Patents Assigned to Novellus Systems, Inc.
  • Methods and apparatus for controlled-angle wafer positioning
    Patent number: 7097410
    Abstract: The orientation of a wafer with respect to the surface of an electrolyte is controlled during an electroplating process. The wafer is delivered to an electrolyte bath along a trajectory normal to the surface of the electrolyte. Along this trajectory, the wafer is angled before entry into the electrolyte for angled immersion. A wafer can be plated in an angled orientation or not, depending on what is optimal for a given situation. Also, in some designs, the wafer's orientation can be adjusted actively during immersion or during electroplating, providing flexibility in various electroplating scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Reid, Steven T. Mayer, Seshasayee Varadarajan, David C. Smith, Evan E. Patton, Dinesh S. Kalakkad, Gary Lind, Richard S. Hill
  • Mixed alkoxy precursors and methods of their use for rapid vapor deposition of SiOfilms
    Patent number: 7097878
    Abstract: A method employing rapid vapor deposition (RVD) deposits a dielectric material on small features of a substrate surface. The resulting dielectric film is thicker, faster growing, shows better gap fill performance and has improved film properties compared to films resulting from silicon precursors with identical alkoxy substituents on silicon. The method includes the following two principal operations: exposing a substrate surface to a metal-containing precursor gas to form a substantially saturated layer of metal-containing precursor on the substrate surface; and exposing the substrate surface to a mixed alkoxy-substituted silicon-containing precursor gas to form the dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Rulkens, Dennis M. Hausmann, Raihan M. Tarafdar, George D. Papasouliotis, Bunsen Nie, Adrianne K. Tipton, Jeff Tobin
  • Methods for improving the cracking resistance of low-k dielectric materials
    Patent number: 7094713
    Abstract: Methods for improving the mechanical properties of a CDO film are provided. The methods involve, for instance, providing either a dense CDO film or a porous CDO film in which the porogen has been removed followed by curing the CDO film at an elevated temperature using either a UV light treatment, an e-beam treatment, or a plasma treatment such that the curing improves the mechanical toughness of the CDO dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Niu, Haiying Fu, Brian Lu, Feng Wang
  • Deposition of integrated circuit fabrication materials using a print head
    Patent number: 7091134
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) fabrication material is dispensed from a print head by dividing its nozzles into several groups, and sequentially allowing each group to fire. The nozzles may be grouped based on the amounts of material they dispense. For example, the nozzles may be grouped by drop volume or drop mass. In one embodiment, an IC fabrication material is dispensed on a substrate by controlling a firing sequence of a nozzle to promote merging of material on the substrate. The firing sequence may also be altered to take into account the firing sequence of adjacent nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Henner W. Meinhold, Wayne Cai, Mark L. Rea, Sachin M. Chinchwadkar
  • Liquid detection end effector sensor and method of using the same
    Patent number: 7084466
    Abstract: Liquid detection sensors are attached to both sides of a robotic arm end effector of a semiconductor wafer process system. The sensor mechanism or probe is situated on the front side and backside of the end effector, designed with electrical lines that are traced onto a polyester base material. The electrical lines are positioned in a serpentine formation. The high conductance of the sulfuric acid in the copper sulfate solution acts as the conductor between the traced lines. When the conductive liquid comes in contact with the traced lines, the lines short and the sensor activates or turns on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Won Lee, Evan E Patton
  • Method of in-situ treatment of low-k films with a silylating agent after exposure to oxidizing environments
    Patent number: 7083991
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for using a silylating agent after exposure to an oxidizing environment for repairing damage to low-k dielectric films are described. Plasma photoresist removal, or ashing, may damage bonds in the low-k materials, which may lead to a significant increase in the dielectric constant of the materials. The silylating agent may be used to repair damage to the low-k films after the ashing process. Additionally, a curing process using an oxidizing environment may damage bonds in low-k materials, which may subsequently be repaired by a silylating process. The described method and apparatus may be used with low-k dielectric films including hydrophobic porous oxide films. A chamber for processing a wafer in an oxidizing environment and subsequently performing a silylation process includes an oxidizing agent inlet and a silylating agent inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Justin F. Gaynor
  • Method for controlling etch process repeatability
    Patent number: 7078312
