Patents by Inventor Derek R. Witty
Derek R. Witty 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: 20220193858Abstract: Provided herein are advanced substrate polishing methods that use a machine-learning artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, or a software application generated using the AI, to control one or more aspects of the polishing process. The AI algorithm is trained to simulate a polishing process and to make predictions about the polishing process and process results expected therefrom, using substrate processing data acquired from a polishing system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Sameer DESHPANDE, Sidney P. HUEY, Derek R. WITTY
-
Patent number: 10236182Abstract: A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2017Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Sungjin Kim, Deenesh Padhi, Sung Hyun Hong, Bok Hoen Kim, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 10074534Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to deposition of a conformal carbon-based material. In one embodiment, the method comprises depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, introducing a hydrocarbon source, a plasma-initiating gas, and a dilution gas into the processing chamber, generating a plasma in the processing chamber at a deposition temperature of about 80° C. to about 550° C. to deposit a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers, and removing the patterned features formed from the sacrificial dielectric layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Swayambhu P. Behera, Shahid Shaikh, Pramit Manna, Mandar B. Pandit, Tersem Summan, Patrick Reilly, Deenesh Padhi, Bok Hoen Kim, Heung Lak Park, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 9984868Abstract: Provided are methods of for deposition of SiN films via PEALD processes. Certain methods pertain to exposing a substrate surface to a silicon precursor to provide a silicon precursor at the substrate surface; purging excess silicon precursor; exposing the substrate surface to an ionized reducing agent; and purging excess ionized reducing agent to provide a film comprising SiN, wherein the substrate has a temperature of 23° C. to about 550° C.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Victor Nguyen, Woong Jae Lee, Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R. Witty
-
Publication number: 20170301537Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to deposition of a conformal carbon-based material. In one embodiment, the method comprises depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, introducing a hydrocarbon source, a plasma-initiating gas, and a dilution gas into the processing chamber, generating a plasma in the processing chamber at a deposition temperature of about 80° C. to about 550° C. to deposit a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers, and removing the patterned features formed from the sacrificial dielectric layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Swayambhu P. BEHERA, Shahid SHAIKH, Pramit MANNA, Mandar B. PANDIT, Tersem SUMMAN, Patrick REILLY, Deenesh PADHI, Bok Hoen KIM, Heung Lak PARK, Derek R. WITTY
-
Patent number: 9721784Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to deposition of a conformal carbon-based material. In one embodiment, the method comprises depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer with a predetermined thickness over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, introducing a hydrocarbon source, a plasma-initiating gas, and a dilution gas into the processing chamber, wherein a volumetric flow rate of hydrocarbon source:plasma-initiating gas:dilution gas is in a ratio of 1:0.5:20, generating a plasma at a deposition temperature of about 300 C to about 500 C to deposit a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate, and removing the patterned features.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Swayambhu P. Behera, Shahid Shaikh, Pramit Manna, Mandar B. Pandit, Tersem Summan, Patrick Reilly, Deenesh Padhi, Bok Hoen Kim, Heung Lak Park, Derek R. Witty
-
Publication number: 20170170015Abstract: A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2017Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Sungjin KIM, Deenesh PADHI, Sung Hyun HONG, Bok Hoen KIM, Derek R. WITTY
-
Patent number: 9570303Abstract: A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Sungjin Kim, Deenesh Padhi, Sung Hyun Hong, Bok Hoen Kim, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 9337072Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and apparatus for monitoring and maintaining flatness of a substrate in a plasma reactor. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for processing a substrate comprising positioning the substrate on an electrostatic chuck, applying an RF power between the an electrode in the electrostatic chuck and a counter electrode positioned parallel to the electrostatic chuck, applying a DC bias to the electrode in the electrostatic chuck to clamp the substrate on the electrostatic chuck, and measuring an imaginary impedance of the electrostatic chuck.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ganesh Balasubramanian, Amit Bansal, Eller Y. Juco, Mohamad Ayoub, Hyung-Joon Kim, Karthik Janakiraman, Sudha Rathi, Deenesh Padhi, Martin Jay Seamons, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Bok Hoen Kim, Amir Al-Bayati, Derek R. Witty, Hichem M'Saad, Anton Baryshnikov, Chiu Chan, Shuang Liu
-
Publication number: 20160005596Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to deposition of a conformal carbon-based material. In one embodiment, the method comprises depositing a sacrificial dielectric layer with a predetermined thickness over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, introducing a hydrocarbon source, a plasma-initiating gas, and a dilution gas into the processing chamber, wherein a volumetric flow rate of hydrocarbon source: plasma-initiating gas: dilution gas is in a ratio of 1:0.5:20, generating a plasma at a deposition temperature of about 300 C to about 500 C to deposit a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate, and removing the patterned features.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Swayambhu P. BEHERA, Shahid SHAIKH, Pramit MANNA, Mandar B. PANDIT, Tersem SUMMAN, Patrick REILLY, Deenesh PADHI, Bok Hoen KIM, Heung Lak PARK, Derek R. WITTY
-
