Patents Examined by Allan W. Olsen
  • Patent number: 11881381
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of plasma-assisted semiconductor processing is provided. The method comprises: a) providing substrates at each of the multiple stations; b) distributing RF power including a first target frequency to multiple stations to thereby generate a plasma in the stations, wherein the RF power is distributed according to a RF power parameter configured to reduce station to station variations; c) tuning an impedance matching circuit for a first station included in the multiple stations while distributing RF power to the first station by: i) measuring a capacitance of a capacitor in the impedance matching circuit without disconnecting the capacitor from the impedance matching circuit; and ii) adjusting, according to the capacitance measured in (i) and the RF power parameter, a capacitance of the capacitor; and d) performing a semiconductor processing operation on the substrate at each station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Sunil Kapoor, Thomas Frederick
  • Patent number: 11875997
    Abstract: Compositions useful for the selective removal by etching of silicon-germanium-containing materials relative to silicon-containing materials, from a microelectronic device having features containing these materials at a surface, the compositions containing hydrofluoric acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and at least one additional acid that will improve performance as measured by one or more of an etching rate or selectivity and are tunable to achieve the required Si:Ge removal selectivity and etch rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventor: Steven M. Bilodeau
  • Patent number: 11851597
    Abstract: An etchant composition, a tackifier, an alkaline solution, a method of removing polyimide and an etching process are provided. The etchant composition includes a tackifier (A) and an alkaline solution (B). The tackifier (A) includes a resin containing a hydroxyl group (a), a surfactant (b) and a first solvent (c1). The alkaline solution (B) includes an alkaline compound (d) and a second solvent (c2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: eChem Solutions Corp.
    Inventors: Yu-Ning Chen, Ming-Che Chung
  • Patent number: 11852913
    Abstract: The present application discloses a manufacturing method of a display panel and a display panel. The manufacturing method includes the steps: forming a color filter layer on a substrate; confirming a colorfilter-to-be-stripped in the color filter layer; and stripping the colorfilter-to-be-stripped by using a selected stripping liquid; the color filter layer includes a first color filter, a second color filter and a third color filter; and the colorfilter-to-be-stripped includes one or two of the first color filter, the second color filter and the third color filter, and the method of stripping the colorfilter-to-be-stripped by the selected stripping liquid includes: letting the colorfilter-to-be-stripped react with the selected stripping liquid, and stripping the colorfilter-to-be-stripped by the selected stripping liquid, and forming a protective layer on the surface of the color filters except the colorfilter-to-be-stripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: HKC CORPORATION LIMITED, CHONGQING HKC OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Chung-Kuang Chien
  • Patent number: 11846786
    Abstract: A diffractive optical element is provided that includes at least two layers with different etching speeds for dry etching process. The diffractive optical element has a substrate of glass and a microstructure layer arranged on the substrate. The ratio of dry etching speed in thickness direction of the substrate to that of the microstructure layer is no more than 1:2 so that the substrate functions as an etching stop layer. The ratio of dry etching speed in horizontal direction of the substrate is substantially equal to that of the microstructure layer. The composition of glass includes, but is not limited to, Al2O3, alkaline material (M2O) and alkaline earth material (MO), where the weight percentage of Al2O3+M2O+MO>=5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SCHOTT GLASS TECHNOLOGIES (SUZHOU) CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yanquan Shan, Guangjun Zhang, Pengxiang Qian, Thomas Wiegel
  • Patent number: 11837444
    Abstract: The substrate joining method is a substrate joining method for joying two substrates, including a hydrophilic treatment step of hydrophilizing at least one of respective joint surfaces of the two substrates that are to be joined to each other and a joining step of joining the two substrates after the hydrophilic treatment step. The hydrophilic treatment step includes a step of performing a N2 RIE treatment to perform reactive ion etching using N2 gas on the joint surfaces of the substrates and a step of performing a N2 radical treatment to irradiate the joint surfaces of the substrates with N2 radicals after the step of performing the N2 RIE treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: BONDTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Yamauchi, Tadatomo Suga
  • Patent number: 11798811
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for etching a silicon-containing film to form a patterned structure, methods for reinforcing and/or strengthening and/or minimizing damage of a patterned mask layer while forming a patterned structure and methods for increasing etch resistance of a patterned mask layer in a process of forming a patterned structure. The methods include using an activated iodine-containing etching compound having the formula CnHxFyIz, wherein 4?n?10, 0?x?21, 0?y?21, and 1?z?4 as an etching gas. The activated iodine-containing etching compound produces iodine ions, which are implanted into the patterned hardmask layer, thereby strengthening the patterned mask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Marchegiani
  • Patent number: 11791164
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing composition including water and silica, wherein the silica has a BET specific surface area of 30 m2/g or more and an NMR specific surface area of 10 m2/g or more, and a polishing method using the polishing composition. The polishing composition of the present invention adopts silica having the BET specific surface area falling within the above-described range, and additionally having the NMR specific surface area falling within a specific range, and consequently attains a high polishing rate, and can maintain the polishing rate even when used for a long time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NITTA DUPONT INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsushita, Tomoki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11769671
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The hydrogen-containing precursor may be flowed at a flow rate of at least 2:1 relative to the flow rate of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a plasma of the fluorine-containing precursor and the hydrogen-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents into a substrate processing region housing a substrate. The substrate may include an exposed region of a tantalum or titanium material and an exposed region of a silicon-containing material or a metal. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents. The methods may include removing the tantalum or titanium material selectively to the silicon-containing material or the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11749561
