Patents Assigned to Applied Material
  • Patent number: 7265900
    Abstract: Apparatus for imaging an area of a surface along a viewing angle that is oblique to the surface includes an afocal optical relay, which is adapted to form a tilted initial image of the area by collecting optical radiation from the area along an optical axis oriented at the viewing angle. A tilt correction unit is coupled to correct a tilt of the initial image so as to form a substantially undistorted intermediate image. A magnification module is coupled to focus the intermediate image onto an image detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc., Applied Materials Israel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Doron Korngut, Benjamin Cohen, Avishay Guetta
  • Patent number: 7265382
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided for reducing dimensional variation by feeding forward information relating to photoresist mask CD and profile and underlying layer thickness measured at several points on the wafer to adjust the next process the inspected wafer will undergo (e.g., the etch process). After the processing step, dimensions of a structure formed by the process, such as the CD and depth of a trench formed by the process, are measured at several points on the wafer, and this information is fed back to the process tool to adjust the process for the next wafer to further reduce dimensional variation. In certain embodiments, the CD, profile, thickness and depth measurements, etch processing and post-etch cleaning are performed at a single module in a controlled environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitris Lymberopoulos, Gary Hsueh, Sukesh Mohan
  • Patent number: 7265062
    Abstract: A process for depositing porous silicon oxide-based films using a sol-gel approach utilizing a precursor solution formulation which includes a purified nonionic surfactant and an additive among other components, where the additive is either an ionic additive or an amine additive which forms an ionic ammonium type salt in the acidic precursor solution. Using this precursor solution formulation enables formation of a film having a dielectric constant less than 2.5, appropriate mechanical properties, and minimal levels of alkali metal impurities. In one embodiment, this is achieved by purifying the surfactant and adding ionic or amine additives such as tetraalkylammonium salts and amines to the stock precursor solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc., Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Mandal, Alexandros T. Demos, Timothy Weidman, Michael P. Nault, Nikolaos Bekiaris, Scott Jeffrey Weigel, Lee A. Senecal, James E. Mac Dougall, Hareesh Thridandam
  • Publication number: 20070202640
    Abstract: A method of forming source and drain regions in a semiconductor transistor. The method includes the steps of forming a first sidewall spacer on sidewall surfaces of a gate electrode that is formed on an underlying substrate, where the first sidewall spacer includes amorphous carbon. The method may also include implanting the source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate, and removing the first sidewall spacer before annealing the source and drain regions. The method may still further include forming a second sidewall spacer on the sidewall surfaces of the gate electrode, where the second sidewall spacer has a k-value less than 4. Also, a method to enhance conformality of a sidewall spacer layer. The method may include the steps of pulsing a radio-frequency power source to generate periodically a plasma, and depositing the plasma on sidewall surfaces of a gate electrode to form the sidewall spacer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Al-Bayati, Reza Arghavani, Mei-Yee Shek, Li-Qun Xia, Mihaela Balseanu, Bok Kim, Michael Cox, Chad Peterson, Hichem M'Saad
  • Patent number: 7262133
    Abstract: A method for depositing a cap layer over a metal-containing interconnect is provided. In one aspect, the cap layer is formed by introducing a pulse of a metal-containing compound followed by a pulse of a nitrogen-containing compound. In one aspect, the cap layer comprises tantalum nitride. The cap layer provides good barrier and adhesive properties, thereby enhancing the electrical performance and reliability of the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Chen, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 7262865
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling when a calibration cycle is started for a metrology tool. The method and apparatus exploits a correlation between a drift of a first parameter (e.g., film thickness measurement drift) and a drift of a second parameter (e.g., CD measurement drift). One embodiment of the method comprises measuring a film thickness on one or more reference substrates to determine when a drift component of these measurements exceeds a pre-determined range and thereafter calibrating the metrology tool when the drift component of the film thickness measurements exceeds the pre-determined range. Generally, the drift of the film thickness measurement will occur prior to substantial drift of the CD measurement occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Mui, Hiroki Sasano, Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 7262106
