Patents by Inventor Ellie Yieh

Ellie Yieh 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).

  • CVD plasma assisted lower dielectric constant sicoh film
    Publication number: 20050153572
    Abstract: A low dielectric constant film having silicon-carbon bonds and dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less, is provided. The low dielectric constant film is deposited by reacting a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power. The carbon content of the deposited film is between about 10 and about 30 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms, and is preferably between about 10 and about 20 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Seon-Mee Cho, Peter Lee, Chi-I Lang, Dian Sugiarto, Chen-An Chen, Li-Qun Xia, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Accelerated plasma clean
    Publication number: 20050103266
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that reduces the time required to clean a processing chamber employing a reactive plasma cleaning process. A plasma is formed in an Astron fluorine source generator from a flow of substantially pure inert-source gas. After formation of the plasma, a flow of a fluorine source gas is introduced therein such that the fluorine source flow accelerates at a rate no greater than 1.67 standard cubic centimeters per second2 (scc/s2). In this fashion, the plasma contains a plurality of radicals and dissociated inert-source gas atoms, defining a cleaning mixture. The ratio of inert-source gas to fluorine source is greater than 1:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Chandran, Scott Hendrickson, Gwendolyn Jones, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Method of depositing dielectric materials in damascene applications
    Patent number: 6890850
    Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing an oxygen-doped dielectric layer. The oxygen-doped dielectric layer may be used for a barrier layer or a hardmask. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, introducing a processing gas comprising an oxygen-containing organosilicon compound, carbon dioxide, or combinations thereof, and an oxygen-free organosilicon compound to the processing chamber, and reacting the processing gas to deposit an oxygen-doped dielectric material on the substrate, wherein the dielectric material has an oxygen content of about 15 atomic percent or less. The oxygen-doped dielectric material may be used as a barrier layer in damascene or dual damascene applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ju-Hyung Lee, Ping Xu, Shankar Venkataraman, Li-Qun Xia, Fei Han, Ellie Yieh, Srinivas D. Nemani, Kangsub Yim, Farhad K. Moghadam, Ashok K. Sinha, Yi Zheng
  • Post-deposition treatment to enhance properties of Si-O-C low K films
    Publication number: 20050070128
    Abstract: A method for providing a dielectric film having enhanced adhesion and stability. The method includes a post deposition treatment that densifies the film in a reducing atmosphere to enhance stability if the film is to be cured ex-situ. The densification generally takes place in a reducing environment while heating the substrate. The densification treatment is particularly suitable for silicon-oxygen-carbon low dielectric constant films that have been deposited at low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xia, Frederic Gaillard, Ellie Yieh, Tian Lim
  • Post-deposition treatment to enhance properties of Si-O-C low films
    Patent number: 6858923
    Abstract: A method for providing a dielectric film having enhanced adhesion and stability. The method includes a post deposition treatment that densifies the film in a reducing atmosphere to enhance stability if the film is to be cured ex-situ. The densification generally takes place in a reducing environment while heating the substrate. The densification treatment is particularly suitable for silicon-oxygen-carbon low dielectric constant films that have been deposited at low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xia, Frederic Gaillard, Ellie Yieh, Tian H. Lim
  • Method of depositing dielectric films
    Publication number: 20050020048
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon carbide layer for use in integrated circuit fabrication processes is provided. The silicon carbide layer is formed by reacting a gas mixture comprising a silicon source, a carbon source, and a dopant in the presence of an electric field. The as-deposited silicon carbide layer has a compressibility that varies as a function of the amount of dopant present in the gas mixture during later formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Srinivas Nemani, Li-Qun Xia, Dian Sugiarto, Ellie Yieh, Ping Xu, Francimar Campana-Schmitt, Jia Lee
  • Dielectric materials to prevent photoresist poisoning
    Publication number: 20050014361
    Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing a dielectric material for use as an anti-reflective coating and sacrificial dielectric material in damascene formation. In one aspect, a process is provided for processing a substrate including depositing an acidic dielectric layer on the substrate by reacting an oxygen-containing organosilicon compound and an acidic compound, depositing a photoresist material on the acidic dielectric layer, and patterning the photoresist layer. The acidic dielectric layer may be used as a sacrificial layer in forming a feature definition by etching a partial feature definition, depositing the acidic dielectric material, etching the remainder of the feature definition, and then removing the acidic dielectric material to form a feature definition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Son Nguyen, Michael Armacost, Mehul Naik, Girish Dixit, Ellie Yieh
