Patents by Inventor Anchuan Wang

Anchuan Wang 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: 20250125154
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems of semiconductor processing may include etching a portion of a silicon-containing material from a substrate disposed within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. Methods may include forming a low quality oxide within one or more of the recesses, where the low quality oxide and a silicon-containing material each contain an exposed surface. Methods include contacting the low quality oxide and the high quality semiconductor material with a passivating agent selective to a surface defect of the low quality oxide. Methods include contacting the substrate with an etching agent and/or a cleaning agent, where the contacting with the cleaning agent removes the high quality semiconductor material at an equal or faster rate than the low quality oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lala Zhu, Yimin Huang, Shi Che, Yi Jin, Dongqing Yang, Lakmal C. Kalutarage, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Patent number: 12272563
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include modifying an exposed surface of a layer of metal oxide on a substrate housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber to produce a modified portion of metal oxide. The methods may include contacting the modified portion of metal oxide with a fluorine-containing precursor. The contacting may produce a metal oxy-fluoride material. The methods may include flowing an etchant precursor into the processing region. The methods may include contacting the metal oxy-fluoride material with the etchant precursor. The methods may include removing the metal oxy-fluoride material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin C. Chen, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20250112051
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing an oxygen-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. A first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material, a second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material, and a layer of silicon-containing material may be disposed on the substrate. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor. The contacting may oxidize at least a portion of the second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include providing a first etchant precursor to the processing region and contacting the substrate with the first etchant precursor. The contacting may selectively etch the first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include providing a second etchant precursor to the processing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiayin Huang, Zihui Li, Yi Jin, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Publication number: 20250087494
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include flowing an etchant precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. The substrate may define an exposed region of a metal-containing hardmask material and an exposed region of a material characterized by a dielectric constant of less than or about 4.0. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the etchant precursor. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the metal-containing hardmask material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin C. Chen, Wanxing Xu, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20250029841
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a pre-treatment precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material and a second layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material may be disposed on a substrate housed within the processing region. A native oxide may be present on the first layer and the second layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the pre-treatment precursor to remove the native oxide. The methods may include providing an oxygen-containing precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor to oxidize at least a portion of the second layer. The methods may include providing an etchant precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the etchant precursor to selectively etch the first layer of silicon-and-germanium-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiayin Huang, Zihui Li, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Publication number: 20240332027
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a first fluorine-containing precursor to a remote plasma system of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the first fluorine-containing precursor in the remote plasma system. The methods may include providing plasma effluents of the first fluorine-containing precursor to a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing a second fluorine-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate including alternating layers of material may be disposed within the processing region. The alternating layers of material may include a silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the first fluorine-containing precursor and with the second fluorine-containing precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Jiayin Huang, Kalpana Suen
  • Patent number: 12087595
    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: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin C. Chen, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20240290623
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a pre-treatment precursor to a processing a remote plasma system of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor in the remote plasma system. The methods may include flowing plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor to a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate including alternating layers of material may be disposed within the processing region. The alternating layers of material may include a silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the pre-treatment precursor. The methods may include etching the silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include providing a post-treatment precursor to the processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the post-treatment precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Yao, Zihui Li, Jiayin Huang, Anchuan Wang, Chia-Ling Kao, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Publication number: 20240282585
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a treatment precursor to a processing a remote plasma system of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the treatment precursor in the remote plasma system. The methods may include flowing plasma effluents of the treatment precursor to a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate including alternating layers of material may be disposed within the processing region. The alternating layers of material may include a silicon-and-germanium-containing material. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the treatment precursor. The contacting may remove a residue from a surface of the silicon-and-germanium-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Yao, Zihui Li, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20240258116
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include flowing an etchant precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. The substrate may define an exposed region of a titanium-containing material. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the etchant precursor. The methods may include removing at least a portion of the titanium-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Wanxing Xu, Lisa J. Enman, Aaron Dangerfield, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin C. Chen, Mikhail Korolik, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11984325
