layer in a feature on a substrate. The method includes depositing the metal cap layer on the substrate by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and depositing the molybdenum conductor layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the metal cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc
    Inventors: Yixiong Yang, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Joung Joo Lee, Feihu Wang, Seshadri Ganguli
  • Publication number: 20220270870
    Abstract: A processing method comprises positioning a substrate in a processing chamber and setting a temperature of the substrate to a range of 50° C. to 500° C.; conducting an atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle on the substrate; and repeating the ALD cycle to form a silicon oxide film. The ALD cycle comprises: exposing the substrate to an aminosilane precursor in the processing chamber by pulsing a flow of the aminosilane precursor; purging the processing chamber of the aminosilane precursor; exposing the substrate to an oxidizing agent by pulsing a flow of the oxidizing agent for a duration in a range of greater than or equal to 100 milliseconds to less than or equal to 3 seconds; and purging the processing chamber of the oxidizing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Geetika Bajaj, Prerna Sonthalia Goradia, Seshadri Ganguli, Srinivas Gandikota, Robert Jan Visser, Suraj Rengarajan