Patents by Inventor Gary E. Miner

Gary E. Miner 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: 20100090294
    Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric film that includes nitrogen. The method includes incorporating nitrogen into a dielectric film using a nitridation gas and a rapid thermal annealing process, wherein an ultra-low pressure of equal to or less than about 10 Torr is used for the rapid thermal annealing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Pravin K. Narwankar, Gary E. Miner, Arnaud Lepert
  • Patent number: 7658973
    Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric film that includes nitrogen. The method includes incorporating nitrogen into a dielectric film using a nitridation gas and a rapid thermal annealing process, wherein an ultra-low pressure of equal to or less than about 10 Torr is used for the rapid thermal annealing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Pravin K. Narwankar, Gary E. Miner, Arnaud Lepert
  • Patent number: 7541650
    Abstract: Gate electrode structures used in field effect transistors and integrated circuits and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Improved work function and threshold modulation are provided by the methods and structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Gary E. Miner
  • Publication number: 20080142893
    Abstract: Gate electrode structures used in field effect transistors and integrated circuits and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Improved work function and threshold modulation are provided by the methods and structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Gary E. Miner
  • Patent number: 7317229
    Abstract: Gate electrode structures used in field effect transistors and integrated circuits and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Improved work function and threshold modulation are provided by the methods and structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Gary E. Miner
  • Publication number: 20070018244
    Abstract: Gate electrode structures used in field effect transistors and integrated circuits and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Improved work function and threshold modulation are provided by the methods and structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Gary E. Miner
  • Publication number: 20020136831
    Abstract: A method of forming an oxide on a substrate. According to the method of the present invention a substrate is placed in a chamber. An oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. The oxygen containing gas and the hydrogen containing gas are then caused to react with one another to form water vapor in the chamber. The water vapor then oxidizes the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, Peter A. Knoot, Gary E. Miner, Guangcai Xing, David R. Lopes, Satheesh Kuppurao
  • Patent number: 6410456
    Abstract: A method of forming an oxide on a substrate. According to the method of the present invention a substrate is placed in a chamber. An oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. The oxygen containing gas and the hydrogen containing gas are then caused to react with one another to form water vapor in the chamber. The water vapor then oxidizes the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, Peter A. Knoot, Gary E. Miner, Guangcai Xing, David R. Lopes, Satheesh Kuppurao
  • Patent number: 6179466
    Abstract: A method of correcting a temperature probe reading in a thermal processing chamber for heating a substrate, including the steps of heating the substrate to a process temperature and using a first, a second and a third probe to measure the temperature of the substrate. The first probe has a first effective reflectivity and the second probe has a second effective reflectivity. The first probe produces a first temperature indication, the second probe produces a second temperature indication and the third probe produces a third temperature indication. The first and second effective reflectivities may be different. From the first and second temperature indications, a corrected temperature reading for the first probe may be derived, wherein the corrected temperature reading is a more accurate indicator of an actual temperature of the substrate than an uncorrected readings produced by both the first and second probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Peuse, Gary E. Miner, Mark Yam, Aaron Hunter, Peter Knoot, Jason Mershon
  • Patent number: 6159866
    Abstract: A method of forming an oxide on a substrate. According to the method of the present invention a substrate is placed in a chamber. An oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. The oxygen containing gas and the hydrogen containing gas are then caused to react with one another to form water vapor in the chamber. The water vapor then oxidizes the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, Peter A. Knoot, Gary E. Miner, Guangcai Xing, David R. Lopes, Satheesh Kuppurao
  • Patent number: 6114258
    Abstract: A system and method of forming an oxide in the presence of a nitrogen-containing material. A substrate having a nitrogen-containing material on a surface is placed in a reaction chamber. An oxygen-containing gas, or an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas are provided to the chamber and reacted in the chamber. The reactive gases are used to oxidize the surface of the substrate and displace the nitrogen-containing material from the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Miner, Guangcai Xing, David R. Lopes, Sathees Kuppurao
  • Patent number: 6037273
    Abstract: A method of forming an oxide on a substrate. According to the method of the present invention a substrate is placed in a chamber. An oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. The oxygen containing gas and the hydrogen containing gas are then caused to react with one another to form water vapor in the chamber. The water vapor then oxidizes the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, Peter A. Knoot, Gary E. Miner, Guangcai Xing, David R. Lopes, Satheesh Kuppurao
  • Patent number: 5848842
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a temperature measurement system including the steps of heating a first substrate having a high emissivity value to a first process temperature; while the first substrate is at the first process temperature, calibrating a first probe and a second probe to produce temperature indications from the first substrate that are substantially the same, the first probe having associated therewith a first effective reflectivity and the second probe having associated therewith a second effective reflectivity, the first and second effective reflectivities being different; heating a second substrate having a low emissivity value to a second process temperature, the low emissivity value being lower than the high emissivity value; with the second substrate at the second process temperature, using both the first probe and the second probe to measure the temperature of the second substrate, the first probe producing a first temperature indication and the second probe producing a second temperature indic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Peuse, Gary E. Miner, Mark Yam
  • Patent number: 5755511
    Abstract: A method of correcting a temperature probe reading in a thermal processing chamber for heating a substrate, including the steps of heating the substrate to a process temperature; using a first, a second and a third probe to measure the temperature of the substrate, the first and third probes having a first effective reflectivity and the second probe having a second effective reflectivity, the first probe producing a first temperature indication, the second probe producing a second temperature indication and the third probe producing a third temperature indication, and wherein the first and second effective reflectivities are different; and from the first and second temperature indications, deriving a corrected temperature reading for the first probe, wherein the corrected temperature reading is a more accurate indicator of an actual temperature of the substrate than an uncorrected readings produced by both the first and second probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Peuse, Gary E. Miner, Mark Yam
  • Patent number: 5660472
    Abstract: A method of correcting a temperature probe reading in a thermal processing chamber for heating a substrate, including the steps of heating the substrate to a process temperature; using a first probe and a second probe to measure the temperature of the substrate, the first probe having a first effective reflectivity and the second chamber having a second effective reflectivity, the first probe producing a first temperature indication and the second probe producing a second temperature indication, and wherein the first and second effective reflectivities are different; and from the first and second temperature indications, deriving a corrected temperature reading for the first probe, wherein the corrected temperature reading is a more accurate indicator of an actual temperature of the substrate than are uncorrected readings produced by both the first and second probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Peuse, Gary E. Miner, Mark Yam
  • Patent number: 4963500
    Abstract: Method of determining contaminants in a semiconductor processing apparatus in which a high purity, high carrier lifetime semiconductor test wafer is processed and the degradation of its carrier lifetime is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Sera Solar Corporation
    Inventors: George W. Cogan, Gary E. Miner, Lee A. Christel, James F. Gibbons