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the processing region with the oxygen-containing precursor. The substrate may include an exposed region of a transition metal nitride and an exposed region of a metal. The contacting may form an oxidized portion of the transition metal nitride and an oxidized portion of the metal. The methods may include forming a plasma of a fluorine-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor to produce fluorine-containing plasma effluents. The methods may include removing the oxidized portion of the transition metal nitride to expose a non-oxidized portion of the transition metal nitride. The methods may include forming a plasma of a chlorine-containing precursor to produce chlorine-containing plasma effluents. The methods may include removing the non-oxidized portion of the transition metal nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Xiaolin C. Chen, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Oliver Jan, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230386830
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing an oxygen-containing precursor to a semiconductor processing chamber, where a substrate may be positioned. The substrate may include a trench formed between two columns and molybdenum-containing metal regions in a plurality of recesses formed in at least one of the columns. At least two of the molybdenum-containing metal regions may be connected by a molybdenum-containing first liner formed on at least a portion of a sidewall of the trench. The methods may include forming a plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the molybdenum-containing first liner with plasma effluents of the oxygen-containing precursor, thereby forming an oxidized portion of molybdenum. The methods may include providing a halide precursor. The methods may include contacting oxidized portion of the molybdenum with plasma effluents of the halide precursor, thereby removing the oxidized portion of molybdenum from the sidewall of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaolin C. Chen, Baiwei Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Wanxing Xu, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230377997
    Abstract: A method of forming a contact layer in a semiconductor structure includes performing a pre-clean process on exposed surfaces of a plurality of first semiconductor regions and a plurality of second semiconductor regions formed on a substrate, wherein the exposed surfaces of the plurality of first and second semiconductor regions are each disposed within openings formed in a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate, performing a first selective epitaxial deposition process to form a first contact layer on the exposed surfaces of the first semiconductor regions and a second contact layer on the exposed surface of the second semiconductor regions, performing a patterning process to form a patterned stack, wherein the patterned stack comprises a patterned layer that comprises openings formed over the first contact layer disposed within each opening in the dielectric layer and a portion of the patterned layer that is disposed over each second contact layer disposed within each opening in the dielectric layer, a
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Nicolas Louis BREIL, Balasubramanian PRANATHARTHIHARAN, Benjamin COLOMBEAU, Anchuan WANG
  • Patent number: 11798813
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the processing region with the oxygen-containing precursor. The substrate may include an exposed region of ruthenium, and the contacting may produce ruthenium tetroxide. The methods may include vaporizing the ruthenium tetroxide from a surface of the exposed region of ruthenium. An amount of oxidized ruthenium may remain. The methods may include contacting the oxidized ruthenium with a hydrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include removing the oxidized ruthenium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Xiaolin C. Chen, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Oliver Jan, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20230307506
    Abstract: Methods for forming a semiconductor structure and semiconductor structures are described. The method comprises non-selectively depositing an amorphous silicon layer on a top surface and a sidewall surface of at least one contact trench on a substrate and a crystalline silicon layer on a bottom surface of the at least one contact trench at a temperature less than or equal to 400° C., the bottom surface including a source/drain material. The amorphous silicon layer is selectively removed from the top surface and the sidewall surface at a temperature less than or equal to 400° C. The method may be performed in a processing chamber without breaking vacuum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Breil, Matthew Cogorno, Anchuan Wang, Byeong Chan Lee, Manoj Vellaikal
  • 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: 11764058
    Abstract: Methods of reducing wafer bowing in 3D DRAM devices are described using a 3-color process. A plurality of film stacks are formed on a substrate surface, each of the film stacks comprises two doped SiGe layers having different dopant amounts and/or Si:Ge ratios and a doped silicon layer. 3D DRAM devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Arvind Kumar, Mahendra Pakala, Ellie Y. Yieh, John Tolle, Thomas Kirschenheiter, Anchuan Wang, Zihui Li
  • Publication number: 20230290647
    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: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin C. Chen, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11735467
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form an airgap spacer on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a spacer structure including a first material and a second material different from the first material. The methods may include forming a source/drain structure. The source/drain structure may be offset from the second material of the spacer structure by at least one other material. The methods may also include etching the second material from the spacer structure to form the airgap. The source/drain structure may be unexposed to etchant materials during the etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish Pal, Gaurav Thareja, Sankuei Lin, Ching-Mei Hsu, Nitin K. Ingle, Ajay Bhatnagar, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11728177
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber while striking a plasma to produce oxygen plasma effluents. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in a processing region with the oxygen plasma effluents. The substrate may define an exposed region of titanium nitride. The contacting may produce an oxidized surface on the titanium nitride. The methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber while striking a plasma to produce halogen plasma effluents. The methods may include contacting the oxidized surface on the titanium nitride with the halogen plasma effluents. The methods may include removing the oxidized surface on the titanium nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Oliver Jan, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin Chen, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang