Patents by Inventor Bruce Dale Ulrich
Bruce Dale Ulrich 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: 7157111Abstract: A method of selectively depositing a ferroelectric thin film on an indium-containing substrate in a ferroelectric device includes preparing a silicon substrate; depositing an indium-containing thin film on the substrate; patterning the indium containing thin film; annealing the structure; selectively depositing a ferroelectric layer by MOCVD; annealing the structure; and completing the ferroelectric device.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2003Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu, Bruce Dale Ulrich
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Patent number: 7053001Abstract: A method of selective etching a metal oxide layer for fabrication of a ferroelectric device includes preparing a silicon substrate, including forming an oxide layer thereon; depositing a layer of metal or metal oxide thin film on the substrate; patterning and selectively etching the metal or metal oxide thin film without substantially over etching into the underlying oxide layer; depositing a layer of ferroelectric material; depositing a top electrode on the ferroelectric material; and completing the ferroelectric device.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu, Bruce Dale Ulrich
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Patent number: 6555874Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes, on a SOI substrate, a CMOS formed on the substrate; and a SiGe HBT formed on the substrate. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes preparing a SOI substrate having plural active regions thereon; forming a CMOS on the SOI substrate in a first active region; and forming a SiGe HBT on the SOI substrate in another active region.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.Inventors: Sheng Teng Hsu, Douglas James Tweet, Bruce Dale Ulrich, Hong Ying
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Patent number: 6436587Abstract: A method of forming a reticle includes providing a reticle blank having a quartz layer, an attenuated phase shift layer, and a metal layer; covering the reticle blank with photoresist; patterning the photoresist into multiple levels; and etching the reticle blank according to the multi-level photoresist pattern.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.Inventors: Bruce Dale Ulrich, Gerald William Maliszewski
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Patent number: 6043164Abstract: A method is provided for forming an intermediate level in an integrated circuit dielectric during a damascene process using a photoresist mask having an intermediate thickness. The method forms an interconnect to a first depth in the dielectric through an opening in the photoresist pattern. The photoresist profile is partially etched away in the area of the intermediate thickness to reveal a second dielectric surface area. The second dielectric surface area is then etched to a second depth less than the first depth. In this manner, vias can be formed to the first depth, and lines can be formed at a second depth to intersect the vias. The method of the present invention allows a dual damascene process to be performed with a single step of photoresist formation.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1996Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Sheng Teng Hsu, Jer-shen Maa, Bruce Dale Ulrich, Chien-Hsiung Peng
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Patent number: 6020639Abstract: A method of using diluted nitric acid and an edge bead removal tool to remove copper from the perimeter of a semiconductor wafer is provided. In one embodiment, sensitive areas of the wafer are covered with photoresist, and the wafer perimeter cleared of photoresist, before the acid is applied. In another embodiment, sensitive areas of the wafer are protected with water spray as the copper etchant is applied. In a third embodiment, the nitric acid is applied to clear the wafer perimeter of copper before a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is performed on the layer of deposited copper. The excess thickness of copper protects copper interconnection structures from reacting with the copper etchant. All these methods permit copper to be removed at a low enough temperature that copper oxides are not formed. A semiconductor wafer cleaned of copper in accordance with the above-described method, and a system for low temperature copper removal is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignees: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Bruce Dale Ulrich, Tue Nguyen, Masato Kobayashi
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Patent number: 5936707Abstract: A method is providing for making a multi-level reticle which transmits a plurality of incident light intensities, which in turn, are used to form a plurality of thicknesses in a photoresist profile. A partially transmitting film, used as one of the layers of the reticle, is able to provide an intermediate intensity light. The intermediate intensity light has an intensity approximately midway between the intensity of the unattenuated light passing through the reticle substrate layer, and the totally attenuated light blocked by an opaque layer of the reticle. The exposed photoresist receives light at two intensities to form a via hole in the resist in response to the higher intensity light, and a connecting line to the via at an intermediate level of the photoresist in response to the intermediate light intensity. A method for forming the multi-level resist profile from the multi-level reticle is provided as well as a multi-level reticle apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1998Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignees: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tue Nguyen, Bruce Dale Ulrich, David Russell Evans
