Patents by Inventor Earnest C. Murphy

Earnest C. Murphy 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).

  • Method of filling structures for forming via-first dual damascene interconnects
    Patent number: 7602066
    Abstract: A method of forming via-first, dual damascene interconnect structures by using a gap-filling, bottom anti-reflective coating material whose thickness is easily controlled by a solvent is provided. After application to a substrate, the bottom anti-reflective coating is partially cured by baking at a low temperature. Next, a solvent is dispensed over the coated wafer and allowed to contact the coating for a period of time. The solvent removes the bottom anti-reflective coating at a rate controlled by the bottom anti-reflective coating's bake temperature and the solvent contact time to yield a bottom anti-reflective coating thickness that is thin, while maintaining optimum light-absorbing properties on the dielectric stack. In another possible application of this method, sufficient bottom anti-reflective coating may be removed to only partially fill the vias in order to protect the bottoms of the vias during subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Brewer Science Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolas L. Brakensiek, Carlton A. Washburn, Earnest C. Murphy
  • Method of filling structures for forming via-first dual damascene interconnects
    Patent number: 7348281
    Abstract: A method of forming via-first, dual damascene interconnect structures by using a gap-filling, bottom anti-reflective coating material whose thickness is easily controlled by a solvent is provided. After application to a substrate, the bottom anti-reflective coating is partially cured by baking at a low temperature. Next, a solvent is dispensed over the coated wafer and allowed to contact the coating for a period of time. The solvent removes the bottom anti-reflective coating at a rate controlled by the bottom anti-reflective coating's bake temperature and the solvent contact time to yield a bottom anti-reflective coating thickness that is thin, while maintaining optimum light-absorbing properties on the dielectric stack. In another possible application of this method, sufficient bottom anti-reflective coating may be removed to only partially fill the vias in order to protect the bottoms of the vias during subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Brewer Science Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolas L. Brakensiek, Carlton A. Washburn, Earnest C. Murphy
  • Non-subliming mid-UV dyes and ultra-thin organic arcs having differential solubility
    Patent number: 5892096
    Abstract: Mid-UV dyes enabling ultra thin antireflection coatings for multi-layer i-line photoetching are produced from bichalcones; bis-a-cyanoacrylates/bis-cyanoacrylamides; and 1.4 divinylbenzenes. The dyes are nonsubliminal and differentially insoluble in standard photoresist solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Brewer Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim D. Meador, Xie Shao, Vandana Krishnamurthy, Earnest C. Murphy, Tony D. Flaim, Terry Lowell Brewer
  • Non-subliming Mid-UV dyes and ultra-thin organic arcs having differential solubility
    Patent number: 5688987
    Abstract: Mid-UV dyes enabling ultra thin antireflection coatings for multi-layer i-line photoetching are produced from bichalcones; bis-a-cyanoacrylates/bis-cyanoacrylamides; and 1.4 divinylbenzenes. The dyes are nonsubliminal and differentially insoluble in standard photoresist solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Brewer Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim D. Meador, Xie Shao, Vandana Krishnamurthy, Earnest C. Murphy, Tony D. Flaim, Terry Lowell Brewer