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate comprising depositing a layer comprising amorphous carbon on the substrate and then exposing the substrate to electromagnetic radiation have one or more wavelengths between about 600 nm and about 1000 nm under conditions sufficient to heat the layer to a temperature of at least about 300° C. is provided. Optionally, the layer further comprises a dopant selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, boron, phosphorus, fluorine, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the layer comprising amorphous carbon is an anti-reflective coating and an absorber layer that absorbs the electromagnetic radiation and anneals a top surface layer of the substrate. In one aspect, the substrate is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation in a laser annealing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Van Autryve, Chris D. Bencher, Dean Jennings, Haifan Liang, Abhilash J. Mayur, Mark Yam, Wendy H. Yeh, Richard A. Brough
  • Patent number: 7262418
    Abstract: A multi-charged particle beam tool for semiconductor wafer inspection or lithography includes an array of electron beam columns, each having its own electron or ion source. The objective lenses of the various electron beam columns, while each has its own pole piece, share a common single magnetic coil which generates a uniform magnetic field surrounding the entire array of electron beam columns. This advantageously improves the spacing between the beams while providing the superior optical properties of a strong magnetic objective lens. When used as an inspection tool, each column also has its own associated detector to detect secondary and back-scattered electrons from the wafer under inspection. In one version the gun lenses similarly have individual pole pieces for each column and share a common magnetic coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiwoei Wayne Lo, Xinrong Jiang
  • Patent number: 7262116
    Abstract: A method of preparing a clean substrate surface for blanket or selective epitaxial deposition of silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films. In addition, a method of growing the silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films, where both the substrate cleaning method and the film growth method are carried out at a temperature below 750° C., and typically at a temperature from about 700° C. to about 500° C. The cleaning method and the film growth method employ the use of radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 310 nm to about 120 nm in the processing volume in which the silicon-containing film is grown. Use of this radiation in combination with particular partial pressure ranges for the reactive cleaning or film-forming component species enable the substrate cleaning and epitaxial film growth at temperatures below those previously known in the industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushal K. Singh, David Carlson, Manish Hemkar, Satheesh Kuppurao, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20070197145
    Abstract: A polishing article is described. The polishing article includes a linear polishing sheet having a linear transparent portion, wherein the linear transparent portion is formed from a material that has the flexibility to pass around a radius of about 2.5 inches without cracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Menk, Peter McReynolds, Erik Rondum, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Anand Iyer, Garlen Leung
  • Publication number: 20070197133
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes contacting a non-solid material to a non-linear edge of a sheet of polishing material, and causing the non-solid material to solidify to form a window that contacts the non-linear edge of the polishing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Menk, Peter McReynolds, Erik Rondum, Anand Iyer, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Garlen Leung
  • Publication number: 20070197132
    Abstract: A method is described. The method includes supporting a polishing sheet having a polishing surface on a subpad having a recess formed therein, applying a vacuum to the recess sufficient to pull portions of the polishing sheet into the recess to induce a recess in the polishing surface, positioning a substrate in a carrier head over the recess in the polishing surface, and lifting the substrate away from the polishing surface while the substrate is positioned over the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Menk, Steven Zuniga, Erik Rondum, Peter McReynolds, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Garlen Leung, Anand Iyer
  • Publication number: 20070197147
    Abstract: A polishing system is described. The polishing system includes a polishing layer, and a subpad supporting the polishing layer, where the subpad has a spiral groove formed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Rondum, Peter McReynolds, Benjamin Bonner, Gregory Menk, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Garlen Leung, Anand Iyer
  • Publication number: 20070193881
    Abstract: A magnetron scanning and support mechanism in which the magnetron is partially supported from an overhead scanning mechanism through multiple springs coupled to different horizontal locations on the magnetron and partially supported from below at multiple locations on the target, on which it slides or rolls. In one embodiment, the yoke plate is continuous and uniform. In another embodiment, the magnetron's magnetic yoke is divided into two flexible yokes, for example, of complementary serpentine shape and each supporting magnets of respective polarity. The yokes separated by a gap sufficiently small that the two yokes are magnetically coupled. Each yoke has its own set of spring supports from above and rolling/sliding supports from below to allow the magnetron shape to conform to that of the target. Alternatively, narrow slots are formed in a unitary yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Inagawa, Akihiro Hosokawa, John White