  • Use of cyclic siloxanes for hardness improvement
    Publication number: 20040234688
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film having a dielectric constant of about 3.5 or less is provided by blending one or more cyclic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic organosilicon compounds, and one or more low molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. In one aspect, a gas mixture comprising one or more cyclic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds, one or more oxidizing gases, and a carrier gas is reacted at conditions sufficient to deposit a low dielectric constant film on a substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Vinita Singh, Srinivas D. Nemani, Yi Zheng, Lihua Li, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh
  • Accelerated plasma clean
    Patent number: 6814087
    Abstract: A method of removing residue from a substrate processing chamber. In one embodiment the method comprises flowing an inert gas into a remote plasma chamber and forming a plasma within the chamber; maintaining the plasma while creating a plurality of reactive fluorine species by flowing a fluorine-containing gas into the remote plasma chamber and increasing a flow rate of a fluorine-containing gas from a first flow rate to a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate; and introducing the plurality of reactive fluorine species into the substrate processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar W. Chandran, Scott Hendrickson, Gwendolyn D. Jones, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Use of cyclic siloxanes for hardness improvement of low k dielectric films
    Patent number: 6815373
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film having a dielectric constant of about 3.5 or less is provided by blending one or more cyclic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic organosilicon compounds, and one or more low molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. In one aspect, a gas mixture comprising one or more cyclic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic organosilicon compounds, one or more aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds, one or more oxidizing gases, and a carrier gas is reacted at conditions sufficient to deposit a low dielectric constant film on a substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Vinita Singh, Srinivas D. Nemani, Yi Zheng, Lihua Li, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh
  • Method of depositing low K films
    Patent number: 6806207
    Abstract: A silicon oxide layer is produced by plasma enhanced decomposition of an organosilicon compound to deposit films having a carbon content of at least 1% by atomic weight. An optional carrier gas may be introduced to facilitate the deposition process at a flow rate less than or equal to the flow rate of the organosilicon compounds. An oxygen rich surface may be formed adjacent the silicon oxide layer by temporarily increasing oxidation of the organosilicon compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Tzu-Fang Huang, Yung-Cheng Lu, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh, Wai-Fan Yau, David W. Cheung, Ralf B. Willecke, Kuowei Liu, Ju-Hyung Lee, Farhad K. Moghadam, Yeming Jim Ma
  • Method of decreasing the K value in SIOC layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition
    Patent number: 6784119
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate comprising depositing a dielectric layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition, wherein the dielectric layer has a carbon content of at least 1% by atomic weight and a dielectric constant of less than about 3, and depositing a silicon and carbon containing layer on the dielectric layer. The dielectric constant of a dielectric layer deposited by reaction of an organosilicon compound having three or more methyl groups is significantly reduced by further depositing an amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide layer by reaction of an alkylsilane in a plasma of a relatively inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Gaillard, Li-Qun Xia, Tian-Hoe Lim, Ellie Yieh, Wai-Fan Yau, Shin-Puu Jeng, Kuowei Liu, Yung-Cheng Lu
  • Method of decreasing the K value in SIOC layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition
    Publication number: 20040166665
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate comprising depositing a dielectric layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition, wherein the dielectric layer has a carbon content of at least 1% by atomic weight and a dielectric constant of less than about 3, and depositing a silicon and carbon containing layer on the dielectric layer. The dielectric constant of a dielectric layer deposited by reaction of an organosilicon compound having three or more methyl groups is significantly reduced by further depositing an amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide layer by reaction of an alkylsilane in a plasma of a relatively inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Gaillard, Li-Qun Xia, Tian-Hoe Lim, Ellie Yieh, Wai-Fan Yau, Shin-Puu Jeng, Kuowei Liu, Yung-Cheng Lu
