Patents Examined by Roberts P Culbert
  • Polishing compositions and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 11414568
    Abstract: A polishing composition includes an abrasive; a pH adjuster; a barrier film removal rate enhancer; a low-k removal rate inhibitor; an azole-containing corrosion inhibitor; and a hard mask removal rate enhancer. A method of polishing a substrate includes the steps of: applying the polishing composition described herein to a surface of a substrate, wherein the surface comprises ruthenium or a hard mask material; and bringing a pad into contact with the surface of the substrate and moving the pad in relation to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Fujifilm Electronic Materials U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Ting-Kai Huang, Tawei Lin, Bin Hu, Liqing Wen, Yannan Liang
  • Mask blank, phase shift mask, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
    Patent number: 11415875
    Abstract: A mask blank in which a phase shift film provided on a light-permeable substrate includes at least a nitrogen-containing layer and an oxygen-containing layer, the nitrogen-containing layer is made from a silicon nitride-based material and the oxygen-containing layer is made from a silicon oxide-based material, wherein, when the nitrogen-containing layer is subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to obtain a maximum peak PSi_f of photoelectron intensity of a Si2p narrow spectrum and the light-permeable substrate is subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to obtain a maximum peak PSi_s of photoelectron intensity of a Si2p narrow spectrum, the numerical value (PSi_f)/(PSi_s), which is produced by dividing the maximum peak PSi_f in the nitrogen-containing layer by the maximum peak PSi_s in the light-permeable substrate, is 1.09 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maeda, Ryo Ohkubo, Yasutaka Horigome
  • Workpiece cutting method
    Patent number: 11413708
    Abstract: An object cutting method includes: a first step of preparing an object to be processed including a single crystal silicon substrate and a functional device layer provided on a first main surface side and forming an etching protection layer on a second main surface of the object; a second step of irradiating the object with laser light to form at least one row of modified regions in the single crystal silicon substrate and to form a fracture in the object so as to extend between the at least one row of modified regions and a surface of the etching protection layer; and a third step of performing dry etching on the object from the second main surface side, in a state in which the etching protection layer is formed on the second main surface, to form a groove opening to the second main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Tomoya Taguchi
  • Metal on metal multiple patterning
    Patent number: 11398378
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a structure which includes a first metal layer patterned as a mandrel, a dielectric spacer on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer on the dielectric spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Hsueh-Chung Chen, Ravi P. Srivastava, Somnath Ghosh, Nicholas V. Licausi, Terry A. Spooner, Sean Reidy
  • Controlling etch angles by substrate rotation in angled etch tools
    Patent number: 11397289
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming gratings with different slant angles on a substrate and forming gratings with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material at an ion beam angle ? relative to a surface normal of the substrates and form gratings in the grating material. The substrates are rotated about an axis of the platen resulting in rotation angles ? between the ion beam and a surface normal of the gratings. The gratings have slant angles ?? relative to the surface normal of the substrates. The rotation angles ? selected by an equation ?=cos?1(tan(??)/tan(?)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen, Morgan Evans, Joseph C. Olson
  • Semiconductor structure and fabrication method thereof
    Patent number: 11393685
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a to-be-etched layer; forming a plurality of initial sidewall spacers on the to-be-etched layer; and performing at least one modification treatment process on the plurality of initial sidewall spacers to form a plurality of sidewall spacers. Each of the at least one modification treatment process includes modifying the plurality of initial sidewall spacers to form a transition layer on the top and sidewall surfaces of each initial sidewall spacer of the plurality of initial sidewall spacers, and then removing the transition layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventors: Bo Su, Shiliang Ji, Erhu Zheng, Yan Wang, Haiyang Zhang
  • Chemical-mechanical polishing composition, rinse composition, chemical-mechanical polishing method, and rinsing method
    Patent number: 11384257
    Abstract: Provided is a chemical-mechanical polishing composition including an abrasive, a basic component, a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether represented by the formula (i) RO-(AO)n—H, wherein R is a linear or branched C1 to C15 alkyl group, A is an alkylene group selected from the group consisting of an ethylene group, a propylene group, and a combination thereof, and n represents average addition mol numbers of AO and is 2 to 30, and an aqueous carrier, a rinse composition including the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether and an aqueous carrier, and a substrate chemical-mechanical polishing method and a rinsing method in which these are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Masuda, Hiroshi Kitamura, Yoshiyuki Matsumura, Akihisa Namiki
  • Polishing method and method for manufacturing semiconductor substrate
    Patent number: 11384256
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing method in which the polishing speed of silicon germanium is sufficiently high, the etching of the silicon germanium is suppressed, and the selection ratio of the polishing speed of the silicon germanium is sufficiently high. The present invention relates a polishing method including: polishing an object to be polished containing silicon germanium using a polishing composition, in which the polishing composition contains an abrasive, an inorganic salt, and a polishing accelerator having an acid group, and pH of the polishing composition is 8 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yoshizaki, Satoru Yarita, Hirofumi Ikawa
  • Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
    Patent number: 11361966
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first film on a substrate. The method further includes forming a second film on the first film. The second film includes fluoride of a first metal element having a first boiling point of 800° C. or higher and fluoride of a second metal element having a second boiling point of 800° C. or higher. The second metal element is different from the first metal element. The method further includes etching the first film using the second film as an etching mask and etching gas that includes fluorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Yamazaki, Kazuhito Furumoto, Kosuke Horibe, Keisuke Kikutani, Atsuko Sakata
  • Method for creating nanopores in MOSnanosheets by chemical drilling for disinfection of water under visible light
    Patent number: 11351508