  • Publication number: 20070197141
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus is described. The polishing apparatus includes a rotatable platen, a drive mechanism to incrementally advance a polishing sheet having a polishing surface in a linear direction across the platen, a subpad on the platen to support the polishing sheet, the subpad having a groove formed therein, and a vacuum source connected to the groove of the subpad and configured to apply a vacuum sufficient to pull portions of the polishing sheet into the groove of the subpad to induce a groove in the polishing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Zuniga, Peter McReynolds, Erik Rondum, Benjamin Bonner, Henry Au, Gregory Menk, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Anand Iyer, Garlen Leung
  • Publication number: 20070197134
    Abstract: A polishing article is described. The polishing article includes an elongated polishing layer, and a transparent carrier layer supporting the polishing layer, where the transparent carrier layer has a projection extending into an aperture in the polishing layer to provide a transparent window in the polishing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Menk, Peter McReynolds, Erik Rondum, Anand Iyer, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Garlen Leung
  • Patent number: 7259381
    Abstract: The Grunn equation: Depth = 0.046 ? ? ( V acc ) n ? is modified to accurately predict depth of electron beam penetration into a target material. A two-layer stack is formed comprising a thickness of the target material overlying a detection material exhibiting greater sensitivity to the electron beam than the target material. The target material is exposed to electron beam radiation of different energies, with the threshold energy resulting in a changed physical property of the detection material below a predetermined value marking a penetration depth corresponding to the target material thickness. Utilizing the threshold energy (Vacc), the target material thickness (Depth), and the known target material density (?), the numerical power “n” of the Grunn equation is calculated to fit experimental results. So modified, the Grunn equation accurately predicts the depth of penetration of electron beams of varying energies into the target material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Josephine J. Liu, Alexandros T. Demos, Hichem M'Saad
  • Patent number: 7259111
    Abstract: A method of depositing a organosilicate dielectric layer exhibiting high adhesion strength to an underlying substrate disposed within a single processing chamber without plasma arcing. The method includes positioning a substrate within a processing chamber having a powered electrode, flowing an interface gas mixture into the processing chamber, the interface gas mixture comprising one or more organosilicon compounds and one or more oxidizing gases, depositing a silicon oxide layer on the substrate by varying process conditions, wherein DC bias of the powered electrode varies less than 60 volts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Deenesh Padhi, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Zhenjiang Cui, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Bok Hoen Kim, Hichem M'Saad, Steven Reiter, Francimar Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7258520
    Abstract: A system for opening a substrate carrier includes a substrate carrier having an openable portion. The substrate carrier also has an opening mechanism coupled to the openable portion. A substrate transfer location has a support adapted to support a substrate carrier. The substrate transfer location also has an actuator mechanism. The actuator mechanism is positioned relative to the support so as to interact with the opening mechanism of the substrate carrier. The actuator mechanism of the substrate transfer location and the opening mechanism of the substrate carrier are adapted to interface with each other at the substrate transfer location so as to employ movement of the substrate carrier to achieve opening and closing of the substrate carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin R. Elliott, Michael Robert Rice, Robert B. Lowrance, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Eric Andrew Englhardt, Loy Randall Stuart
  • Publication number: 20070190266
    Abstract: A chamber passivation method particularly useful for hydrogen plasma cleaning of low-k dielectrics prior to coating a barrier layer into a via hole with hydrogen radicals are provided from a remote plasma source. For each wafer, the chamber is passivated with water vapor (or other gas even more chemabsorbed on plasma facing walls) passed through the remote plasma source prior to the ignition of the hydrogen plasma. The water vapor is absorbed on walls, such as alumina and quartz parts of the remote plasma source, and forms a protective mono-layer that endures sufficiently long to protect the walls during the generation of the hydrogen plasma. Thereby, the plasma facing walls, particularly of a dielectric such as alumina, are protected from etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Xinyu Fu