Patents by Inventor Aixi ZHANG

Aixi ZHANG has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240222192
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods of removing metal oxide from a substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface to a hydrogen (H2) plasma and pulses of RF. In some embodiments, the substrate surface has at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature defining a trench having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two opposed sidewalls. The hydrogen (H2) plasma and pulses of RF remove substantially all of the metal oxide, e.g., tungsten oxide (WOx), molybdenum oxide (MoOx), or ruthenium oxide (RuOx), from the substrate surface, without damaging the dielectric and/or critical dimension (CD)/profile of the structure. A metal fill can then be selectively deposited in the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Zhimin Qi, Aixi Zhang, Xianyuan Zhao
  • Publication number: 20240194527
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes depositing an amorphous interlayer atop a first layer on a substrate, wherein the first layer is a metal-containing layer, and depositing a metal layer atop the amorphous interlayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Sahil Jaykumar PATEL, Xianyuan ZHAO, Wei LEI, Aixi ZHANG, Yi XU, Yu LEI
  • Publication number: 20240178062
    Abstract: A method of gap fill may include depositing a sacrificial Si layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate. In addition, the method may include depositing a metal layer in the opening and on the field, where at least a portion of the sacrificial Si layer is replaced with the metal layer. The method may also include depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening and on the field directly over the metal layer, where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Yi XU, Yu LEI, Aixi ZHANG, Rongjun WANG
  • Publication number: 20240087955
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming tungsten features in semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes exposing a top opening of a feature formed in a substrate to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to deposit a tungsten liner layer within the feature. The PVD process is performed in a first processing region of a first processing chamber and the tungsten liner layer forms an overhang portion, which partially obstructs the top opening of the feature. The substrate is transferred from the first processing region of the first processing chamber to a second processing region of a second processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The overhang portion is exposed to nitrogen-containing radicals in the second processing region to inhibit subsequent growth of tungsten along the overhang portion. The feature is exposed to a tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten liner layer within the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Yi XU, Xianyuan ZHAO, Zhimin QI, Aixi ZHANG, Geraldine VASQUEZ, Dien-Yeh WU, Wei LEI, Xingyao GAO, Shirish PETHE, Wenting HOU, Chao DU, Tsung-Han YANG, Kyoung-Ho BU, Chen-Han LIN, Jallepally RAVI, Yu LEI, Rongjun WANG, Xianmin TANG
  • Publication number: 20240088071
    Abstract: Methods for reducing resistivity of metal gapfill include depositing a conformal layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate with a first thickness of the conformal layer of approximately 10 microns or less, depositing a non-conformal metal layer directly on the conformal layer at a bottom of the opening and directly on the field using an anisotropic deposition process. A second thickness of the non-conformal metal layer on the field and on the bottom of the feature is approximately 30 microns or greater. And depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening of the feature and on the field where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening without any voids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Yi XU, Yu LEI, Zhimin QI, Aixi ZHANG, Xianyuan ZHAO, Wei LEI, Xingyao GAO, Shirish A. PETHE, Tao HUANG, Xiang CHANG, Patrick Po-Chun LI, Geraldine VASQUEZ, Dien-yeh WU, Rongjun WANG
  • Publication number: 20240018648
    Abstract: Embodiments of a purge ring for use in a process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a purge ring includes: an annular body having an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein the inner portion includes an inner surface of the annular body, the inner surface comprising a first inner sidewall, a second inner sidewall, and a third inner sidewall, wherein the inner portion has an upper inner notch that defines the first inner sidewall and a lower inner notch that defines the second inner sidewall, wherein a third inner sidewall is disposed between the first inner sidewall and the second inner sidewall, and wherein the first inner sidewall and the second inner sidewall are disposed radially outward of the third inner sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Geraldine VASQUEZ, Yi XU, Dien-yeh WU, Aixi ZHANG, Jallepally RAVI, Yu LEI
  • Publication number: 20240014072
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure includes forming a nucleation layer within at least one feature. The method includes exposing the nucleation layer to a nitrogen plasma treatment. The nitrogen plasma treatment preferentially treats the top field and sidewalls while leaving the bottom surface substantially untreated to encourage bottom up metal growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Tsung-Han YANG, Zhimin QI, Yongqian GAO, Rongjun WANG, Yi XU, Yu LEI, Xingyao GAO, Chih-Hsun HSU, Xi CEN, Wei LEI, Shiyu YUE, Aixi ZHANG, Kai WU, Xianmin TANG
  • Publication number: 20230420295
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for tungsten gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes performing a gradient oxidation process to oxidize exposed portions of a liner layer, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes an overhang portion of the liner layer, which obstructs or blocks top openings of one or more features formed within a field region of a substrate. The method further includes performing an etchback process to remove or reduce the oxidized overhang portion of the liner layer, exposing the liner layer to a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove metal oxide remaining from the gradient oxidation process and the etchback process, and performing a tungsten gap-fill process to fill or partially fill the one or more features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Tsung-Han YANG, Xingyao GAO, Shiyu YUE, Chih-Hsun HSU, Shirish PETHE, Rongjun WANG, Yi XU, Wei LEI, Yu LEI, Aixi ZHANG, Xianyuan ZHAO, Zhimin QI, Jiang LU, Xianmin TANG
