Patents by Inventor Ching-Mei Hsu

Ching-Mei Hsu 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: 20150371864
    Abstract: A method of etching carbon films on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a gas phase etch using remote plasma excitation. The remote plasma excites a fluorine-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor, the plasma effluents created are flowed into a substrate processing region. The plasma effluents etch the carbon film more rapidly than silicon, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbon nitride and silicon oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Mei Hsu, Nitin K. Ingle, Hiroshi Hamana, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20150332930
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Patent number: 9184055
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20150311089
    Abstract: Methods of selectively etching tungsten oxide relative to tungsten, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and/or titanium nitride are described. The methods include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor and/or hydrogen (H2). Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the tungsten oxide. The plasmas effluents react with exposed surfaces and selectively remove tungsten oxide while very slowly removing other exposed materials. In some embodiments, the tungsten oxide selectivity results partly from the presence of an ion suppression element positioned between the remote plasma and the substrate processing region. The ion suppression element reduces or substantially eliminates the number of ionically-charged species that reach the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Sang Hyuk Kim, Dongqing Yang, Young S. Lee, Weon Young Jung, Sang-jin Kim, Ching-Mei Hsu, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Patent number: 9153442
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20150235863
    Abstract: A method of etching exposed silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor. Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents combine with a nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor. Reactants thereby produced etch the patterned heterogeneous structures with high silicon oxide selectivity while the substrate is at high temperature compared to typical Siconi™ processes. The etch proceeds without producing residue on the substrate surface. The methods may be used to remove silicon oxide while removing little or no silicon, polysilicon, silicon nitride or titanium nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Zhijun Chen, Jingchun Zhang, Ching-Mei Hsu, Seung Park, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Publication number: 20150235865
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Patent number: 9093371
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20150179464
    Abstract: Methods of selectively etching tungsten relative to silicon-containing films (e.g. silicon oxide, silicon carbon nitride and (poly)silicon) as well as tungsten oxide are described. The methods include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor and/or hydrogen (H2). Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the tungsten. The plasma effluents react with exposed surfaces and selectively remove tungsten while very slowly removing other exposed materials. Sequential and simultaneous methods are included to remove thin tungsten oxide which may, for example, result from exposure to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Xikun Wang, Ching-Mei Hsu, Nitin K. Ingle, Zihui Li, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 9064816
    Abstract: Methods of selectively etching tungsten oxide relative to tungsten, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and/or titanium nitride are described. The methods include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor and/or hydrogen (H2). Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the tungsten oxide. The plasmas effluents react with exposed surfaces and selectively remove tungsten oxide while very slowly removing other exposed materials. In some embodiments, the tungsten oxide selectivity results partly from the presence of an ion suppression element positioned between the remote plasma and the substrate processing region. The ion suppression element reduces or substantially eliminates the number of ionically-charged species that reach the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hyuk Kim, Dongqing Yang, Young S. Lee, Weon Young Jung, Sang-jin Kim, Ching-Mei Hsu, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Patent number: 9023734
    Abstract: A method of etching exposed silicon oxide on patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor. Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents combine with a nitrogen-and-hydrogen-containing precursor. Reactants thereby produced etch the patterned heterogeneous structures with high silicon oxide selectivity while the substrate is at high temperature compared to typical Siconi™ processes. The etch proceeds without producing residue on the substrate surface. The methods may be used to remove silicon oxide while removing little or no silicon, polysilicon, silicon nitride or titanium nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhijun Chen, Jingchun Zhang, Ching-Mei Hsu, Seung Park, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle
  • Patent number: 9023732
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20150118857
    Abstract: Methods of etching exposed titanium nitride with respect to other materials on patterned heterogeneous structures are described, and may include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor. Precursor combinations including plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region to etch the patterned structures with high titanium nitride selectivity under a variety of operating conditions. The methods may be used to remove titanium nitride at faster rates than a variety of metal, nitride, and oxide compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Jie Liu, Jingchun Zhang, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle, Seung Park, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu
  • Patent number: 8980763
    Abstract: Methods of selectively etching tungsten relative to silicon-containing films (e.g. silicon oxide, silicon carbon nitride and (poly)silicon) as well as tungsten oxide are described. The methods include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor and/or hydrogen (H2). Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents react with the tungsten. The plasma effluents react with exposed surfaces and selectively remove tungsten while very slowly removing other exposed materials. Sequential and simultaneous methods are included to remove thin tungsten oxide which may, for example, result from exposure to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xikun Wang, Ching-Mei Hsu, Nitin K. Ingle, Zihui Li, Anchuan Wang
  • Patent number: 8921234
    Abstract: Methods of etching exposed titanium nitride with respect to other materials on patterned heterogeneous structures are described, and may include a remote plasma etch formed from a fluorine-containing precursor. Precursor combinations including plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region to etch the patterned structures with high titanium nitride selectivity under a variety of operating conditions. The methods may be used to remove titanium nitride at faster rates than a variety of metal, nitride, and oxide compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Liu, Jingchun Zhang, Anchuan Wang, Nitin K. Ingle, Seung Park, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu
  • Patent number: 8896077
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprising an optically active layer that includes a plurality of domes is presented. The plurality of domes is arrayed in two dimensions having a periodicity in each dimension that is less than or comparable with the shortest wavelength in a spectral range of interest. By virtue of the plurality of domes, the optoelectronic device achieves high performance. A solar cell having high energy-conversion efficiency, improved absorption over the spectral range of interest, and an improved acceptance angle is presented as an exemplary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yi Cui, Jia Zhu, Ching-Mei Hsu, Shanhui Fan, Zongfu Yu
  • Publication number: 20140271097
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anchuan WANG, Xinglong CHEN, Zihui LI, Hiroshi HAMANA, Zhijun CHEN, Ching-Mei HSU, Jiayin HUANG, Nitin K. INGLE, Dmitry LUBOMIRSKY, Shankar VENKATARAMAN, Randhir THAKUR
  • Publication number: 20140273406
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20140273481
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur
  • Publication number: 20140273489
    Abstract: Systems, chambers, and processes are provided for controlling process defects caused by moisture contamination. The systems may provide configurations for chambers to perform multiple operations in a vacuum or controlled environment. The chambers may include configurations to provide additional processing capabilities in combination chamber designs. The methods may provide for the limiting, prevention, and correction of aging defects that may be caused as a result of etching processes performed by system tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anchuan Wang, Xinglong Chen, Zihui Li, Hiroshi Hamana, Zhijun Chen, Ching-Mei Hsu, Jiayin Huang, Nitin K. Ingle, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Shankar Venkataraman, Randhir Thakur