Patents by Inventor Tsung-Liang Chen

Tsung-Liang Chen 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: 10004133
    Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Shurong Liang, Costel Biloiu, Glen F. R. Gilchrist, Vikram Singh, Christopher Campbell, Richard Hertel, Alexander Kontos, Piero Sferlazzo, Tsung-Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 9997351
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, John Hautala, Shurong Liang
  • Publication number: 20170311430
    Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Shurong Liang, Costel Biloiu, Glen F.R. Gilchrist, Vikram Singh, Christopher Campbell, Richard Hertel, Alexander Kontos, Piero Sferlazzo, Tsung-Liang Chen
  • Publication number: 20170294569
    Abstract: A method may include: providing a device stack, the device stack comprising sidewall portions and extending above a substrate base, the device stack further including a plurality of metal layers; depositing an interface layer conformally over the device stack using an atomic layer deposition process, the interface layer comprising a first insulator material; depositing an encapsulation layer on the interface layer, the encapsulation layer comprising a second insulator material; and depositing an interlevel dielectric disposed on the encapsulation layer, the interlevel dielectric comprising a third insulator material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Shurong Liang, Alexander C. Kontos
  • Patent number: 9706634
    Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc
    Inventors: Shurong Liang, Costel Biloiu, Glen F. R. Gilchrist, Vikram Singh, Christopher Campbell, Richard Hertel, Alexander Kontos, Piero Sferlazzo, Tsung-Liang Chen
  • Publication number: 20170178900
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, John Hautala, Shurong Liang, Joseph Olson
  • Publication number: 20170159188
    Abstract: A system and method for removing metal from a substrate in a controlled manner is disclosed. The system includes a chamber, with one or more gas inlets to allow the flow of gasses into the chamber, at least one exhaust pump, to exhaust gasses from the chamber, and a heater, capable of modifying the temperature of the chamber. In some embodiments, one or more gasses are introduced into the chamber at a first temperature. The atoms in these gasses chemically react with the metal on the surface of the substrate to form a removable compound. The gasses are then exhausted from the chamber, leaving the removable compound on the surface of the substrate. The temperature of the chamber is then elevated to a second temperature, greater than the sublimation temperature of the removable compound. This increased temperature allows the removable compound to become gaseous and be exhausted from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Benjamin Schmiege, Jeffrey W. Anthis, Glen Gilchrist
  • Publication number: 20170162384
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, John Hautala, Shurong Liang
  • Patent number: 9611552
    Abstract: A system and method for removing metal from a substrate in a controlled manner is disclosed. The system includes a chamber, with one or more gas inlets to allow the flow of gasses into the chamber, at least one exhaust pump, to exhaust gasses from the chamber, and a heater, capable of modifying the temperature of the chamber. In some embodiments, one or more gasses are introduced into the chamber at a first temperature. The atoms in these gasses chemically react with the metal on the surface of the substrate to form a removable compound. The gasses are then exhausted from the chamber, leaving the removable compound on the surface of the substrate. The temperature of the chamber is then elevated to a second temperature, greater than the sublimation temperature of the removable compound. This increased temperature allows the removable compound to become gaseous and be exhausted from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Benjamin Schmiege, Jeffrey W. Anthis, Glen Gilchrist
  • Publication number: 20170042010
    Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Shurong Liang, Costel Biloiu, Glen F.R. Gilchrist, Vikram Singh, Christopher Campbell, Richard Hertel, Alexander Kontos, Piero Sferlazzo, Tsung-Liang Chen
  • Publication number: 20170029950
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus to selectively deposit a carbon layer on substrate, comprising a plasma chamber to receive a flow of carbon-containing gas; a power source to generate a plasma containing the carbon-containing gas in the plasma chamber; an extraction plate to extract an ion beam from the plasma and direct the ion beam to the substrate, the ion beam comprising ions having trajectories forming a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of the substrate, the extraction plate further configured to conduct a neutral species derived from the carbon-containing gas to the substrate; and a substrate stage facing the extraction plate and including a heater to heat the substrate to a first temperature, when the ion beam and carbon-containing species impinge on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Alex Tsung-Liang Chen, Simon Ruffell
  • Patent number: 9520284
    Abstract: Approaches herein provide precise areal surface reaction with directional ion beam activation. Exemplary approaches include selectively forming a material within a trench of a semiconductor device using a plurality of successive deposition and activation cycles. Each of the plurality of deposition and activation cycles includes forming a precursor conformally along a set of surfaces of the trench, reacting the precursor with a capping compound to form a capping layer along the set of surfaces of the trench, and performing an ion implant to the semiconductor device to activate just a portion of the capping layer. In one approach, the ion implant activates just a portion of the capping layer along a bottom surface of the trench. In another approach, the ion implant activates just a portion of the capping layer along an upper section of a sidewall of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Mark Saly
  • Publication number: 20160265121
    Abstract: A system and method for removing metal from a substrate in a controlled manner is disclosed. The system includes a chamber, with one or more gas inlets to allow the flow of gasses into the chamber, at least one exhaust pump, to exhaust gasses from the chamber, and a heater, capable of modifying the temperature of the chamber. In some embodiments, one or more gasses are introduced into the chamber at a first temperature. The atoms in these gasses chemically react with the metal on the surface of the substrate to form a removable compound. The gasses are then exhausted from the chamber, leaving the removable compound on the surface of the substrate. The temperature of the chamber is then elevated to a second temperature, greater than the sublimation temperature of the removable compound. This increased temperature allows the removable compound to become gaseous and be exhausted from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Benjamin Schmiege, Jeffrey W. Anthis, Glen Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 9418832
