Patents Examined by Allan W. Olsen
  • Patent number: 12146077
    Abstract: Provided is a polishing composition that can effectively improve a polishing removal rate. According to the present invention, a polishing composition for polishing a polishing target material is provided. The polishing composition contains water, an oxidant, and a polishing removal accelerator, and does not contain abrasive. At least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal salt and an alkaline earth metal salt is contained as the polishing removal accelerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIMI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yasuaki Ito, Hiroyuki Oda, Naoto Noguchi
  • Patent number: 12150386
    Abstract: A treatment liquid contains orthoperiodic acid and water, and the pH is 11 or more. It is preferable that the content of orthoperiodic acid in the treatment liquid is 0.01% to 5% by mass with respect to the total mass of the treatment liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keeyoung Park, Atsushi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 12131911
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first epitaxial layer over a substrate to form a wafer, depositing a dielectric layer over the first epitaxial layer, patterning the dielectric layer to form an opening, etching the first epitaxial layer through the opening to form a recess, forming a second epitaxial layer in the recess, etching the dielectric layer to expose a top surface of the first epitaxial layer, and planarizing the exposed top surface of the first epitaxial layer and a top surface of the second epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Che-Lun Chang, Pin-Chuan Su, Hsin-Chieh Huang, Ming-Yuan Wu, Tzu kai Lin, Yu-Wen Wang, Che-Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 12128522
    Abstract: A method includes supplying slurry onto a polishing pad; holding a wafer against the polishing pad with a piezoelectric layer interposed vertically between a pressure unit and the wafer; exerting a force on the piezoelectric layer using the pressure unit to make the piezoelectric layer directly press the wafer; generating, using the piezoelectric layer, a first voltage corresponding to a first portion of the wafer and a second voltage corresponding to a second portion of the wafer; tuning the force exerted on the piezoelectric layer according to the first voltage and the second voltage; and polishing, using the polishing pad, the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shu-Bin Hsu, Ren-Guei Lin, Feng-Inn Wu, Sheng-Chen Wang, Jung-Yu Li
  • Patent number: 12117630
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to display systems, and more particularly to augmented reality display systems and methods of fabricating the same. A method of fabricating a display device includes providing a substrate comprising a lithium (Li)-based oxide and forming an etch mask pattern exposing regions of the substrate. The method additionally includes plasma etching the exposed regions of the substrate using a gas mixture comprising CHF3 to form a diffractive optical element, wherein the diffractive optical element comprises Li-based oxide features configured to diffract visible light incident thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: MAGIC LEAP, INC.
    Inventors: Mauro Melli, Christophe Peroz, Melanie Maputol West
  • Patent number: 12119230
    Abstract: There is provided a wet etching method including an etchant supply step of supplying an etchant from an etchant supply nozzle to a to-be-etched surface of a workpiece, an etching step of etching the to-be-etched surface with the etchant remaining on the to-be-etched surface, and an etchant removal step of, after performing the etching step, removing the etchant, which still remains on the resulting etched surface, from the etched surface. The etchant supply step, the etching step, and the etchant removal step are repeated a plurality of times in this order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma Sekiya, Takashi Ono, Daigo Shitabo
  • Patent number: 12112954
    Abstract: An etching method includes forming a film on a surface of a substrate having a region to be etched and a mask. The mask is provided on the region and includes an opening that partially exposes the region. The film is made of the same material as that of the region. The etching method further includes etching the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Maju Tomura, Tomohiko Niizeki, Takayuki Katsunuma, Hironari Sasagawa, Yuta Nakane, Shinya Ishikawa, Kenta Ono, Sho Kumakura, Yusuke Takino, Masanobu Honda
  • Patent number: 12110436
    Abstract: The disclosed and claimed subject matter relates to wet etchants exhibiting high copper and cobalt etching rates where the etching rate ratio between the two metals can be varied. The wet etchants have a composition comprising a formulation consisting of: at least one alkanolamine having at least two carbon atoms, at least one amino substituent and at least one hydroxyl substituent with the amino and hydroxyl substituents attached to two different carbon atoms; at least one pH adjuster for adjusting the pH of the formulation to between approximately 9 and approximately 12; at least one chelating agent; and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Versum Materials US, LLC
