Patents by Inventor Christopher S. Olsen

Christopher S. Olsen 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: 20250161858
    Abstract: A method for selective oxidation of a substrate. The substrate is disposed in a chamber. A hydrogen containing gas is introduced to the chamber. The hydrogen containing gas is directed through a filter to the chamber. The filter is configured to filter particles greater than about 1 nm. The chamber is pressurized to a pressure of about 250 Torr to about 800 Torr while maintaining the hydrogen containing gas in the chamber. The chamber is heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time while maintaining the hydrogen containing gas in the chamber. The substrate is selectively oxidized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2024
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventors: Chaitanya Anjaneyalu PRASAD, Wenfei ZHANG, Maryam SARKARAT, Naman APURVA, Christopher S. OLSEN
  • Patent number: 12272531
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for growing an oxide layer within a feature of a substrate is described herein. The method is suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing. The oxide layer is formed by exposing a substrate to both a high pressure oxidant exposure and a lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure. The high pressure oxidant exposure is performed at a pressure of greater than 10 Torr, while the lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure is performed at a pressure of less than about 10 Torr. The features are high-aspect ratio trenches or holes within a stack of silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Olsen, Rene George, Tsung-Han Yang, David Knapp, Lara Hawrylchak
  • Patent number: 12261039
    Abstract: Methods of forming an oxide layer over a semiconductor substrate are provided. The method includes forming a first oxide containing portion of the oxide layer over a semiconductor substrate at a first growth rate by exposing the substrate to a first gas mixture having a first oxygen percentage at a first temperature. A second oxide containing portion is formed over the substrate at a second growth rate by exposing the substrate to a second gas mixture having a second oxygen percentage at a second temperature. A third oxide containing portion is formed over the substrate at a third growth rate by exposing the substrate to a third gas mixture having a third oxygen percentage at a third temperature. The first growth rate is slower than each subsequent growth rate and each growth rate subsequent to the second growth rate is within 50% of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Olsen, Tobin Kaufman-Osborn
  • Publication number: 20250087506
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus and methods for processing a substrate. The apparatus includes a chamber body defining a processing volume. The apparatus further includes a base ring and a substrate support disposed in the processing volume. A gas source assembly is in fluid communication with an inlet of the chamber body. An exhaust assembly is in fluid communication with an outlet of the chamber body. A side injection assembly is in fluid communication with a first gas source, in which the side injection assembly is coupled to the base ring of the chamber body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Tobin KAUFMAN-OSBORN, Christopher S. OLSEN
  • Publication number: 20250075321
    Abstract: A method for forming an oxide layer includes forming a protective interlayer oxide on sidewalls of a trench formed on a substrate, forming a silicon nitride layer on the protective interlayer oxide, by a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE ALD) process utilizing nitrogen-containing process gas, the silicon nitride layer having a concentration gradient of nitrogen varying from high concentration away from the protective interlayer oxide to low concentration near the protective interlayer oxide, and performing a conversion process to oxidize the formed silicon nitride layer to at least partially convert the formed silicon nitride layer to a silicon oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Fredrick FISHBURN, Hao ZHANG, Zhijun CHEN, Johanes SWENBERG, Christopher S. OLSEN, Hansel LO, Kristopher Mikael KOSKELA, Hoi-Sung CHUNG, Chang Seok KANG, Raghuveer Satya MAKALA
  • Publication number: 20250037987
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include performing a pre-treatment on a substrate housed within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate may include a layer of silicon-and-carbon-containing material. The pre-treatment may remove native oxide or residue from a surface of the layer of silicon-and-carbon-containing material. The methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the silicon-containing precursor. The contacting may deposit a layer of silicon-containing material on the layer of silicon-and-carbon-containing material. The methods may include providing an oxygen-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Weeks, Hansel Lo, John Tolle, Christopher S. Olsen, Siddarth Krishnan
  • Publication number: 20240360996
    Abstract: Systems and methods for hydroxyl driven combustion include introducing a first gas via at least a first orifice into a processing chamber having a substrate disposed on a substrate support. A second gas is introduced into the processing chamber via a plurality of second orifices. The plurality of first orifices and the plurality of second orifices are oriented in an alternating pattern such that each second orifice of the plurality of second orifices is at least partially surrounded by at least a first orifice of the plurality of first orifices. A radical is produced as a function of the first gas and the second gas while heating the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher S. OLSEN, Sameh HELMY, Hansel LO, Eric Kihara SHONO
  • Publication number: 20240360559
    Abstract: A method and processing chamber for plenum driven hydroxyl combustion oxidation. A mixture is produced in a plenum. The mixture includes a first reactive gas injected from a first inlet and a second reactive gas injected from a second inlet. The mixture is injected towards a substrate of a processing chamber at a jet gas velocity greater than a flame gas velocity. A radical is produced as a function of the first gas and the second gas while heating the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher S. OLSEN, Sameh HELMY, Hansel LO, Eric Kihara SHONO
  • Publication number: 20240350994
    Abstract: Systems and methods of orifice driven hydroxyl combustion oxidation include introducing a first gas via at least a first orifice into a processing chamber having a substrate disposed on a substrate support. A second gas is introduced into the processing chamber via a plurality of second orifices. The plurality of second orifices are oriented substantially perpendicular to the at least a first orifice. A radical is produced as a function of the first gas and the second gas while heating the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher S. OLSEN, Sameh HELMY, Hansel LO, Eric Kihara SHONO
  • Publication number: 20240321584
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices, such as gate-all-around (GAA) devices, and methods of forming semiconductor devices are described. Selective oxidation processes that are useful in front-end of line (FEOL) and back-end of line (BEOL) applications and processes are also described. In FEOL processes, for example, selective oxidation protects silicon germanium (SiGe) layers during etching silicon (Si) channel recess when there is no dielectric inner spacer present. In BEOL processes, for example, selective oxidation protects growth of silicon germanium (SiGe) layers on the sidewall of a superlattice structure during bottom-up epitaxial growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeong Chan Lee, Benjamin Colombeau, Edy Cardona, Christopher S. Olsen, Shawn Thomas
  • Publication number: 20240301584
    Abstract: A process for cleaning a substrate includes removing carbon containing contaminants from a native oxide layer on a surface of a substrate by performing a reducing process using a hydrogen containing plasma, and after removing carbon containing contaminants, removing the native oxide layer from the substrate by performing an etch process using a fluorine containing plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher S. OLSEN, Theresa K. GUARINI, Jeffrey TOBIN, Lara HAWRYLCHAK, Peter STONE, Chi Wei LO, Saurabh CHOPRA
  • Patent number: 12086709
    Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to a system that utilized deep learning and neural networks to estimate/predict an amount of natural resource production in a well given a set of parameters indicative of physical changes to the well. In one aspect, a virtual flow meter includes memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to receive one or more input parameters indicative of physical changes to at least one well; apply the one or more input parameters to a trained neural network architecture; and determine one or more outputs of the trained neural network architecture, the one or more outputs corresponding to predicted fluid output of the at least one well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher S. Olsen, Douglas Hakkarinen, Christopher R. Zaremba, Everett Robinson, Morgan Cowee, R. James Provost
  • Publication number: 20240297022
    Abstract: The disclosure provides system, computer readable medium, and method for producing a hydroxyl radical. A plasma of a plasma gas is formed, via a controller, using a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to a gas inlet conduit coupled to a first nozzle of a processing chamber. A first gas radical is produced by flowing a first gas from a first gas source through the remote plasma source. The first gas radical is introduced into the processing chamber using the gas inlet conduit coupled to the first nozzle. A second gas from a second gas source is introduced using a plurality of second nozzles fluidly of the processing chamber. An oxidation radical is produced by mixing the first gas radical and the second gas in the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Hansel LO, Erika HANSEN, Christopher S. OLSEN
  • Publication number: 20240266146
