Patents Assigned to ASM Japan K.K.
  • Shower plate having projections and plasma CVD apparatus using same
    Patent number: 7799134
    Abstract: A shower plate 122 has protrusions 22 formed on the front face used with a first electrode in a plasma CVD apparatus. A plane-surface portion 23 is left around apertures of gas inlet holes 21 formed in the shower plate 122. With protrusions 22 being formed, a surface area of the first electrode is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Naoto Tsuji, Hideaki Fukuda, Hiroki Arai, Yoshinori Morisada, Tamihiro Kobayashi
  • Method of cleaning UV irradiation chamber
    Patent number: 7789965
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a UV irradiation chamber includes steps of: (i) after completion of irradiating a substrate with UV light transmitted through an optical transmitted window provided in the UV irradiation chamber, generating radical species of a cleaning gas outside the UV irradiation chamber; and (ii) introducing the radical species from the outside of the UV irradiation chamber into the UV irradiation chamber, thereby cleaning the optical transmitted window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Matsushita, Hideaki Fukuda, Kenichi Kagami
  • METHOD OF FORMING CONFORMAL DIELECTRIC FILM HAVING Si-N BONDS BY PECVD
    Publication number: 20100221925
    Abstract: A method of forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and a rare gas into a reaction space inside which a semiconductor substrate is placed; applying RF power to the reaction space; and introducing a hydrogen-containing silicon precursor as a first precursor and a hydrocarbon gas as a second precursor in pulses into the reaction space wherein a plasma is excited, thereby forming a conformal dielectric film doped with carbon and having Si—N bonds on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Woo Jin Lee, Akira Shimizu
  • Method for forming metal wiring structure
    Patent number: 7785658
    Abstract: A method for forming a metal wiring structure includes: (i) providing a multi-layer structure including an exposed wiring layer and an exposed insulating layer in a reaction space; (ii) introducing an —NH2 or >NH terminal at least on an exposed surface of the insulating layer in a reducing atmosphere; (iii) introducing a reducing compound to the reaction space and then purging a reaction space; (iv) introducing a metal halide compound to the reaction space and then purging the reaction space; (v) introducing a gas containing N and H and then purging the reaction space; (vi) repeating steps (iii) to (v) in sequence to produce a metal-containing barrier layer; and (vii) forming a metal film on the metal-containing barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shinriki, Akira Shimizu
  • Method for forming inorganic silazane-based dielectric film
    Patent number: 7781352
    Abstract: A method of forming an inorganic silazane-based dielectric film includes: introducing a gas constituted by Si and H and a gas constituted by N and optionally H into a reaction chamber where an object is placed; controlling a temperature of the object at ?50° C. to 50° C.; and depositing by plasma reaction a film constituted by Si, N, and H containing inorganic silazane bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Atsuki Fukazawa, Nobuo Matsuki, Jeongseok Ha
  • METHOD OF FORMING HARDMASK BY PLASMA CVD
    Publication number: 20100189923
    Abstract: A method of forming a transparent hardmask by plasma CVD includes: providing an underlying layer formed on a substrate in a reaction space; introducing an inert gas into the reaction space; introducing a hydrocarbon precursor vapor of an aromatic compound into the reaction space, wherein a flow ratio of the hydrocarbon precursor vapor to the inert gas is less than 0.1; and applying RF power to the reaction space, thereby depositing on the underlying layer a transparent hardmask having a film stress of ?300 MPa to 300 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventor: Kamal Kishore Goundar
  • UV light irradiating apparatus with liquid filter
    Patent number: 7763869
    Abstract: A UV light irradiating apparatus for irradiating a semiconductor substrate with UV light includes: a reactor in which a substrate-supporting table is provided; a UV light irradiation unit connected to the reactor for irradiating a semiconductor substrate placed on the substrate-supporting table with UV light through a light transmission window; and a liquid layer forming channel disposed between the light transmission window and at least one UV lamp for forming a liquid layer through which the UV light is transmitted. The liquid layer is formed by a liquid flowing through the liquid layer forming channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Matsushita, Kenichi Kagami
