Patents by Inventor Bhadri N. Varadarajan
Bhadri N. Varadarajan 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: 20220220609Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for providing silicon-containing films. The composition of the silicon-containing film can be controlled by the choice of the combination of precursors and the ratio of flow rates between the precursors. The silicon-containing films can be deposited on a substrate by flowing two different organo-silicon precursors to mix together in a reaction chamber. The organo-silicon precursors react with one or more radicals in a substantially low energy state to form the silicon-containing film. The one or more radicals can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventor: Bhadri N. VARADARAJAN
-
Publication number: 20220220611Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for providing silicon-containing films. The composition of the silicon-containing film can be controlled by the choice of the combination of precursors and the ratio of flow rates between the precursors. The silicon-containing films can be deposited on a substrate by flowing two different organo-silicon precursors to mix together in a reaction chamber. The organo-silicon precursors react with one or more radicals in a substantially low energy state to form the silicon-containing film. The one or more radicals can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventor: Bhadri N. VARADARAJAN
-
Publication number: 20220145459Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to an apparatus used for remote plasma processing. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a reaction chamber that is conditioned by forming a low recombination material coating on interior chamber surfaces. The low recombination material helps minimize the degree of radical recombination that occurs when the reaction chamber is used to process substrates. During processing on substrates, the low recombination material may become covered by relatively higher recombination material (e.g., as a byproduct of the substrate processing), which results in a decrease in the amount of radicals available to process the substrate over time. The low recombination material coating may be reconditioned through exposure to an oxidizing plasma, which acts to reform the low recombination material coating. The reconditioning process may occur periodically as additional processing occurs on substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Bhadri N. VARADARAJAN, Bo GONG, Rachel E. BATZER, Huatan QIU, Bart J. VAN SCHRAVENDIJK, Geoffrey HOHN
-
Publication number: 20220148875Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for providing silicon carbide films. A layer of silicon carbide can be provided under process conditions that employ one or more silicon-containing precursors that have one or more silicon-hydrogen bonds and/or silicon-silicon bonds. The silicon-containing precursors may also have one or more silicon-oxygen bonds and/or silicon-carbon bonds. One or more radical species in a substantially low energy state can react with the silicon-containing precursors to form the silicon carbide film. The one or more radical species can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Bhadri N. VARADARAJAN, Bo GONG, Zhe GUI
-
Publication number: 20220098727Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for providing silicon-containing films. The composition of the silicon carbide film can be controlled by the choice of the combination of precursors and the ratio of flow rates between the precursors. The silicon-containing films can be deposited on a substrate by flowing two different organo-silicon precursors to mix together in a reaction chamber. The organo-silicon precursors react with one or more radicals in a substantially low energy state to form the silicon-containing film. The one or more radicals can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventor: Bhadri N. Varadarajan
-
Publication number: 20220075260Abstract: Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Applicant: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Marks, George Andrew Antonelli, Richard A. Gottscho, Dennis M. Hausmann, Adrien LaVoie, Thomas Joseph Knisley, Sirish K. Reddy, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Artur Kolics
-
Patent number: 11264234Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for providing silicon carbide films. A layer of silicon carbide can be provided under process conditions that employ one or more silicon-containing precursors that have one or more silicon-hydrogen bonds and/or silicon-silicon bonds. The silicon-containing precursors may also have one or more silicon-oxygen bonds and/or silicon-carbon bonds. One or more radical species in a substantially low energy state can react with the silicon-containing precursors to form the silicon carbide film. The one or more radical species can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Bo Gong, Zhe Gui
-
Patent number: 11209729Abstract: Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Marks, George Andrew Antonelli, Richard A. Gottscho, Dennis M. Hausmann, Adrien LaVoie, Thomas Joseph Knisley, Sirish K. Reddy, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Artur Kolics
-
Publication number: 20210391171Abstract: A doped or undoped silicon carbide (SiCxOyNz) film can be deposited in one or more features of a substrate for gapfill. After a first thickness of the doped or undoped silicon carbide film is deposited in the one or more features, the doped or undoped silicon carbide film is exposed to a remote hydrogen plasma under conditions that cause a size of an opening near a top surface of each of the one or more features to increase, where the conditions can be controlled by controlling treatment time, treatment frequency, treatment power, and/or remote plasma gas composition. Operations of depositing additional thicknesses of silicon carbide film and performing a remote hydrogen plasma treatment are repeated to at least substantially fill the one or more features. Various time intervals between deposition and plasma treatment may be added to modulate gapfill performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2019Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Guangbi Yuan, Ieva Narkeviciute, Bo Gong, Bhadri N. Varadarajan
-
Patent number: 11011379Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of doping a fin-shaped channel region of a partially fabricated 3-D transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a multi-layer dopant-containing film on the substrate, forming a capping film comprising a silicon carbide material, a silicon nitride material, a silicon carbonitride material, or a combination thereof, the capping film located such that the multi-layer dopant-containing film is located in between the substrate and the capping film, and driving dopant from the dopant-containing film into the fin-shaped channel region. Multiple dopant-containing layers of the film may be formed by an atomic layer deposition process which includes adsorbing a dopant-containing film precursor such that it forms an adsorption-limited layer on the substrate and reacting adsorbed dopant-containing film precursor.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Reza Arghavani, Samantha Tan, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Adrien LaVoie, Ananda K. Banerji, Jun Qian, Shankar Swaminathan
-