    Inventors: Chung-Yi Chang, Wen Dar Liu, Yi-Chia Lee
  • Patent number: 12106971
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for forming a high aspect ratio (HAR) structure during a HAR etch process in a substrate in a reaction chamber, the method comprising: sequentially or simultaneously exposing the substrate to a vapor of an etchant including a hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon compound and an additive compound, the substrate having a film disposed thereon and a pattered mask layer disposed on the film; activating a plasma to produce an activated hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon compound and an activated additive compound; and allowing an etching reaction to proceed between the film uncovered by the patterned mask layer and the activated hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon compound and the activated additive compound to selectively etch the film from the patterned mask layer, thereby forming the HAR patterned structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangyu Guo, Kayla Diemoz, Nathan Stafford
  • Patent number: 12094711
    Abstract: Tin oxide film on a semiconductor substrate is etched selectively with an etch selectivity of at least 10 in a presence of silicon (Si), carbon (C), or a carbon-containing material (e.g., photoresist) by exposing the substrate to a process gas comprising hydrogen (H2) and a hydrocarbon (e.g., at a hydrogen/hydrocarbon ratio of at least 5), such that a carbon-containing polymer is formed on the substrate. In some embodiments an apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate includes a process chamber configured for housing the semiconductor substrate and a controller having program instructions on a non-transitory medium for causing selective etching of a tin oxide layer on a substrate in a presence of silicon, carbon, or a carbon-containing material by exposing the substrate to a plasma formed in a process gas that includes H2 and a hydrocarbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jengyi Yu, Samantha S. H. Tan, Yu Jiang, Hui-Jung Wu, Richard Wise, Yang Pan, Nader Shamma, Boris Volosskiy
  • Patent number: 12091581
    Abstract: High oxide film removal rate Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing compositions, methods, and systems of use therefore are provided. The CMP polishing composition comprises abrasives of ceria coated inorganic oxide particles, such as ceria-coated silica; and a chemical additive for providing a high oxide film removal rate. The chemical additive is a gelatin molecule possessing negative and positive charges on the same molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Versum Materials US, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaobo Shi, Krishna P. Murella, Joseph D. Rose, Hongjun Zhou, Mark Leonard O'Neill
  • Patent number: 12091601
    Abstract: A process for controlling the heat generated during the manufacture an inhibited hydrofluoric acid aqueous composition comprising: hydrofluoric acid in solution; a weak base; and an alkanolamine; said process comprising the steps of: providing a pre-determined amount of weak base; adding a pre-determined amount of said hydrofluoric acid to said weak base and obtaining a solution; adding said alkanolamine to the resulting solution of hydrofluoric acid and weak base; mixing until all components are dissolved; wherein said alkanolamine and hydrofluoric acid are present in a molar ratio of at least 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Dorf Ketal Chemicals FZE
    Inventors: Clay Purdy, Markus Weissenberger, Karl W. Dawson, Kyle G. Wynnyk
  • Patent number: 12094712
    Abstract: A method for patterning a surface of a substrate includes applying a liquid on the surface of the substrate, wherein an apparent viscosity of the liquid depends on a field strength applied to the liquid; applying a field to the liquid, wherein a field strength of the applied field is spatially varied in the liquid in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, thereby generating a spatially varied apparent viscosity distribution in the liquid in response to the applied field; and patterning the surface of the substrate by subjecting the surface to a surface modifying process, while maintaining the field and using portions of the liquid having apparent viscosities higher than a predetermined value as a mask; wherein the surface modifying process comprises removing material of the surface of the substrate and/or depositing material on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: INL—International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
    Inventor: Diego Colombara
  • Patent number: 12085859
    Abstract: A method for forming a patterned 2D material is disclosed. The method comprises providing a multilayer 2D material comprising at least two layers of the 2D material, and pre-patterning the multilayer 2D material by using a lithographic patterning method followed by a first etching process in order to form a pre-patterned structure in the multilayer 2D material. Further, the method comprises applying a second etching process on the pre-patterned structure such that a first shape of at least one portion of the patterned structure is transformed into a second shape thereby forming a patterned multilayer 2D material sample, wherein the second etching process is an anisotropic etching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SMENA Catalysis AB