    Abstract: Plasma etch processes incorporating etch chemistries which include hydrogen. In particular, high density plasma chemical vapor deposition-etch-deposition processes incorporating etch chemistries which include hydrogen that can effectively fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 3:1, for example 6:1, and up to 10:1 or higher), narrow width (typically sub 0.13 micron, for example 0.1 micron or less) gaps while reducing or eliminating chamber loading and redeposition and improving wafer-to-wafer uniformity relative to conventional deposition-etch-deposition processes which do not incorporate hydrogen in their etch chemistries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Siswanto Sutanto, Wenxian Zhu, Waikit Fung, Mayasari Lim, Vishal Gauri, George D. Papasouliotis
  • Selective gap-fill process
    Patent number: 7074690
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing a solid material on a substrate having gaps of dimension on the order of about 100 nm or less are disclosed. The methods involve exposing the substrate to a precursor of a solid material, such that the precursor forms liquid regions in at least some of the gaps, followed by exposing the substrate to conditions that evaporate the liquid precursor from regions outside the gaps but maintain at least some of the liquid regions in the gaps. The liquid precursor remaining in the gaps is then converted to solid material, thereby selectively filling the gaps with the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishal Gauri, Raashina Humayun
  • Dynamically variable field shaping element
    Patent number: 7070686
    Abstract: In an electrochemical reactor used for electrochemical treatment of a substrate, for example, for electroplating or electropolishing the substrate, one or more of the surface area of a field-shaping shield, the shield's distance between the anode and cathode, and the shield's angular orientation is varied during electrochemical treatment to screen the applied field and to compensate for potential drop along the radius of a wafer. The shield establishes an inverse potential drop in the electrolytic fluid to overcome the resistance of a thin film of conductive metal on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Contolini, Andrew J. McCutcheon, Steven T. Mayer
  • Gap fill for high aspect ratio structures
    Patent number: 7067440
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes are employed to fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 3:1), narrow width (typically 1.5 microns or less and even sub 0.15 micron) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots. This deposition process involves the use of hydrogen as a process gas in the reactive mixture of a plasma containing CVD reactor. The process gas also includes dielectric forming precursor molecules such as silicon and oxygen containing molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Atiye Bayman, Md Sazzadur Rahman, Weijie Zhang, Bart van Schravendijk, Vishal Gauri, George D. Papasouliotis, Vikram Singh
  • Phosphorous-doped silicon dioxide process to customize contact etch profiles
    Patent number: 7064087
    Abstract: A method for depositing a doped silicon dioxide layer is provided that allows the dopant concentration in the silicon dioxide layer to be controlled throughout the layer. By controlling the dopant concentration throughout the layer the etch profile of contact holes etched into the layer can be controlled and footing can be prevented or eliminated. During the deposition of the silicon dioxide, the amount of dopant is increased as the temperature of the wafer is increased and held constant while the temperature of the wafer is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Turner, Waikit Fung, Oliver Graudejus, Doug Winandy
  • Applications and methods of making nitrogen-free anti-reflective layers for semiconductor processing
    Patent number: 7052988
    Abstract: A nitrogen-free anti-reflective layer for use in semiconductor photolithography is fabricated in a chemical vapor deposition process, optionally plasma-enhanced, using a gaseous mixture of carbon, silicon, and oxygen sources. By varying the process parameters, acceptable values of the refractive index n and extinction coefficient k can be obtained. The nitrogen-free anti-reflective layer produced by this technique eliminates the mushrooming and footing problems found with conventional anti-reflective layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bart van Schravendijk, Ming Li, Jason Tian, Tom Mountsier, M. Ziaul Karim
  • Compound angled pad end-effector
    Patent number: 7048316
    Abstract: This invention provides a method and a support device for a wafer transfer process which has a first vertical, second horizontal and third compound angled surfaces, as well as a pair of sidewalls all contiguously connected to one another. The third surface has at least two angled receiving surfaces whereby one of such angled receiving surfaces has a small angle of incline for initially receiving and delivering a wafer. The other angled receiving surface has a steep angle of incline for effectively receiving, holding and transporting a semiconductor wafer by increasing an effective coefficient of friction of the wafer to provide a secure resting point for such wafer during a transfer process while simultaneously increasing the speed thereof. Furthermore, a hole may be provided in the support device for attaching the support device, or a plurality of support devices having holes, to an end-effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Blank, Simon Chan, Edmund Minshall, Peter Woytowitz
  • Surface treatment using iodine plasma to improve metal deposition
    Patent number: 7041596
