Patents by Inventor Alfred Grill

Alfred Grill 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).

  • Patent number: 9293557
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor structures and methods for making the same that include a boron nitride (BN) spacer on a gate stack, such as a gate stack of a planar FET or FinFET. The boron nitride spacer is fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and/or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) techniques to produce a boron nitride spacer at relatively low temperatures that are conducive to devices made from materials such as silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium (Ge), and/or III-V compounds. Furthermore, the boron nitride spacer may be fabricated to have various desirable properties, including a hexagonal textured structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Dae-Gyu Park, Norma E. Sosa, Min Yang
  • Publication number: 20160064509
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay C. Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Publication number: 20160064481
    Abstract: A semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure that includes a cap layer composed of a boron-rich compound or doped boron nitride located between a top semiconductor layer and a buried insulator layer is provided. The cap layer forms a conductive path between the top semiconductor layer and the buried insulator layer in the SOI structure to dissipate total ionizing dose (TID) accumulated charges, thus advantageously mitigating TID effects in fully depleted SOI transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Kenneth P. Rodbell
  • Publication number: 20160064218
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Patent number: 9275952
    Abstract: An electrical device including an opening in a low-k dielectric material, and a copper including structure present within the opening for transmitting electrical current. A liner is present between the opening and the copper including structure. The liner includes a superlattice structure comprised of a metal oxide layer, a metal layer present on the metal oxide layer, and a metal nitride layer that is present on the metal layer. A first layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the low-k dielectric material is one of said metal oxide layer and a final layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the copper including structure is one of the metal nitride layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald F. Canaperi, Daniel C. Edelstein, Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Takeshi Nogami, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Publication number: 20160056111
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay C. Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Publication number: 20160047038
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay C. Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Publication number: 20160035618
    Abstract: An electrical device including an opening in a low-k dielectric material, and a copper including structure present within the opening for transmitting electrical current. A liner is present between the opening and the copper including structure. The liner includes a superlattice structure comprised of a metal oxide layer, a metal layer present on the metal oxide layer, and a metal nitride layer that is present on the metal layer. A first layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the low-k dielectric material is one of said metal oxide layer and a final layer of the superlattice structure that is in direct contact with the copper including structure is one of the metal nitride layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Donald F. Canaperi, Daniel C. Edelstein, Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Takeshi Nogami, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 9236250
    Abstract: A single crystalline silicon carbide layer can be grown on a single crystalline sapphire substrate. Subsequently, a graphene layer can be formed by conversion of a surface layer of the single crystalline silicon layer during an anneal at an elevated temperature in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. Alternately, a graphene layer can be deposited on an exposed surface of the single crystalline silicon carbide layer. A graphene layer can also be formed directly on a surface of a sapphire substrate or directly on a surface of a silicon carbide substrate. Still alternately, a graphene layer can be formed on a silicon carbide layer on a semiconductor substrate. The commercial availability of sapphire substrates and semiconductor substrates with a diameter of six inches or more allows formation of a graphene layer on a commercially scalable substrate for low cost manufacturing of devices employing a graphene layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Jack O. Chu, Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Marcus O. Freitag, Alfred Grill, Timothy J. McArdle, Robert L. Wisnieff
  • Patent number: 9231063
    Abstract: A semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure that includes a cap layer composed of a boron-rich compound or doped boron nitride located between a top semiconductor layer and a buried insulator layer is provided. The cap layer forms a conductive path between the top semiconductor layer and the buried insulator layer in the SOI structure to dissipate total ionizing dose (TID) accumulated charges, thus advantageously mitigating TID effects in fully depleted SOI transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Kenneth P. Rodbell
  • Patent number: 9219037
    Abstract: A porous SiCOH dielectric film in which the stress change caused by increased tetrahedral strain is minimized by post treatment in unsaturated Hydrocarbon ambient. The p-SiCOH dielectric film has more —(CHx) and less Si—O—H and Si—H bonding moieties. Moreover, a stable pSiOCH dielectric film is provided in which the amount of Si—OH (silanol) and Si—H groups at least within the pores has been reduced by about 90% or less by the post treatment. A p-SiCOH dielectric film is produced that is flexible since the pores include stabilized crosslinking —(CHx)— chains wherein x is 1, 2 or 3 therein. The dielectric film is produced utilizing an annealing step subsequent deposition that includes a gaseous ambient that includes at least one C—C double bond and/or at least one C—C triple bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Gates, Alfred Grill, Son Nguyen, Satyanarayana V. Nitta, Thomas M. Shaw
  • Patent number: 9214332