    Inventors: Timur Shegai, Battulga Munkhbat
  • Patent number: 12077867
    Abstract: Provided is a surface structure having freezing-delaying performance and freezing layer-separating performance. The surface structure includes a microstructural layer formed in the form of microscale irregularities and a plurality of nanopores formed in the microstructural layer. A freezing-delaying layer is formed on a surface of the microstructural layer to delay a freezing phenomenon. Also, a hygroscopic material is accommodated in the nanopores, so that when a surface of the freezing-delaying layer starts to freeze, the hygroscopic material is discharged from the nanopores to form a hygroscopic material film, and thus adhesion between the freezing-delaying layer and ice is reduced to allow the ice to be detached from the freezing-delaying layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Sihyung Lim, Bok Hyun Lee, Sumit Barthwal
  • Patent number: 12074020
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to etching compositions that are useful for, e.g., selectively removing silicon germanium (SiGe) from a semiconductor substrate as an intermediate step in a multistep semiconductor manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Fujifilm Electronic Materials U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Mick Bjelopavlic, Carl Ballesteros
  • Patent number: 12074035
    Abstract: A method for selectively removing a tungsten-including layer includes: forming a tungsten-including layer which has a first portion and a second portion; performing a treatment on a surface region of the first portion of the tungsten-including layer so as to convert tungsten in the surface region into tungsten oxide; and partially removing the tungsten-including layer using an etchant which has a higher etching selectivity to tungsten than tungsten oxide such that the second portion of the tungsten-including layer is fully removed, and the first portion of the tungsten-including layer, having the tungsten oxide in the surface region, is at least partially retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Ling Chung, Chun-Chih Cheng, Ying-Liang Chuang, Ming-Hsi Yeh, Kuo-Bin Huang
  • Patent number: 12054659
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a decomposition inhibitor for inhibiting the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide included in an etching liquid composition for titanium nitride. The present invention relates to a decomposition inhibitor that is used to inhibit the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide included in an etching liquid composition for titanium nitride and that includes at least one compound selected from among azole compounds, aminocarboxylic acid compounds, and phosphonic acid compounds as an active component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Kanto Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Takahashi, Erina Ogihara, Pen-Nan Liao, Po-Heng Wu, Yi Li
  • Patent number: 12046451
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus may include a first source electrode, a first bias electrode, and a second bias electrode configured to generate a plasma by supplying energy to a process gas injected into a chamber; and a controller. The controller may be configured to supply a first high-frequency RF power, a first low-frequency RF power, and a second low-frequency RF power to the chamber during a first period from a first time to a second time; ramp down and turn off the first high-frequency RF power to the chamber during a second period from the second time to a third time; and ramp down and turn off the first low-frequency RF power to the chamber during a third period from the second time to a fourth time different from the third time. The third period may be smaller than ½ of the first period and greater than the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nam Kyun Kim, Seung Bo Shim, Doug Yong Sung, Seung Han Baek, Ju Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 12046449
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a matching network configured for use with a plasma processing chamber comprises an input configured to receive one or more radio frequency (RF) signals, an output configured to deliver the one or more RF signals to a processing chamber, a first sensor operably connected to the input and a second sensor operably connected to the output and configured to measure impedance during operation, at least one variable capacitor connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and a controller, based on a measured impedance, configured to tune the at least one variable capacitor of the matching network to a first target position based on weighted output impedance values measured at pulse states of a voltage waveform and to tune the at least one variable capacitor to a second target position based on weighted input impedance values measured at the pulse states of the voltage waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Yue Guo, Katsumasa Kawasaki, Kartik Ramaswamy, Yang Yang, Nicolas John Bright