Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Gerald Fisher.
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Patent number: 6531777Abstract: A structure and method for determining barrier layer integrity for multi-level copper metallization structures in integrated circuit manufacturing. Novel testing structures prevent any conducting residues of the copper CMP from diffusing into the dielectric layer. Barrier layer integrity is tested by performing leakage or other electrical measurements between copper features on two different metal levels.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2000Date of Patent: March 11, 2003Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Christy Mei-Chu Woo, Amit P. Marathe
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Patent number: 6512273Abstract: An integrated circuit CMOS structure and method for forming the structure provides gate sidewall spacers which are independently optimized for the n-channel and p-channel devices to improve hot-carrier lifetime while maintaining high drive currents. This is accomplished by providing polysilicon spacers for the n-channel devices and silicon nitride spacers for the p-channel devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2000Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Zoran Krivokapic, Ognjen Milic, Sunny Cherian
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Patent number: 6503418Abstract: A Ta barrier slurry for Chemical-Mechanical Polishing (CMP) during copper metallization contains an organic additive which suppresses formation of precipitates and copper staining.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1999Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Kashmir S. Sahota, Diana M. Schonauer, Steven C. Avanzino
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Patent number: 6501134Abstract: An improved Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) device structure with a thin SOI silicon layer maintains excellent Ioff DC characteristics without degrading device AC speed and characteristics. The device structure comprises double gate sidewall spacers including an inner polysilicon spacer and an outer dielectric (nitride or oxide) sidewall spacer.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Zoran Krivokapic
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Patent number: 6472308Abstract: An improved manufacturing process and an improved device made by the process for forming via interconnects between metal layers in a multilevel metallization structure substantially eliminates trench formation during via overetch and exploding vias during via fill. An insulating multilayer structure comprising a conformal oxide, a spin-on layer, and an etch stop layer for the via etch locally planarizes the region adjacent to metal lines before the ILD is deposited and vias are patterned and etched. Using this process, metal borders around vias can be reduced or eliminated, thereby increasing circuit packing density.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Sunil D. Mehta
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Patent number: 6420702Abstract: An SEM measurement standard for measuring linewidths of 0.1 microns and below utilizes two different conducting materials in order to prevent charging effects. The top material is selected to use grain morphology to focus secondary electrons, and to obtain improved image contrast. The inventive standard is comprised of materials which are commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing and which do not cause contamination of fabrication facilities.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas H. Tripsas, Bhanwar Singh, Michael K. Templeton
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Patent number: 6362527Abstract: An improved manufacturing process and an improved device made by the process for forming via interconnects between metal layers in a multilevel metallization structure substantially eliminates trench formation during via overetch and exploding vias during via fill. An insulating multilayer structure comprising a conformal oxide, a spin-on layer, and an etch stop layer for the via etch locally planarizes the region adjacent to metal lines before the ILD is deposited and vias are patterned and etched. Using this process, metal borders around vias can be reduced or eliminated, thereby increasing circuit packing density.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1996Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Sunil D. Mehta
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Patent number: 6340395Abstract: A wet spray cleaning process for removing thick organic layers including hardened photoresist from the surface of silicon wafers yields low residual particle counts for photoresist thicknesses up to 3 microns, and maintains low residual particle density for oxide-covered wafer regions. The cleaning process uses multiple cycles of SPM/DI/APM/DI, without an intervening drying step therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2000Date of Patent: January 22, 2002Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Jacques Bertrand, Barry Dick, Shu Tsai Wang, Weiwen Ou, Lynne A. Okada, Yen C. Chu
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Patent number: 6297159Abstract: A process for, and apparatus for, Chemically-Mechanically Polishing (CMP) a semiconductor wafer with a slurry including ElectroRheological (ER) and/or MagnetoRheological (MR) fluids. The combination of the materials and an electric field provides inherent tuning of polishing rates, locally and globally, and improves flatness and uniformity, as well as minimizing recession and erosion.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1999Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Eric N. Paton
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Patent number: 6245689Abstract: A process for growing an ultra-thin dielelctric layer for use as a MOSFET gate or a tunnel oxide for EEPROM's is described. A silicon oxynitride layer, with peaks in nitrogen concentration at the wafer-oxynitride interface and at the oxynitride surface and with low nitrogen concentration in the oxynitride bulk, is formed by a series of anneals in nitric oxide and nitrous oxide gas. This process provides precise thickness control, improved interface structure, low density electron traps, and impedes dopant impurity diffusion from/to the dielelctric and substrate. The process is easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes, and adds little increased costs.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1998Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Ming-Yin Hao, Robert Bertram Ogle, Jr., Derick Wristers