Patent number: 10840087Abstract: A boron nitride, boron carbide, or boron carbonitride film can be deposited using a remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. A boron-containing precursor is provided to a reaction chamber, where the boron-containing precursors has at least one boron atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. Radical species, such as hydrogen radical species, are provided from a remote plasma source and into the reaction chamber at a substantially low energy state or ground state. A hydrocarbon precursor may be flowed along with the boron-containing precursor, and a nitrogen-containing plasma species may be introduced along with the radical species from the remote plasma source and into the reaction chamber. The boron-containing precursor may interact with the radical species along with one or both of the hydrocarbon precursor and the nitrogen-containing precursor to deposit the boron nitride, boron carbide, or boron carbonitride film.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Matthew Scott Weimer, Bhadri N. Varadarajan
-
Patent number: 10831096Abstract: Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Jeffrey Marks, George Andrew Antonelli, Richard A. Gottscho, Dennis M. Hausmann, Adrien LaVoie, Thomas Joseph Knisley, Sirish K. Reddy, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Artur Kolics
-
Patent number: 10832904Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for providing oxygen doped silicon carbide. A layer of oxygen doped silicon carbide can be provided under process conditions that employ one or more silicon-containing precursors that have one or more silicon-hydrogen bonds and/or silicon-silicon bonds. The silicon-containing precursors may also have one or more silicon-oxygen bonds and/or silicon-carbon bonds. One or more radical species in a substantially low energy state can react with the silicon-containing precursors to form the oxygen doped silicon carbide film. The one or more radical species can be formed in a remote plasma source.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventor: Bhadri N. Varadarajan
-
Patent number: 10763107Abstract: Methods and apparatuses suitable for encapsulation layers for memory devices at temperatures less than about 300° C. are provided herein. Methods involve introducing a reactive species by pulsing plasma while exposing a substrate to deposition reactants, and post-treating deposited encapsulation films to densify and reduce hydrogen content. Post-treatment methods include periodic exposure to inert plasma without reactants and exposure to ultraviolet radiation at a substrate temperature less than about 300° C.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Bart J. van Schravendijk, Akhil Singhal, Joseph Hung-chi Wei, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Kevin M. McLaughlin, Casey Holder, Ananda K. Banerji
-
Publication number: 20200152452Abstract: Methods and apparatuses suitable for depositing low hydrogen content, hermetic, thin encapsulation layers at temperatures less than about 300° C. are provided herein. Methods involve pulsing plasma while exposing a substrate to deposition reactants, and post-treating deposited encapsulation films to densify and reduce hydrogen content. Post-treatment methods include periodic exposure to inert plasma without reactants and exposure to ultraviolet radiation at a substrate temperature less than about 300° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2020Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Bart J. van Schravendijk, Akhil Singhal, Joseph Hung-chi Wei, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Kevin M. McLaughlin, Casey Holder, Ananda K. Banerji
-
Publication number: 20200089104Abstract: Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Marks, George Andrew Antonelli, Richard A. Gottscho, Dennis M. Hausmann, Adrien LaVoie, Thomas Joseph Knisley, Sirish K. Reddy, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Artur Kolics
-
Patent number: 10580690Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing an encapsulation layer over a staircase structure during fabrication of a 3D NAND structure to prevent degradation of an oxide-oxide interface and to prevent punchthrough of a wordline are provided. The encapsulation layer is a carbon-containing conformal film deposited over a staircase structure of alternating oxide and nitride layers prior to depositing oxide over the staircase structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Yongsik Yu, Bart J. van Schravendijk, Nagraj Shankar, Bhadri N. Varadarajan
-
Patent number: 10566186Abstract: Methods and apparatuses suitable for depositing low hydrogen content, hermetic, thin encapsulation layers at temperatures less than about 300° C. are provided herein. Methods involve pulsing plasma while exposing a substrate to deposition reactants, and post-treating deposited encapsulation films to densify and reduce hydrogen content. Post-treatment methods include periodic exposure to inert plasma without reactants and exposure to ultraviolet radiation at a substrate temperature less than about 300° C.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Bart J. van Schravendijk, Akhil Singhal, Joseph Hung-chi Wei, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Kevin McLaughlin, Casey Holder, Ananda Banerji
-
Patent number: 10559468Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of doping a fin-shaped channel region of a partially fabricated 3-D transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a multi-layer dopant-containing film on the substrate, forming a capping film comprising a silicon carbide material, a silicon carbonitride material, silicon oxycarbide material, silicon carbon-oxynitride, or a combination thereof, the capping film located such that the multi-layer dopant-containing film is located in between the substrate and the capping film, and driving dopant from the dopant-containing film into the fin-shaped channel region. Multiple dopant-containing layers of the film may be formed by an atomic layer deposition process which includes adsorbing a dopant-containing film precursor such that it forms an adsorption-limited layer on the substrate and reacting adsorbed dopant-containing film precursor.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2018Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Reza Arghavani, Samantha Tan, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Adrien LaVoie, Ananda K. Banerji, Jun Qian, Shankar Swaminathan
-
Publication number: 20200027725Abstract: A boron nitride, boron carbide, or boron carbonitride film can be deposited using a remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. A boron-containing precursor is provided to a reaction chamber, where the boron-containing precursors has at least one boron atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. Radical species, such as hydrogen radical species, are provided from a remote plasma source and into the reaction chamber at a substantially low energy state or ground state. A hydrocarbon precursor may be flowed along with the boron-containing precursor, and a nitrogen-containing plasma species may be introduced along with the radical species from the remote plasma source and into the reaction chamber. The boron-containing precursor may interact with the radical species along with one or both of the hydrocarbon precursor and the nitrogen-containing precursor to deposit the boron nitride, boron carbide, or boron carbonitride film.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Matthew Scott Weimer, Bhadri N. Varadarajan