    Abstract: A low k dielectric material with enhanced electrical and mechanical properties is provided which, in some applications, can also reduce the capacitance of a semiconductor device. The low k dielectric material includes CNT nanotubes that are randomly dispersed within a low k dielectric material matrix. The low k dielectric material can be used in a variety of electronic devices including, for example, as an insulator layer within a back end of line interconnect structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Publication number: 20150357236
    Abstract: Compositions of matter, compounds, articles of manufacture and processes to reduce or substantially eliminate EM and/or stress migration, and/or TDDB in copper interconnects in microelectronic devices and circuits, especially a metal liner around copper interconnects comprise an ultra thin layer or layers of Mn alloys containing at least one of W and/or Co on the metal liner. This novel alloy provides EM and/or stress migration resistance, and/or TDDB resistance in these copper interconnects, comparable to thicker layers of other alloys found in substantially larger circuits and allows the miniaturization of the circuit without having to use thicker EM and/or TDDB resistant alloys previously used thereby enhancing the miniaturization, i.e., these novel alloy layers can be miniaturized along with the circuit and provide substantially the same EM and/or TDDB resistance as thicker layers of different alloy materials previously used that lose some of their EM and/or TDDB resistance when used as thinner layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel Edelstein, Alfred Grill, Seth L. Knupp, Son Nguyen, Takeshi Nogami, Vamsi K. Paruchuri, Hosadurga K. Shobha, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Publication number: 20150333157
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures including parallel graphene nanoribbons or carbon nanotubes oriented along crystallographic directions are provided from a template of silicon carbide (SiC) fins or nanowires. The SiC fins or nanowires are first provided and then graphene nanoribbons or carbon nanotubes are formed on the exposed surfaces of the fin or the nanowires by annealing. In embodiments in which closed carbon nanotubes are formed, the nanowires are suspended prior to annealing. The location, orientation and chirality of the graphene nanoribbons and the carbon nanotubes that are provided are determined by the corresponding silicon carbide fins and nanowires from which they are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Guy M. Cohen, Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Alfred Grill
  • Publication number: 20150287593
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay C. Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Publication number: 20150270124
    Abstract: A low k dielectric material with enhanced electrical and mechanical properties is provided which, in some applications, can also reduce the capacitance of a semiconductor device. The low k dielectric material includes CNT nanotubes that are randomly dispersed within a low k dielectric material matrix. The low k dielectric material can be used in a variety of electronic devices including, for example, as an insulator layer within a back end of line interconnect structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald F. Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Publication number: 20150243740
    Abstract: A semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure that includes a cap layer composed of a boron-rich compound or doped boron nitride located between a top semiconductor layer and a buried insulator layer is provided. The cap layer forms a conductive path between the top semiconductor layer and the buried insulator layer in the SOI structure to dissipate total ionizing dose (TID) accumulated charges, thus advantageously mitigating TID effects in fully depleted SOI transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Kenneth P. Rodbell
  • Publication number: 20150236115
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor structures and methods for making the same that include a boron nitride (BN) spacer on a gate stack, such as a gate stack of a planar FET or FinFET. The boron nitride spacer is fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and/or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) techniques to produce a boron nitride spacer at relatively low temperatures that are conducive to devices made from materials such as silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium (Ge), and/or III-V compounds. Furthermore, the boron nitride spacer may be fabricated to have various desirable properties, including a hexagonal textured structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Dae-Gyu Park, Norma E. Sosa, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 9111761
    Abstract: An in-situ process is described incorporating plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition comprising flowing at least one of a Si, Si+C, B, Si+B, Si?B+C, and B+C containing precursor, and a N containing precursors at first times and removing the N precursor at second times and starting the flow of an oxidant gas and a porogen gas into the chamber. A dielectric layer is described comprising a network having inorganic random three dimensional covalent bonding throughout the network which contains at least one SiCN, SiCNH, SiN, SiNH, BN, BNH, CBN, CBNH, BSiN, BSiNH, SiCBN and SiCBNH as a first component and a low k dielectric as a second component adjacent thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Gates, Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Satyanarayana V. Nitta
  • Patent number: 9105642
    Abstract: A dielectric stack and method of depositing the stack to a substrate using a single step deposition process. The dielectric stack includes a dense layer and a porous layer of the same elemental compound with different compositional atomic percentage, density, and porosity. The stack enhances mechanical modulus strength and enhances oxidation and copper diffusion barrier properties. The dielectric stack has inorganic or hybrid inorganic-organic random three-dimensional covalent bonding throughout the network, which contain different regions of different chemical compositions such as a cap component adjacent to a low-k component of the same type of material but with higher porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Griselda Bonilla, Alfred Grill, Thomas J. Haigh, Jr., Satyanarayana V. Nitta, Son Nguyen