  • Method of Forming Conformal Dielectric Film Having Si-N Bonds by PECVD
    Publication number: 20100184302
    Abstract: A method of forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and an additive gas into a reaction space inside which a semiconductor substrate is placed; applying RF power to the reaction space; and introducing a hydrogen-containing silicon precursor in pulses into the reaction space wherein a plasma is excited, thereby forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Woo Jin LEE, Akira Shimizu, Atsuki Fukazawa
  • METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FLOW AND CONCENTRATION OF LIQUID PRECURSOR
    Publication number: 20100178423
    Abstract: A method for controlling flow and concentration of a liquid precursor includes: supplying a carrier gas to a first auto-pressure regulator and outputting therefrom the carrier gas at a first pressure to a precursor reservoir; outputting the mixture of the vaporized precursor and the carrier gas from the precursor reservoir; and supplying the mixture to a second auto-pressure regulator and outputting therefrom the mixture at a second pressure to a reactor via an orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Akira Shimizu, Akiko Kobayashi, Hiroki Kanayama
  • SEMICONDUCTOR-PROCESSING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH ROBOT DIAGNOSTIC MODULE
    Publication number: 20100158644
    Abstract: A semiconductor-processing apparatus includes: a wafer transfer chamber provided with a wafer transfer robot having an end effector therein, at least one reactor connected to the wafer transfer chamber, and a robot diagnostic module connected to the wafer transfer chamber for diagnosing the transfer robot. The robot diagnostic module includes at least one sensor for detecting a position of the end effector when the end effector is located inside the robot diagnostic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takizawa, Teruhide Nishino
  • METHOD OF FORMING LOW-K FILM HAVING CHEMICAL RESISTANCE
    Publication number: 20100151151
    Abstract: A method of forming a low-k film containing silicon and carbon on a substrate by plasma CVD, includes: supplying gas of a precursor having a Si—R—O—R—Si bond into a reaction space in which a substrate is placed; and exciting the gas in the reaction space, thereby depositing a film on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Matsushita, Akinori Nakano, Ryo Kawaguchi, Yuya Nonaka
  • Multiple-Substrate Transfer Apparatus and Multiple-Substrate Processing Apparatus
    Publication number: 20100147396
    Abstract: A multiple-substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction chamber comprised of two discrete reaction stations aligned one behind the other for simultaneously processing two substrates; a transfer chamber disposed underneath the reaction chamber, for loading and unloading substrates to and from the reaction stations simultaneously; and a load lock chamber disposed next to the transfer chamber. The transfer arm includes one or more end-effectors for simultaneously supporting two substrates one behind the other as viewed in the substrate-loading/unloading direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamagishi, Tamihiro Kobayashi
  • METHOD FOR FORMING LOW-CARBON CVD FILM FOR FILLING TRENCHES
    Publication number: 20100143609
    Abstract: A method of forming a low-carbon silicon-containing film by CVD on a substrate having trenches includes: introducing a silicon-containing compound having three or less hydrocarbon units in its molecule and having a boiling temperature of 35° C. to 220° C.; applying RF power to the gas; and depositing a film on a substrate having trenches wherein the substrate is controlled at a temperature such that components of the silicon-containing compound are at least partially liquidified on the substrate, thereby filling the trenches with the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Atsuki Fukazawa, Hisashi Tazawa, Shigeyuki Onizawa
  • METHOD OF FORMING CONFORMAL DIELECTRIC FILM HAVING Si-N BONDS BY PECVD
    Publication number: 20100144162
    Abstract: A method of forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and an additive gas into a reaction space inside which a semiconductor substrate is placed; applying RF power to the reaction space; and introducing a hydrogen-containing silicon precursor in pulses into the reaction space wherein a plasma is excited, thereby forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Woo Jin Lee, Akira Shimizu