  • Publication number: 20230386833
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for selectively removing metal material from the top surface and sidewalls of a feature. The metal material which is covered by a flowable polymer material remains unaffected. In some embodiments, the metal material is formed by physical vapor deposition resulting in a relatively thin sidewall thickness. Any metal material remaining on the sidewall after removal of the metal material from the top surface may be etched by an additional etch process. The resulting metal layer at the bottom of the feature facilitates selective metal gapfill of the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Liqi Wu, Feng Q. Liu, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, James Hugh Connolly, Zhimin Qi, Jie Zhang, Wei Dou, Aixi Zhang, Mark Saly, Jiang Lu, Rongjun Wang, David Thompson, Xianmin Tang
  • Publication number: 20230343643
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in a top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process removes or reduces the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Chih-Hsun HSU, Shiyu YUE, Wei LEI, Yi XU, Jiang LU, Yu LEI, Ziye XIONG, Tsung-Han YANG, Zhimin QI, Aixi ZHANG, Jie ZHANG, Liqi WU, Rongjun WANG, Shihchung CHEN, Meng-Shan WU, Chun-Chieh WANG, Annamalai LAKSHMANAN, Yixiong YANG, Xianmin TANG
  • Publication number: 20230323543
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide in situ selectively deposited molybdenum films having reduced resistivity and methods of reducing or eliminating lateral growth of a selectively deposited molybdenum layer. Additional embodiments provide integrated clean and deposition processes which improve the selectivity of in situ selectively deposited molybdenum films on features, such as a via. Further embodiments advantageously provide methods of improving uniformity and selectivity of bottom-up gap fill for vias with improved film properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuerxun Ailihumaer, Yixiong Yang, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Srinivas Gandikota, Yogesh Sharma, Pei Hsuan Lin, Yi Xu, Zhimin Qi, Aixi Zhang, Shiyu Yue, Yu Lei
  • Publication number: 20230326791
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and associated apparatus for filling a feature in a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing tungsten in features of a substrate includes: depositing a seed layer consisting essentially of tungsten in the features via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process; and depositing a bulk layer consisting essentially of tungsten in the features via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to fill the features such that the deposition of the bulk layer is selective to within the features as compared to a field region of the substrate, wherein the CVD process is performed by flowing hydrogen gas (H2) at a first flow rate and a tungsten precursor at a second flow rate, and wherein the first flow rate is less than the second flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Zhimin QI, Yi XU, Shirish A. PETHE, Xingyao GAO, Shiyu YUE, Aixi ZHANG, Wei LEI, Yu LEI, Geraldine VASQUEZ, Dien-yeh WU, Da HE
  • Patent number: 11270126
    Abstract: A person tracking method, comprising: acquiring N frames in units of time windows; acquiring, in time windows, tracking paths of a target person according to the N frames; and constructing continuous tracking paths by means of continuous time windows, so as to obtain the tracking results of the target person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: BEIJING JINGDONG SHANGKE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BEIJING JINGDONG CENTURY TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peiming Zhou, Yun Ye, Aixi Zhang, Junhui Wu, Yu Chen, Zhi Weng
  • Patent number: 11263446
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, system, and terminal device for re-identifying a person in a closed place, relating to the field of video processing technologies. The method comprises: dividing a closed place into a plurality of regions comprising an entrance region, any of the regions comprising at least one camera for photographing; confirming a person first entering based on a trajectory tracking of the person in the entrance area, and assigning a unique identity number to the person, acquiring and recording feature information thereof and binding the identity number with the feature information; and when re-identification of a person in the closed place is performed, matching person's feature information captured by the camera of the region where the person is, with recorded feature information selecting the identity number bound with recorded feature information that best matches the feature information of the person as the identity number of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignees: BEIJING JINGDONG SHANGKE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BEIJING JINGDONG CENTURY TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peiming Zhou, Yu Chen, Yun Ye, Aixi Zhang, Junhui Wu, Zhi Weng
  • Publication number: 20200349348
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, system, and terminal device for re-identifying a person in a closed place, relating to the field of video processing technologies. The method comprises: dividing a closed place into a plurality of regions comprising an entrance region, any of the regions comprising at least one camera for photographing; confirming a person first entering based on a trajectory tracking of the person in the entrance area, and assigning a unique identity number to the person, acquiring and recording feature information thereof and binding the identity number with the feature information; and when re-identification of a person in the closed place is performed, matching person's feature information captured by the camera of the region where the person is, with recorded feature information selecting the identity number bound with recorded feature information that best matches the feature information of the person as the identity number of the person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Peiming ZHOU, Yu CHEN, Yun YE, Aixi ZHANG, Junhui WU, Zhi WENG
  • Publication number: 20200334466
    Abstract: A person tracking method, comprising: acquiring N frames in units of time windows; acquiring, in time windows, tracking paths of a target person according to the N frames; and constructing continuous tracking paths by means of continuous time windows, so as to obtain the tracking results of the target person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Peiming ZHOU, Yun YE, Aixi ZHANG, Junhui WU, Yu CHEN, Zhi WENG