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method for creating nanopores in single layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets (NSs) by the electrospray deposition (ESD) of silver ions on a water suspension of the former. Electrospray deposited silver ions react with the MoS2 NSs at the liquid-air interface resulting in Ag2S nanoparticles (NPs) which goes into the solution leaving the NSs with holes of 3-5 nm diameter. Specific reaction with the S of MoS2 NSs leads to Mo-rich edges. Such Mo-rich defects are highly efficient for the generation of active oxygen species such as H2O2, under visible light, which causes efficient disinfection of water. The holey MoS2 NSs shows 105 times higher efficiency in disinfection compared to normal MoS2 NSs. Developed a conceptual prototype and tested with multiple bacterial strains and a viral strain, demonstrating the utility of the method for practical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS (IIT MADRAS)
    Inventors: Pradeep Thalappil, Depanjan Sarkar, Anirban Som, Biswajit Mondal, Swathy Jakka Ravindran
  • Polishing composition, production method of the same, polishing method, and manufacturing method of semiconductor substrate
    Patent number: 11339312
    Abstract: The present invention provides means capable of improving an effect of inhibiting polishing of silicon nitride. The present invention relates to a polishing composition containing a cationically modified silica particles, a non-aromatic crosslinked cyclic compound having an organic acid group or a group of a salt thereof, and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIMI INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Akiko Soumiya
  • Etching method, substrate processing apparatus, and substrate processing system
    Patent number: 11328933
    Abstract: A technique enables etching of a film on a substrate with reduced etching on the surface of a side wall. An etching method includes forming a protective layer on a surface of a side wall defining a recess in a substrate. The protective layer contains sulfur atoms. The etching method further includes etching a film on the substrate to increase a depth of the recess after forming the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinya Ishikawa, Kenta Ono, Masanobu Honda
  • Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
    Patent number: 11328932
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate on which silicon layers and silicon germanium layers are alternately disposed, includes: forming an oxide layer on a surface layer of a spacer layer based on an oxygen-containing gas radicalized using remote plasma, wherein the spacer layer having a low dielectric constant is formed at least on side surfaces of the silicon layers and the silicon germanium layers; and removing the formed oxide layer by etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yusuke Muraki
  • Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
    Patent number: 11322365
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method including: reducing an oxide of a ruthenium film by supplying a hydrogen-containing gas to a substrate including the ruthenium film; etching the ruthenium film by supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate so as to oxidize the ruthenium film; and repeating, multiple times, a cycle including reducing the oxide of the ruthenium film and etching the ruthenium film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hiroki Murakami
  • Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium
    Patent number: 11315800
    Abstract: There is provide a technique that includes: etching a base exposed on a surface of a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including non-simultaneously performing: (a) forming a modified layer on a surface of the base by supplying a modifying agent to the base; and (b) causing a reaction between a halogen-containing radical and the base by supplying a halogen-containing gas to the modified layer such that the modified layer reacts with the halogen-containing gas to generate the halogen-containing radical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motomu Degai, Kimihiko Nakatani, Takashi Nakagawa, Takayuki Waseda, Yoshitomo Hashimoto
  • Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
    Patent number: 11315795
    Abstract: A substrate processing method performed in a substrate processing apparatus includes providing a substrate which has a first film composed of silicon only and a second film including silicon; and etching the first film by plasma formed from a mixed gas including a halogen-containing gas and a silicon-containing gas but not including an oxygen-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaki Inoue, Cedric Thomas
  • Apparatus and methods for selectively etching films
    Patent number: 11315794
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for selectively etching a particular layer are disclosed. The apparatus and methods are directed towards maintaining the etch rate of the particular layer, while keeping intact a non-etched layer. The etching process may be accomplished by co-flowing a hydrogen precursor gas and a fluorine precursor gas into a remote plasma unit. A resulting gas mixture may then be flowed onto the substrate having a silicon oxide layer as an etch layer and a silicon nitride layer as a non-etched layer, for example. A reaction between the resulting gas mixture and the particular layer takes place, resulting in etching of the silicon oxide layer while maintaining the silicon nitride layer in the above example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Fei Wang, Aditya Walimbe
  • Mask blank, phase shift mask, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
    Patent number: 11314161
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank for a phase shift mask including an etching stopper film. The mask blank has a structure where a transparent substrate has stacked thereon an etching stopper film and a phase shift film in this order, in which the phase shift film contains silicon and oxygen, in which the phase shift film has a refractive index n1 of 1.5 or more for light of 193 nm wavelength and an extinction coefficient k1 of 0.1 or less for light of 193 nm wavelength, in which the etching stopper film has a refractive index n2 of 2.5 or more and 3.1 or less for light of 193 nm wavelength and an extinction coefficient k2 of 0.4 or less for light of 193 nm wavelength, and the refractive index n2 and the extinction coefficient k2 satisfy at least one of a set of specified conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shishido, Kazutake Taniguchi
  • Plasma etching method using gas molecule containing sulfur atom
    Patent number: 11315797
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma etching method that enables, in a semiconductor fabrication process, selective processing of a film consisting of a single material, such as SiO2 or SiN, or a composite material of SiO2 and SiN over a mask material as well as processing into satisfactorily vertical processed shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KANTO DENKA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Korehito Kato, Yoshinao Takahashi, Mitsuharu Shimoda, Yoshihiko Iketani
  • Method to change an etch parameter
    Patent number: 11300887
    Abstract: A method to change an etch parameter of a substrate etching process, the method including: making a first measurement of a first metric associated with a structure on a substrate before being etched; making a second measurement of a second metric associated with a structure on a substrate after being etched; and changing the etch parameter based on a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Victor Emanuel Calado, Leon Paul Van Dijk, Roy Werkman, Everhardus Cornelis Mos, Jochem Sebastiaan Wildenberg, Marinus Jochemsen, Bijoy Rajasekharan, Erik Jensen, Adam Jan Urbanczyk