    Abstract: An excited surfactant species is created by generating plasma discharge in a surfactant precursor gas. A surfactant species typically includes at least one of iodine, led, thin, gallium, and indium. A surface of an integrated circuit substrate is exposed to the excited surfactant species to form a plasma-treated surface. A ruthenium thin film is deposited on the plasma-treated surface using a CVD technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremie James Dalton, Sanjay Gopinath, Jason M. Blackburn, John Stephen Drewery
  • RF delivery configuration in a plasma processing system
    Patent number: 7042311
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for delivering radio frequency (RF) power to a plasma processing system includes an automatic impedance matching network configured to receive RF power from an RF generator, and a fixed impedance matching network coupled between the automatic impedance matching network and the plasma processing chamber. The fixed impedance matching network may be configured to transform a first impedance presented by the chamber to a second impedance that allows the automatic impedance matching network to operate within a tuning range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Hilliker, Anthony E. Sebastian, Yan Rubin, George Thomas
  • Platen and manifold for polishing workpieces
    Patent number: 7040957
    Abstract: In a chemical mechanical wafer processing apparatus, a platen for supporting a polishing pad, a manifold for delivering a chemical to the platen, a workpiece substantially in contact with a polishing pad supported by the platen, a light transmission medium for transmitting and receiving light to and from the workpiece, one end of the medium being substantially flush with the top of the polishing pad, the other end of the transmission medium having a hollow portion for receiving a light transmitting and receiving probe, thereby providing a light transmitting and receiving probe in close proximity to the workpiece. The platen and manifold of the apparatus are substantially of non-metallic material and may be joined by spaced clamps and latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Schultz, John D. Herb, Dave Marquardt
  • Strained transistor architecture and method
    Patent number: 7041543
    Abstract: Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is NMOS devices using a highly tensile post-salicide silicon nitride capping layer on the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the NMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create tensile strain in NMOS channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhadri Varadarajan, William W. Crew, James S. Sims
  • PVD deposition process for enhanced properties of metal films
    Patent number: 7037830
    Abstract: A physical vapor deposition sputtering process for enhancing the <0002> preferred orientation of a titanium layer uses hydrogen before or during the deposition process. Using the oriented titanium layer as a base layer for a titanium, titanium nitride, aluminum interconnect stack results in formation of an aluminum layer with predominant <111> crystallographic orientation which provides enhanced resistance to electromigration. In one process, a mixture of an inert gas, usually argon, and hydrogen is used as the sputtering gas for PVD deposition of titanium in place of pure argon. Alternatively, titanium is deposited in a two-step process in which an initial burst of hydrogen is introduced into the reaction chamber in a separate, first step. Pure argon is used as the sputtering gas for the titanium deposition in a second step. The method is broadly applicable to the deposition of metallization layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Rumer, Jack Griswold, Tom Dorsh, Michael Kwok Leung Ng, David E. Reedy, Paul D. Healey, Michal Danek, Reed W. Rosenberg
  • Clamshell apparatus with crystal shielding and in-situ rinse-dry
    Patent number: 7033465
    Abstract: Certain mechanisms of a plating apparatus address problems associated with interaction between plating solutions or other processing solutions and the components of the plating apparatus (such as the electrical contacts). For example, a circumferential spray skirt around the interface of a “cup” and “cone” in the plating apparatus protects these features during plating. A shield mechanism contacts the cup and/or cone at the periphery of their interface to provide a fluid resistant seal. In some cases, the cone includes an outer circumferential lip that engages a complementary surface of the cup for this purpose. Further, a mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the work piece with the cone in order to allow in situ rinsing of the work piece and/or regions of the cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan E. Patton, Jonathan D. Reid, Jeffrey A. Hawkins, Dinesh S. Kalakkad
  • Method and apparatus for the electrochemical deposition and removal of a material on a workpiece surface
    Patent number: 7025860
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing an electrochemical process on a metallic surface of a workpiece, comprised of a substantially incompressible workpiece support plate. A platen for supporting the workpiece support plate, has at least one opening coupled to a source of electrolyte for receiving an electrolyte solution therethrough and placing the electrolyte solution in contact with the support plate and workpiece. A first conductive element is coupled to, a first potential and positioned proximate the metallic surface, and the carrier is configured to position the workpiece proximate the support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Saket Chadda