  • Method of forming a low-K dual damascene interconnect structure
    Publication number: 20040157453
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an interconnect structure comprising etching a via into an upper low K dielectric layer and into a hardened portion of a lower low K dielectric layer. The via is defined by a pattern formed in a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is then stripped, and a trench that circumscribes the via as defined by a hard mask is etched into the upper low K dielectric layer and, simultaneously, the via that was etched into the hardened portion of the lower low K dielectric layer is further etched into the lower low K dielectric layer. The result is a low K dielectric dual damascene structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gerardo A. Delgadino, Yan Ye, Neungho Shin, Yunsang Kim, Li-Qun Xia, Tzu-Fang Huang, Lihua Li Huang, Joey Chiu, Xiaoye Zhao, Fang Tian, Wen Zhu, Ellie Yieh
  • Method of depositing dielectric films
    Patent number: 6764958
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon carbide layer for use in integrated circuit fabrication processes is provided. The silicon carbide layer is formed by reacting a gas mixture comprising a silicon source, a carbon source, and a dopant in the presence of an electric field. The as-deposited silicon carbide layer has a compressibility that varies as a function of the amount of dopant present in the gas mixture during later formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas D Nemani, Li-Qun Xia, Dian Sugiarto, Ellie Yieh, Ping Xu, Francimar Campana-Schmitt, Jia Lee
  • Integration scheme for dual damascene structure
    Patent number: 6753258
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a substrate to form a feature in low k dielectric materials. One aspect of the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including forming a feature definition in a dielectric material deposited on a surface of a substrate, depositing one or more conductive materials to fill at least a portion of the feature definition, planarizing the substrate surface to expose the dielectric material, removing at least a portion of the dielectric material, and depositing a low k dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Gaillard, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh, Paul Fisher, Margaret Gotuaco
  • Silicon carbide cap layers for low dielectric constant silicon oxide layers
    Patent number: 6750141
    Abstract: A method of forming a low dielectric constant silicate material for use in integrated circuit fabrication processes is disclosed. The low dielectric constant silicate material is formed by reacting by reacting a gas mixture comprising an organosilane compound, an oxygen source, and an inert gas. Thereafter, a silicon carbide cap layer is formed on the silicate material by reacting a gas mixture comprising a silicon source and a carbon source. The silicon carbide cap layer protects the underlying organosilicate layer from cracking and peeling when it is hardened during a subsequent annealing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xia, Paul Fisher, Margaret Lynn Gotuaco, Frederic Gaillard, Ellie Yieh
  • Purge heater design and process development for the improvement of low k film properties
    Patent number: 6709721
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of depositing a carbon doped silicon oxide film having a low dielectric constant (k). A process gas mixture containing at least a carrier gas, an oxidizer, a carbon gas source, or combinations thereof, is supplied adjacent an edge of a substrate though a purge gas inlet in a substrate support to facilitate deposition of low k carbon doped silicon oxide film having a greater concentration of silicon oxide around the edge of the substrate than an inner portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Chen-An Chen, Ellie Yieh, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Method of decreasing the K value in SIOC layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition
    Publication number: 20040029400
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate comprising depositing a dielectric layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition, wherein the dielectric layer has a carbon content of at least 1% by atomic weight and a dielectric constant of less than about 3, and depositing a silicon and carbon containing layer on the dielectric layer. The dielectric constant of a dielectric layer deposited by reaction of an organosilicon compound having three or more methyl groups is significantly reduced by further depositing an amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide layer by reaction of an alkylsilane in a plasma of a relatively inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Gaillard, Li-Qun Xia, Tian-Hoe Lim, Ellie Yieh, Wai-Fan Yau, Shin-Puu Jeng, Kuowei Liu, Yung-Cheng Lu
  • Solvent free photoresist strip and residue removal processing for post etching of low-k films
    Patent number: 6680164
    Abstract: A photoresist or a residue of the photoresist may by removed by the hydrogen and water plasma mixture. The process may be performed at a temperature range between about 150° C. and about 450° C., preferably about 250° C., and a power range between about 500 W and about 3000 W, preferably about 1400 W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Huong Thanh Nguyen, Mark Naoshi Kawaguchi, Mehul B. Naik, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh