Patents by Inventor Dave Hetzer

Dave Hetzer 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).

  • Double patterning with inline critical dimension slimming
    Patent number: 8940475
    Abstract: A method for double patterning a substrate is described. The double patterning method may include a litho/freeze/litho/etch (LFLE) technique that includes a first (critical dimension) CD slimming process to reduce the first CD to a first reduced CD and a second CD slimming process to reduce the second CD to a second reduced CD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shannon W. Dunn, Dave Hetzer
  • Sidewall image transfer pitch doubling and inline critical dimension slimming
    Patent number: 8764999
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The patterning method may include performing a lithographic process to produce a pattern and a critical dimension (CD) slimming process to reduce a CD in the pattern to a reduced CD. Thereafter, the pattern is doubled to produce a double pattern using a sidewall image transfer technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shannon W. Dunn, Dave Hetzer
  • Vapor treatment process for pattern smoothing and inline critical dimension slimming
    Patent number: 8647817
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method includes forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, and preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a lithographic process, wherein the pattern is characterized by a critical dimension (CD) and a roughness. Following the preparation of the pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, the method further includes performing a CD slimming process to reduce the CD to a reduced CD, and performing a vapor smoothing process to reduce the roughness to a reduced roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shannon W. Dunn, Dave Hetzer
  • VAPOR TREATMENT PROCESS FOR PATTERN SMOOTHING AND INLINE CRITICAL DIMENSION SLIMMING
    Publication number: 20130171571
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method includes forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, and preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a lithographic process, wherein the pattern is characterized by a critical dimension (CD) and a roughness. Following the preparation of the pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, the method further includes performing a CD slimming process to reduce the CD to a reduced CD, and performing a vapor smoothing process to reduce the roughness to a reduced roughness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shannon W. DUNN, Dave HETZER
  • High normality solution for removing freeze material in lithographic applications
    Patent number: 8389206
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method comprises forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, and applying a chemical freeze layer over the layer of radiation-sensitive material to form a frozen layer of radiation-sensitive material. Thereafter, the method comprises stripping the chemical freeze layer using a high normality strip solution to preserve the pattern in the frozen layer of radiation-sensitive material, wherein the high normality strip solution contains an active solute having a normality (N) greater than 0.26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shannon W. Dunn, Shinichiro Kawakami, Dave Hetzer
  • DOUBLE PATTERNING WITH INLINE CRITICAL DIMENSION SLIMMING
    Publication number: 20120128942
    Abstract: A method for double patterning a substrate is described. The double patterning method may include a litho/freeze/litho/etch (LFLE) technique that includes a first (critical dimension) CD slimming process to reduce the first CD to a first reduced CD and a second CD slimming process to reduce the second CD to a second reduced CD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shannon W. DUNN, Dave HETZER
  • SIDEWALL IMAGE TRANSFER PITCH DOUBLING AND INLINE CRITICAL DIMENSION SLIMMING
    Publication number: 20120128935
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The patterning method may include performing a lithographic process to produce a pattern and a critical dimension (CD) slimming process to reduce a CD in the pattern to a reduced CD. Thereafter, the pattern is doubled to produce a double pattern using a sidewall image transfer technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shannon W. DUNN, Dave HETZER
  • High normality solution for removing freeze material in lithographic applications
    Publication number: 20110070545
    Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method comprises forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, and applying a chemical freeze layer over the layer of radiation-sensitive material to form a frozen layer of radiation-sensitive material. Thereafter, the method comprises stripping the chemical freeze layer using a high normality strip solution to preserve the pattern in the frozen layer of radiation-sensitive material, wherein the high normality strip solution contains an active solute having a normality (N) greater than 0.26.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shannon W. DUNN, Shinichiro KAWAKAMI, Dave HETZER