Publication number: 20150279676Abstract: A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Sungjin KIM, Deenesh PADHI, Sung Hyun HONG, Bok Hoen KIM, Derek R. WITTY
-
Publication number: 20140349490Abstract: A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2013Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Sungjin Kim, Deenesh Padhi, Sung Hyun Hong, Bok Hoen Kim, Derek R. Witty
-
Publication number: 20140273516Abstract: Methods for the repair of damaged low k films are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate having a low k dielectric film deposited thereon, and exposing a surface of the low k dielectric film to an activated carbon-containing precursor gas to form a conformal carbon-containing film on the surface of the low k dielectric film, wherein the carbon-containing precursor gas has at least one or more Si—N—Si linkages in the molecular structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Li-Qun XIA, Weifeng YE, Xiaojun ZHANG, Mei-yee SHEK, Mihaela BALSEANU, Victor NGUYEN, Derek R. WITTY
-
Publication number: 20140273529Abstract: Provided are methods of for deposition of SiN films via PEALD processes. Certain methods pertain to exposing a substrate surface to a silicon precursor to provide a silicon precursor at the substrate surface; purging excess silicon precursor; exposing the substrate surface to an ionized reducing agent; and purging excess ionized reducing agent to provide a film comprising SiN, wherein the substrate has a temperature of 23° C. to about 550° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Victor Nguyen, Woong Jae Lee, Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 8758638Abstract: A method for the removal of copper oxide from a copper and dielectric containing structure of a semiconductor chip is provided. The copper and dielectric containing structure may be planarized by chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and treated by the method to remove copper oxide and CMP residues. Annealing in a hydrogen (H2) gas and ultraviolet (UV) environment removes copper oxide, and a pulsed ammonia plasma removes CMP residues.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Weifeng Ye, Victor Nguyen, Mei-Yee Shek, Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 8679987Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a method for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes introducing a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon source and a diluent gas into a deposition chamber located within a processing system, generating a plasma from the gas mixture in the deposition chamber at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 700° C. to form a low-hydrogen content amorphous carbon layer on the substrate, transferring the substrate into a curing chamber located within the processing system without breaking vacuum, and exposing the substrate to UV radiation within the curing chamber at a curing temperature above about 200° C.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Reilly, Shahid Shaikh, Tersem Summan, Deenesh Padhi, Sanjeev Baluja, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Thomas Nowak, Bok Hoen Kim, Derek R. Witty
-
Patent number: 8598020Abstract: In a method of depositing a crystalline germanium layer on a substrate, a substrate is placed in the process zone comprising a pair of process electrodes. In a deposition stage, a crystalline germanium layer is deposited on the substrate by introducing a deposition gas comprising a germanium-containing gas into the process zone, and forming a capacitively coupled plasma of the deposition gas by coupling energy to the process electrodes. In a subsequent treatment stage, the deposited crystalline germanium layer is treated by exposing the crystalline germanium layer to an energized treatment gas or by annealing the layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2010Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Victor Nguyen, Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R Witty
-
Patent number: 8586487Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming conformal silicon nitride films at low temperatures on a substrate are provided. The methods of forming a silicon nitride layer include performing a deposition cycle including flowing a processing gas mixture into a processing chamber having a substrate therein, wherein the processing gas mixture comprises precursor gas molecules having labile silicon to nitrogen, silicon to carbon, or nitrogen to carbon bonds, activating the precursor gas at a temperature between about 20° C. to about 480° C. by preferentially breaking labile bonds to provide one or more reaction sites along a precursor gas molecule, forming a precursor material layer on the substrate, wherein the activated precursor gas molecules bond with a surface on the substrate at the one or more reaction sites, and performing a plasma treatment process on the precursor material layer to form a conformal silicon nitride layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Victor Nguyen, Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R. Witty
-
Publication number: 20130302996Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a method for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes introducing a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon source and a diluent gas into a deposition chamber located within a processing system, generating a plasma from the gas mixture in the deposition chamber at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 700° C. to form a low-hydrogen content amorphous carbon layer on the substrate, transferring the substrate into a curing chamber located within the processing system without breaking vacuum, and exposing the substrate to UV radiation within the curing chamber at a curing temperature above about 200° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2012Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Patrick REILLY, Shahid SHAIKH, Tersem SUMMAN, Deenesh PADHI, Sanjeev BALUJA, Juan Carlos ROCHA-ALVAREZ, Thomas NOWAK, Bok Hoen KIM, Derek R. WITTY
-
Patent number: 8563090Abstract: Methods of depositing boron-containing liner layers on substrates involve the formation of a bilayer including an initiation layer which includes barrier material to inhibit the diffusion of boron from the bilayer into the underlying substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2009Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Mihaela Balseanu, Li-Qun Xia, Derek R Witty, Yi Chen