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Patent number: 6017463Abstract: An improved tungsten plug/Local Interconnect slurry for Chemical Mechanical Polishing which does not require inclusion of a chemical stabilizer. The slurry is made using a combination of two separate batch mixings of stable ingredients and Point-of Use mixing of portions of the two batches, whereby the oxidizers are combined with the coated abrasive mixture immediately prior to dispensing the slurry onto the polishing pad by combining selected flows from each of the two batches to form a total flow rate equal to the required rate of slurry flow onto the polishing pad.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1997Date of Patent: January 25, 2000Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Christy Mei-Chu Woo, Steven C. Avanzino, Steven Douglas Bartlett
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Patent number: 5691280Abstract: A thin film which is substantially free of measurable surface defects due to second-phase inclusions is disclosed. The film is composed of multilayered strata of a first metal oxide interspersed with single molecular layers of a second metal oxide, where the second metal oxide is effective to absorb second-phase defects which form in the first oxide layers.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1996Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.Inventors: James N. Eckstein, Ivan Bozovic
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Patent number: 5482611Abstract: A sputter magnetron ion source for producing an intense plasma in a cathode container which ionizes a high and substantial percentage of the sputter cathode material and means for extracting the ions of the cathode material in a beam. The ion extraction means is implemented by a magnetic field cusp configuration with a null region adjacent to the open end of the cathode container. Ions so produced are able to be directed at right angles to a substrate being coated for efficient via filling.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1993Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Inventors: John C. Helmer, Kwok F. Lai, Robert L. Anderson
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Patent number: 5400370Abstract: An all digital data algorithmic recovery method and apparatus which operates at jitter greater than 25% and where run length is more than 1000 bits and which uses self calibrated delay elements to phase align a locally generated time ruler reference with the data average transition position to reliably establish the sampling time for retrieving data from an incoming binary sequence at the center of the data eye. The phase adjusted time ruler signal is used to sample transition positions of the data and the sampled data is statistically analyzed in a state machine wherein the time ruler is a broadband signal comprising a first and second base frequency and wherein the period of one of said frequencies is ##EQU1## where F.sub.R equals the receiver local clock frequency and F.sub.T equals the frequency of the distant clock.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1993Date of Patent: March 21, 1995Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.Inventor: Bin Guo
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Patent number: 5381006Abstract: Improved methods of using an ion trap mass spectrometer, whereby AC voltages supplemental to the AC trapping voltage are used for scanning the trap, for conducting chemical ionization experiments, and for conducting MS.sup.n experiments, are shown. In one embodiment a broadband supplemental AC voltage is applied to rid the trap of ions above or below a preselected cutoff mass. This is particularly useful in conducting chemical ionization experiments for eliminating high mass sample ions that are formed when the reagent gas is ionized by electron impact ionization. Likewise, this technique may be used to eliminate low mass reagent ions when conducting an electron impact ionization experiment in the presence of a reagent gas. In another embodiment a non-resonant, low-frequency supplemental voltage is applied to the trap causing trapped ions to undergo collision induced dissociation. Multiple generations of ion fragments may be simultaneously formed in this manner, thereby enabling MS.sup.n experiments.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1993Date of Patent: January 10, 1995Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Wells, Minada Wang
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Patent number: 5367542Abstract: All digital, high frequency data separation receiver apparatus and method for ascertaining the correct sequence of received digital data without a phase locked loop or an analogue voltage control oscillator (VCO) method, which employs a series of time delay circuits to establish time rulers to unambiguously determine the sequence of received bits.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1992Date of Patent: November 22, 1994Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Bin Guo
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Patent number: 5363419Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling a PLL so that handover between fine and coarse loops take place at 2.5% of the nominal VCO frequency and where the coarse and fine loops error are combined in a summer circuit which employs a series circuit having a P-channel and N-channel FET with common drains and where the drains connected to the summer output node.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1992Date of Patent: November 8, 1994Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth S. Ho
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Patent number: 5349612Abstract: A self calibrated time delay circuit including a plurality of serially connected unit delay cells each having an output tap which is selectable, a registration means for simultaneously determining the status of each output node of each of the unit delay cells, combinatorial and sequential logic units for analyzing said registration means and sending error correction commands to an up/down controller, said up down controller providing a command code for controlling the delay of each said unit delay by selecting which tap is output from said unit delay cell.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1992Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Bin Guo, James J. Kubinec
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Patent number: 5348615Abstract: Technique and apparatus for planarizing microsteps on a substrate by compressing the surface to be smoothed against a frozen layer of an etchant, where the compressive force is sufficient to melt the etchant at the contact edges between said microsteps and said etchant.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1993Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Subhash Gupta
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Patent number: 5347547Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the reliability of resynchronization in a serial frame based protocol communication system which can avoid resynchronization when line loss erroneously causes data to appear as a redundant unique code pattern. The synchronization is only initiated if two such unique code pattern bytes are received within a specified time separation.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1992Date of Patent: September 13, 1994Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Marc C. Gleichert, Yun-Che Wang