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Patent number: 5914202Abstract: A method is providing for making a multi-level reticle which transmits a plurality of incident light intensities, which in turn, are used to form a plurality of thicknesses in a photoresist profile. A partially transmitting film, used as one of the layers of the reticle, is able to provide an intermediate intensity of phase shifted light. The intermediate intensity light has an intensity approximately midway between the intensity of the unattenuated light passing through the reticle substrate layer, and the totally attenuated light blocked by an opaque layer of the reticle. The exposed photoresist receives light at two intensities to form a via hole in the resist in response to the higher intensity light, and a connecting line to the via at an intermediate level of the photoresist in response to the intermediate light intensity. A method for forming the multi-level resist profile from the multi-level reticle is provided as well as a multi-level reticle apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1996Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignees: Sharp Microeletronics Technology, Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tue Nguyen, Bruce Dale Ulrich, David Russell Evans
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Patent number: 5906910Abstract: A method is providing for making a multi-level reticle which transmits a plurality of incident light intensities, which in turn, are used to form a plurality of thicknesses in a photoresist profile. A partially transmitting film, used as one of the layers of the reticle, is able to provide an intermediate intensity light. The intermediate intensity light has an intensity approximately midway between the intensity of the unattenuated light passing through the reticle substrate layer, and the totally attenuated light blocked by an opaque layer of the reticle. The exposed photoresist receives light at two intensities to form a via hole in the resist in response to the higher intensity light, and a connecting line to the via at an intermediate level of the photoresist in response to the intermediate light intensity. A method for forming the multi-level resist profile from the multi-level reticle is provided as well as a multi-level reticle apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1998Date of Patent: May 25, 1999Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Sharp Microelectronics Technology, Inc.Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Bruce Dale Ulrich, David Russell Evans
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Patent number: 5897379Abstract: A method of using diluted nitric acid and an edge bead removal tool to remove copper from the perimeter of a semiconductor wafer is provided. In one embodiment, sensitive areas of the wafer are covered with photoresist, and the wafer perimeter cleared of photoresist, before the acid is applied. In another embodiment, sensitive areas of the wafer are protected with water spray as the copper etchant is applied. In a third embodiment, the nitric acid is applied to clear the wafer perimeter of copper before a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is performed on the layer of deposited copper. The excess thickness of copper protects copper interconnection structures from reacting with the copper etchant. All these methods permit copper to be removed at a low enough temperature that copper oxides are not formed. A semiconductor wafer cleaned of copper in accordance with the above-described method, and a system for low temperature copper removal is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1997Date of Patent: April 27, 1999Assignees: Sharp Microelectronics Technology, Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Bruce Dale Ulrich, Tue Nguyen, Masato Kobayashi
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Patent number: 5821169Abstract: A method is provided for forming intermediate levels in an integrated circuit dielectric during a damascene process using a hard mask layer to transfer the pattern of a photoresist mask having at least one intermediate thickness. The dielectric is covered with a hard mask layer, and the hard mask layer is covered with the photoresist mask. The photoresist mask pattern is transferred into the hard mask pattern so that the hard mask pattern has at least one intermediate thickness. The method forms an interconnect to a first depth in the dielectric through an opening in the hard mask pattern. The hard mask pattern is partially etched away in the area of the intermediate thickness to reveal a second dielectric surface area. The second dielectric surface area is etched to a second depth, less than the first depth. In this manner, vias can be formed to the first depth, and lines can be formed at a second depth to intersect the vias.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 1996Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignees: Sharp Microelectronics Technology,Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tue Nguyen, Chien-Hsiung Peng, Bruce Dale Ulrich
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Patent number: 5753417Abstract: A method is provided for forming multi-level profiles from a photoresist mask. The method includes exposing selected areas of a photoresist layer to two or more different patterns of light at different light dosage levels. For example, one pattern will be exposed to a relatively low dose of light, or to light for a short duration, and a second pattern will be exposed to a relatively high dose of light, or for a greater duration. The plurality of different exposures at different dosage levels occur prior to developing the photoresist. When the photoresist layer is developed, the pattern exposed to a lower dose of light will be etched substantially more slowly than the areas of the photoresist exposed to higher dose of light. By controlling the development process to completely remove the resist in the areas exposed to a high dose of light and only partially remove the resist in the areas exposed to a lower dose of light, a multi-level photoresist profile is formed.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignees: Sharp Microelectronics Technology, Inc., Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Bruce Dale Ulrich