    Abstract: A process chamber is provided including a chamber body disposed around a process volume, the process volume bounded by one or more interior side walls; a substrate support in the process volume; a plasma source disposed over the substrate support, the plasma source having a top and one or more sides disposed around a plasma-generating volume; and a first deflector positioned at least partially in the process volume, the first deflector comprising an annular body having a top, a bottom, one or more outer side surfaces connecting the top with the bottom, and one or more inner side surfaces connecting the top with the bottom. The one or more outer side surfaces of the annular body are spaced apart from the one or more interior side walls of the process volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher S. OLSEN, Rene GEORGE, Victor CALDERON
  • Publication number: 20240242962
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to semiconductor device fabrication, and more particularly, to methods of forming a bottom thick oxide layer in a high aspect ratio semiconductor structures. In certain embodiments, the method includes depositing a non-conformal oxide layer on in a feature on a substrate, performing an oxidation process to thermally grow an oxide layer beneath the deposited non-conformal oxide layer in the feature, and selectively stripping the non-conformal oxide layer to expose the thermally grown oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Dimitrios PAVLOPOULOS, Hansel LO, Christopher S. OLSEN
  • Publication number: 20240177990
    Abstract: Methods of treating a substrate are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes exposing a substrate to a vacuum, wherein the substrate has one or more memory holes or trenches. The method further includes treating the substrate with a pre-treatment gas or plasma. The method includes oxidizing the substrate while the substrate is still under the vacuum. In some embodiments, the one or more memory holes have impurity buildup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Hansel LO, Christopher S. OLSEN, Erika HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20240162011
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses of processing a substrate. The apparatus includes a process chamber, the process chamber including a chamber body, a substrate support, and a remote plasma source. The substrate support is configured to support a substrate within the processing region. The remote plasma source is coupled to the chamber body through a connector. The remote plasma source includes a body, an inlet, an inductive coil, and one or more UV sources. The body has a first end, a second end, and a tube spanning between the first end and the second end. The inlet is coupled to a gas source configured to introduce one or more gases into the body through the first end of the body. The inductive coil loops around the tube. The one or more UV sources are coupled to the first end of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Eric Kihara SHONO, Vladimir NAGORNY, Rene GEORGE, Vilen K. NESTOROV, Martin John RIPLEY, Christopher S. OLSEN
  • Patent number: 11959169
    Abstract: A gas injector for processing a substrate includes a body having an inlet connectable to a gas source that is configured to provide a gas flow in a first direction into the inlet when processing a substrate on a substrate support disposed within a processing volume of a processing chamber, and an a gas injection channel formed in the body. The gas injection channel is in fluid communication with the inlet and configured to deliver the gas flow to an inlet of the processing chamber. The gas injection channel has a first interior surface and a second interior surface that are parallel to a second direction and a third direction. The second and third directions are misaligned with a center of the substrate, and are at an angle to the first direction towards a first edge of the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Kihara Shono, Vishwas Kumar Pandey, Christopher S. Olsen, Kartik Shah, Hansel Lo, Tobin Kaufman-Osborn, Rene George, Lara Hawrylchak, Erika Hansen
  • Patent number: 11948791
    Abstract: A substrate oxidation assembly includes: a chamber body defining a processing volume; a substrate support disposed in the processing volume; a plasma source coupled to the processing volume; a steam source fluidly coupled to the processing volume; and a substrate heater. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: initiating conformal radical oxidation of high aspect ratio structures of the substrate comprising: heating the substrate; and exposing the substrate to steam; and conformally oxidizing the substrate. A semiconductor device includes a silicon and nitrogen containing layer; a feature formed in the silicon and nitrogen containing layer having an aspect ratio of at least 40:1; and an oxide layer on the face of the feature having a thickness in a bottom region of the silicon and nitrogen containing layer that is at least 95% of a thickness of the oxide layer in a top region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Olsen, Taewan Kim
  • Patent number: D1023987
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Kihara Shono, Vishwas Kumar Pandey, Christopher S. Olsen, Hansel Lo, Agus Sofian Tjandra, Taewan Kim, Tobin Kaufman-Osborn