    Abstract: A method for etching a metal containing feature is provided. Using a pattern mask, layers of material are etched to expose a portion of a metal containing feature. At least a portion of the exposed metal containing feature is etched, and is replaced by the growth of a filler dielectric. The etched portion of the metal containing feature and the filler dielectric reduce the unwanted conductivity between adjacent metal containing features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Suketu Arun Parikh
  • Patent number: 11749530
    Abstract: A method of removing a phosphorus-doped silicon film doped with phosphorus, includes: forming a silicon oxide film by oxidizing the phosphorus-doped silicon film in a substrate including the phosphorus-doped silicon film and an undoped silicon film which is not been doped with the phosphorus, wherein at least the phosphorus-doped silicon film is exposed to a surface of the substrate; and selectively etching and removing the silicon oxide film from the silicon oxide film and the undoped silicon film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Takezawa, Masahisa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11670516
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for etching a feature in a substrate. Typically the feature is etched in a dielectric-containing stack. The etching process involves cyclically etching the feature and depositing a protective film on sidewalls of the partially etched feature. These stages are repeated until the feature reaches its final depth. The protective film may have a particular composition, for example including at least one of a tungsten carbonitride, a tungsten sulfide, tin, a tin-containing compound, molybdenum, a molybdenum-containing compound, a ruthenium carbonitride, a ruthenium sulfide, an aluminum carbonitride, an aluminum sulfide, zirconium, and a zirconium-containing compound. A number of optional steps may be taken including, for example, doping the mask layer, pre-treating the substrate prior to deposition, removing the protective film from the sidewalls, and oxidizing any remaining protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik S. Colinjivadi, Samantha SiamHwa Tan, Shih-Ked Lee, George Matamis, Yongsik Yu, Yang Pan, Patrick Van Cleemput, Akhil Singhal, Juwen Gao, Raashina Humayun
  • Patent number: 11664236
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma chamber that accommodates a substrate having a film including a side wall surface and a bottom surface that define an opening; and a controller that controls a process on the substrate in the plasma chamber. The controller includes a sequencer that performs a sequence including forming a precursor layer on the opening of the film; and generating a plasma to form a protective film on the side wall surface of the opening of the film from the precursor layer and to etch the bottom surface of the opening of the film. The controller simultaneously forms the protective film on the side wall surface of the opening of the film and etches the bottom surface of the opening of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Takayuki Katsunuma
  • Patent number: 11664234
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary fabrication method includes providing a to-be-etched layer; forming a first sacrificial film on the to-be-etched layer; and forming a plurality of discrete first sidewall spacers and sidewall trenches on the first sacrificial film. Each sidewall trench is located between two adjacent first sidewall spacers; the first sidewall trenches include a first sidewall trench and a second sidewall trench, and a width of the second sidewall trench is greater than that of the first sidewall trench. The method also includes forming a second sidewall spacer in the first sidewall trench to fill the first sidewall trench; and etching the first sacrificial film using the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacer as an etching mask to form a plurality of discrete first sacrificial layers on the to-be-etched layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION, SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (BEIJING) CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jisong Jin
  • Patent number: 11658035
    Abstract: A substrate processing method capable of improving etch selectivity without increasing the power includes: forming a first thin film on a structure; forming a material layer having wet etch resistance greater than that of the first thin film on the first thin film; removing a portion of the material layer using wet etching to expose a portion of the first thin film; and removing the exposed portion of the first thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: SeungHyun Lee, Hyunchul Kim, SeungWoo Choi, YeaHyun Gu
  • Patent number: 11655545
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the surface treatment of a component, for example a turbomachine component, the component comprising a surface to be treated, the method comprising the following steps: loading a first dispenser with a chemical etching solution and a second dispenser with a rinsing solution, positioning the first dispenser and the second dispenser opposite the surface to be treated, moving the first dispenser and the second dispenser along the surface to be treated, such that the surface to be treated successively receives the chemical etching solution followed by the rinsing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Romaric Jean-Marie Piette, Françoise Bertrand
  • Patent number: 11651971
    Abstract: An etching method includes forming a protective layer containing a tin atom on a surface of a substrate. The substrate has a region to be etched and a mask provided on the region. The etching method further includes etching the region in the substrate using the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: MAX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Ono, Shinya Ishikawa, Masanobu Honda
  • Patent number: 11639470
    Abstract: An etching composition for a silver-containing thin film, the etching composition comprising an inorganic acid compound, a sulfonic acid compound, an organic acid compound, a nitrate, a metal oxidizing agent, an amino acid compound, and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonghee Park, Hyoung Sik Kim, O Byoung Kwon, Gi-Yong Nam, Kyungchan Min, Suck Jun Lee, Youngmin Kim, Jinhyung Kim, Donghun Lee, Kyu-Hun Lim, Dongmin Jang
  • Patent number: 11631589
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of etching may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor and a secondary gas into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The secondary gas may be or include oxygen or nitrogen. A flow rate ratio of the fluorine-containing precursor to the secondary gas may be greater than or about 1:1. The methods may include contacting a substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the secondary gas. The substrate may include an exposed metal. The substrate may define a high aspect-ratio structure. The methods may include etching the exposed metal within the high aspect-ratio structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Xiaolin C. Chen, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Oliver Jan, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11610780
    Abstract: A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern includes hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. Some of the fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color and that leaves at least one fin of the first color behind. The fins of the second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TESSERA LLC
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Nelson M. Felix, Chi-Chun Liu, Yann A. M. Mignot, Stuart A. Sieg