    Abstract: A method for flowable oxide deposition is provided. An oxygen source gas is increased as a function of time or film depth to change the flowable oxide properties such that the deposited film is optimized for gap fill near a substrate surface where high aspect ratio shapes are present. The oxygen gas flow rate increases as the film depth increases, such that the deposited film is optimized for planarization quality at the upper regions of the deposited film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventors: Hung-Wei Liu, Tsung-Liang Chen, Huang Liu, Zhiguo Sun
  • Patent number: 9349814
    Abstract: Methods of facilitating gate height uniformity by controlling recessing of dielectric material and semiconductor devices formed from the methods are provided. The methods include, for instance, forming a transistor of the semiconductor device with an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, the n-type transistor and the p-type transistor including plurality of sacrificial gate structures and protective masks at upper surfaces of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; providing a dielectric material over and between the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; partially densifying the dielectric material to form a partially densified dielectric material; further densifying the partially densified dielectric material to create a modified dielectric material; and creating substantially planar surface on the modified dielectric material, to control dielectric material recess and gate height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Hung-Wei Liu, Rohit Pal, Hsin-Neng Tai, Huey-Ming Wang, Tae Hoon Lee, Songkram Srivathanakul, Danni Chen
  • Patent number: 9257516
    Abstract: An intermediate semiconductor structure in fabrication includes a substrate. A plurality of gate structures is disposed over the substrate, with at least two of the gate structures separated by a sacrificial material between adjacent gate structures. A portion of the sacrificial material is removed to form openings within the sacrificial material, which are filled with a filler material having a high aspect ratio oxide. The excess filler material is removed. A portion of the gate structures is removed to form gate openings within the gate structures. The gate openings are filled with gate cap material and the excess gate cap material is removed to create a substantially planar surface overlaying the gate structures and the sacrificial material to control sacrificial oxide recess and gate height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Hsin-Neng Tai, Huey-Ming Wang
  • Publication number: 20150270364
    Abstract: Methods of facilitating gate height uniformity by controlling recessing of dielectric material and semiconductor devices formed from the methods are provided. The methods include, for instance, forming a transistor of the semiconductor device with an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, the n-type transistor and the p-type transistor including plurality of sacrificial gate structures and protective masks at upper surfaces of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; providing a dielectric material over and between the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; partially densifying the dielectric material to form a partially densified dielectric material; further densifying the partially densified dielectric material to create a modified dielectric material; and creating substantially planar surface on the modified dielectric material, to control dielectric material recess and gate height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang CHEN, Hung-Wei LIU, Rohit PAL, Hsin-Neng TAI, Huey-Ming WANG, Tae Hoon LEE, Songkram SRIVATHANAKUL, Danni CHEN
  • Publication number: 20150256798
    Abstract: An image monitoring system includes a first control interface, a second control interface, a recording module, a storage device, and a control circuit. The recording module generates an image monitoring data. The storage device stores the image monitoring data. The control circuit is controlled by the first control interface and the second control interface. The control circuit performs a system operation in respect of the image monitoring data according to a first trigger signal when the first control interface receives the first trigger signal and performs the system operation in respect of the image monitoring data according to a second trigger signal when the second control interface receives the second trigger signal. The first control interface is different from the second control interface, and the first trigger signal is different from the second trigger signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: ALPHA IMAGING TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang CHEN, Chih-Chan YEN
  • Patent number: 9093560
    Abstract: Methods of facilitating gate height uniformity by controlling recessing of dielectric material and semiconductor devices formed from the methods are provided. The methods include, for instance, forming a transistor of the semiconductor device with an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, the n-type transistor and the p-type transistor including plurality of sacrificial gate structures and protective masks at upper surfaces of the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; providing a dielectric material over and between the plurality of sacrificial gate structures; partially densifying the dielectric material to form a partially densified dielectric material; further densifying the partially densified dielectric material to create a modified dielectric material; and creating substantially planar surface on the modified dielectric material, to control dielectric material recess and gate height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Chen, Hung-Wei Liu, Rohit Pal, Hsin-Neng Tai, Huey-Ming Wang, Tae Hoon Lee, Songkram Srivathanakul, Danni Chen
  • Publication number: 20150162188
    Abstract: A method for flowable oxide deposition is provided. An oxygen source gas is increased as a function of time or film depth to change the flowable oxide properties such that the deposited film is optimized for gap fill near a substrate surface where high aspect ratio shapes are present. The oxygen gas flow rate increases as the film depth increases, such that the deposited film is optimized for planarization quality at the upper regions of the deposited film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Wei Liu, Tsung-Liang Chen, Huang Liu, Zhiguo Sun