Patents by Inventor Alan W. Collins
Alan W. Collins 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).
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Patent number: 7413627Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2004Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Patent number: 6833052Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2002Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Patent number: 6814814Abstract: In a method of cleaning process residues formed on surfaces in a substrate processing chamber, a sacrificial substrate comprising a sacrificial material is placed in the chamber, a sputtering gas is introduced into the chamber, and the sputtering gas is energized to sputter the sacrificial material from the substrate. The sputtered sacrificial material reacts with residues on the chamber surfaces to clean them. In one version, the sacrificial substrate comprises a silicon-containing material that when sputtered deposits silicon on the chamber walls that reacts with and cleans fluorine-containing species that are left behind by a chamber cleaning process.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2002Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alan W. Collins, Feng Gao, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Padmanaban Krishnaraj, Yaxin Wang
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Patent number: 6715496Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising a turbomolecular pump. In one embodiment, the invention may be reduced to practice by first supplying a cleaning agent to a chamber; pumping the cleaning agent from the chamber through an the exhaust port; at least partially opening a gate valve; and drawing at least a portion of the cleaning agent through the gate valve and into the turbomolecular pump.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2003Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Michael Chiu Kwan, Alan W. Collins, Jalel Hamila, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Zhengquan Tan
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Patent number: 6633076Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the present invention deposit fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) in such a manner that it strongly adheres to an overlying or underlying barrier layer or etch stop layer, and has a lower dielectric constant, among other benefits. In one embodiment, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar) are used as the reactant gases, with the ratio of oxygen to silicon controlled to be at between about 2:1 to 6:1. Such O2 levels help reduce the amount of degradation of ceramic chamber components otherwise caused by the elimination of silane from the process recipe.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2002Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Robert Duncan, Joseph D'Souza, Alan W. Collins, Nasreen Chopra, Kimberly Branshaw
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Publication number: 20030183243Abstract: In a method of cleaning process residues formed on surfaces in a substrate processing chamber, a sacrificial substrate comprising a sacrificial material is placed in the chamber, a sputtering gas is introduced into the chamber, and the sputtering gas is energized to sputter the sacrificial material from the substrate. The sputtered sacrificial material reacts with residues on the chamber surfaces to clean them. In one version, the sacrificial substrate comprises a silicon-containing material that when sputtered deposits silicon on the chamber walls that reacts with and cleans fluorine-containing species that are left behind by a chamber cleaning process.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2002Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alan W. Collins, Feng Gao, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Padmanaban Krishnaraj, Yaxin Wang
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Publication number: 20030164224Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising a turbomolecular pump. In one embodiment, the invention may be reduced to practice by first supplying a cleaning agent to a chamber; pumping the cleaning agent from the chamber through an the exhaust port; at least partially opening a gate valve; and drawing at least a portion of the cleaning agent through the gate valve and into the turbomolecular pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2003Publication date: September 4, 2003Inventors: Michael Chiu Kwan, Alan W. Collins, Jalel Hamila, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Zhengquan Tan
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Patent number: 6596123Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising a turbomolecular pump. In one embodiment, the invention may be reduced to practice by first supplying a cleaning agent to a chamber; pumping the cleaning agent from the chamber through an the exhaust port; at least partially opening a gate valve; and drawing at least a portion of the cleaning agent through the gate valve and into the turbomolecular pump.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2000Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael Chiu Kwan, Alan W. Collins, Jalel Hamila, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Zhengquan Tan
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Patent number: 6589610Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Publication number: 20030064556Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the present invention deposit fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) in such a manner that it strongly adheres to an overlying or underlying barrier layer or etch stop layer, and has a lower dielectric constant, among other benefits. In one embodiment, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar) are used as the reactant gases, with the ratio of oxygen to silicon controlled to be at between about 2:1 to 6:1. Such O2 levels help reduce the amount of degradation of ceramic chamber components otherwise caused by the elimination of silane from the process recipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Robert Duncan, Joseph D'Souza, Alan W. Collins, Nasreen Chopra, Kimberly Branshaw
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Publication number: 20030056900Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2002Publication date: March 27, 2003Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INCORPORATED a Delaware corporationInventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Patent number: 6511922Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the present invention deposit fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) in such a manner that it strongly adheres to an overlying or underlying barrier layer or etch stop layer, and has a lower dielectric constant, among other benefits. In one embodiment, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar) are used as the reactant gases, with the ratio of oxygen to silicon controlled to be at between about 2:1 to 6:1. Such O2 levels help reduce the amount of degradation of ceramic chamber components otherwise caused by the elimination of silane from the process recipe.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2001Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Robert Duncan, Joseph D'Souza, Alan W. Collins, Nasreen Chopra, Kimberly Branshaw
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Patent number: 6486081Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate comprising a processing chamber, a substrate support member disposed within the chamber, a first gas inlet, a second gas inlet, a plasma generator and a gas exhaust. The first gas inlet provides a first gas at a first distance from an interior surface of the chamber, and the second gas inlet provides a second gas at a second distance that is closer than the first distance from the interior surface of the chamber. Thus, the second gas creates a higher partial pressure adjacent the interior surface of the chamber to significantly reduce deposition from the first gas onto the interior surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1999Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tetsuya Ishikawa, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Feng Gao, Alan W. Collins, Lily Pang
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Publication number: 20020173167Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the present invention deposit fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) in such a manner that it strongly adheres to an overlying or underlying barrier layer or etch stop layer, and has a lower dielectric constant, among other benefits. In one embodiment, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar) are used as the reactant gases, with the ratio of oxygen to silicon controlled to be at between about 2:1 to 6:1. Such O2 levels help reduce the amount of degradation of ceramic chamber components otherwise caused by the elimination of silane from the process recipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2001Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Robert Duncan, Joseph D'Souza, Alan W. Collins, Nasreen Chopra, Kimberly Branshaw
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Publication number: 20020160113Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2002Publication date: October 31, 2002Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INCORPORATEDInventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Patent number: 6416823Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Publication number: 20010053423Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2000Publication date: December 20, 2001Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins
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Patent number: 6143078Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate comprising a processing chamber, a substrate support member disposed within the chamber, a first gas inlet, a second gas inlet, a plasma generator and a gas exhaust. The first gas inlet provides a first gas at a first distance from an interior surface of the chamber, and the second gas inlet provides a second gas at a second distance that is closer than the first distance from the interior surface of the chamber. Thus, the second gas creates a higher partial pressure adjacent the interior surface of the chamber to significantly reduce deposition from the first gas onto the interior surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1998Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tetsuya Ishikawa, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Feng Gao, Alan W. Collins, Lily Pang
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Patent number: 6070551Abstract: An improved deposition chamber (2) includes a housing (4) defining a chamber (18) which houses a substrate support (14). A mixture of oxygen and SiF.sub.4 is delivered through a set of first nozzles (34) and silane is delivered through a set of second nozzles (34a) into the chamber around the periphery (40) of the substrate support. Silane (or a mixture of silane and SiF.sub.4) and oxygen are separately injected into the chamber generally centrally above the substrate from orifices (64, 76). The uniform dispersal of the gases coupled with the use of optimal flow rates for each gas results in uniformly low (under 3.4) dielectric constant across the film.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1997Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Yaxin Wang, Fred C. Redeker, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Alan W. Collins