  • PROCESS FOR FORMING HIGH RESISTIVITY THIN METALLIC FILM
    Publication number: 20100136313
    Abstract: A process for forming metallic nitride film by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which comprises steps for feeding into a reaction space vapor phase alternated pulses of metal source material and silicon source material in a plurality of cycles, and feeding into the reaction space vapor phase pulses of nitrogen source material. wherein a nitrogen source pulse is fed intermittently in selected cycles such that a ratio of nitrogen source pulses to silicon source pulses is less than 1:1 and a ratio of nitrogen source pulses to metal source pulses is less than 1:1, the ratio selected to produce the thin film with a resistivity between 1,000 ??cm and 15,000 ??cm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Akira Shimizu, Akiko Kobayashi, Suvi Haukka
  • Method of Forming Insulation Film Using Plasma Treatment Cycles
    Publication number: 20100124618
    Abstract: A film forming cycle based on pulse CVD or ALD is repeated multiple times to form a single layer of insulation film, while a reforming cycle is implemented in the aforementioned process, either once or multiple times per each film forming cycle, by treating the surface of formed film using a treating gas that has been activated by a plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Akiko Kobayashi, Akira Shimizu, Kuo-wei Hong, Nobuyoshi Kobayashi, Atsuki Fukazawa
  • Method of Forming Insulation Film by Modified PEALD
    Publication number: 20100124621
    Abstract: A method of forming an insulation film by alternating multiple times, respectively, a process of adsorbing a precursor onto a substrate and a process of treating the adsorbed surface using reactant gas and a plasma, wherein a plasma is applied in the process of supplying the precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: ASM JAPAN K.K.
    Inventors: Akiko Kobayashi, Akira Shimizu, Nobuyoshi Kobayashi, Woo-Jin Lee
  • Method of forming silicon-containing insulation film having low dielectric constant and low diffusion coefficient
    Patent number: 7718544
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming on a substrate a silicon-containing insulation film having a diffusion coefficient of about 250 ?m2/min or less as measured using isopropyl alcohol, by plasma reaction using a reaction gas comprising (i) a source gas comprising a silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound containing plural cross-linkable groups, (ii) a cross-linking gas, (iii) an inert gas, and optionally (iv) an oxygen-supplying gas, wherein a flow rate of the oxygen-supplying gas is no more than 25% of that of the source gas; and subjecting the insulation film to an integration process to fabricate a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Naoto Tsuji, Kiyohiro Matsushita, Satoshi Takahashi, Nathan Kameling
  • Gas-introducing system and plasma CVD apparatus
    Patent number: 7718004
    Abstract: A gas-introducing system for plasma CVD and cleaning includes: a showerhead including a top plate with a gas inlet port and a shower plate; a rectifying plate installed in the interior space of the showerhead and dividing the interior space into an upper space and a lower space; a structure for inhibiting inactivation of active species of the activated cleaning gas at the rectifying plate; and a piping unit for connecting the gas inlet port of the showerhead to a remote plasma unit and a reaction gas introduction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Satoh, Yasushi Fukasawa, Kazuya Matsumoto
  • Method for forming insulation film having high density
    Patent number: 7718553
    Abstract: A method for forming an insulation film on a semiconductor substrate by plasma reaction includes: introducing into a reaction chamber a source gas of a silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound comprising in its molecule at least one Si—O bond and at least one bond selected from the group consisting of a Si—Si bond, Si—N bond, and Si—H bond; introducing into the reaction chamber an additive gas constituted by C, H, and optionally O; controlling a susceptor at a temperature of ?50° C. to 50° C.; forming by plasma reaction an insulation film constituted by Si, O, H, and optionally N on an irregular surface of a substrate at a deposition rate of 100 nm/min or less; and heat-treating the substrate with the insulation film, thereby increasing a density of the insulation film to more than 2.1 g/cm3 as a result of the heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Atsuki Fukazawa, Nobuo Matsuki