Patents by Inventor Hongyun Cottle
Hongyun Cottle 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).
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Patent number: 10438797Abstract: Techniques herein include an etch process that etches a layer of material incrementally, similar to mono-layer etching of atomic layer etching (ALE), but not necessarily including self-limiting, mono-layer action of ALE. Such techniques can be considered as quasi-atomic layer etching (Q-ALE). Techniques herein are beneficial to precision etching applications such as during soft-mask open. Techniques herein enable precise transfer of a given mask pattern into an underlying layer. By carefully controlling the polymer deposition relative to polymer assisted etching through its temporal cycle, a very thin layer of conformal polymer can be activated and used to precisely etch and transfer the desired patterns.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hongyun Cottle, Andrew W. Metz
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Publication number: 20180068852Abstract: Techniques herein include an etch process that etches a layer of material incrementally, similar to mono-layer etching of atomic layer etching (ALE), but not necessarily including self-limiting, mono-layer action of ALE. Such techniques can be considered as quasi-atomic layer etching (Q-ALE). Techniques herein are beneficial to precision etching applications such as during soft-mask open. Techniques herein enable precise transfer of a given mask pattern into an underlying layer. By carefully controlling the polymer deposition relative to polymer assisted etching through its temporal cycle, a very thin layer of conformal polymer can be activated and used to precisely etch and transfer the desired patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Hongyun Cottle, Andrew W. Metz
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Patent number: 9810980Abstract: Graphoepitaxy directed self-assembly methods generally include grafting a conformal layer of a polymer brush onto a topographic substrate. A planarization material, which functions as a sacrificial material is coated onto the topographic substrate. The planarization material is etched back to a top surface of the topographic substrate, wherein the etch back removes the polymer brush from the top surfaces of the topographic substrate. The remaining portion of the polymer brush is protected by the remaining planarization material below the top surface of the topographic substrate, which can be removed with a solvent to provide the topographic substrate with a conformal polymer brush below the top surface of the topographic substrate. The substrate is then coated with a block copolymer and annealed to direct self-assembly of the block copolymer. The methods mitigate island and/or hole defect formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2017Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hongyun Cottle, Cheng Chi, Chi-Chun Liu, Kristin Schmidt
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Patent number: 9632408Abstract: Graphoepitaxy directed self-assembly methods generally include grafting a conformal layer of a polymer brush onto a topographic substrate. A planarization material, which functions as a sacrificial material is coated onto the topographic substrate. The planarization material is etched back to a top surface of the topographic substrate, wherein the etch back removes the polymer brush from the top surfaces of the topographic substrate. The remaining portion of the polymer brush is protected by the remaining planarization material below the top surface of the topographic substrate, which can be removed with a solvent to provide the topographic substrate with a conformal polymer brush below the top surface of the topographic substrate. The substrate is then coated with a block copolymer and annealed to direct self-assembly of the block copolymer. The methods mitigate island and/or hole defect formation.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hongyun Cottle, Cheng Chi, Chi-Chun Liu, Kristin Schmidt
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Publication number: 20140357080Abstract: A method for providing a shrink etch in which the features to be etched in a target layer have major and minor dimensions with the major dimension larger than the minor dimension. In the shrink etch of a mask, the dimensions are reduced from that of a patterned resist of the mask, however, with conventional techniques, the shrink etch undesirably shrinks by a greater amount in the major axis dimension. By treating the resist prior to the shrink etch, the shrinking is made more uniform, and if desired in accordance with processes herein, the amount of shrinkage in the major axis can be the same as or less than that in the minor axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Anthony D. LISI, Hongyun COTTLE
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Patent number: 8501630Abstract: A method for selectively etching a substrate is described. The method includes preparing a substrate comprising a silicon nitride layer overlying a silicon-containing contact region, and patterning the silicon nitride layer to expose the silicon-containing contact region using a plasma etching process in a plasma etching system. The plasma etching process uses a process composition having as incipient ingredients a process gas containing C, H and F, and a non-oxygen-containing additive gas, wherein the non-oxygen-containing additive gas includes H, or C, or both H and C, and excludes a halogen atom.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Andrew W. Metz, Hongyun Cottle
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Publication number: 20120077347Abstract: A method for selectively etching a substrate is described. The method includes preparing a substrate comprising a silicon nitride layer overlying a silicon-containing contact region, and patterning the silicon nitride layer to expose the silicon-containing contact region using a plasma etching process in a plasma etching system. The plasma etching process uses a process composition having as incipient ingredients a process gas containing C, H and F, and a non-oxygen-containing additive gas, wherein the non-oxygen-containing additive gas includes H, or C, or both H and C, and excludes a halogen atom.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Andrew W. METZ, Hongyun COTTLE
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Publication number: 20070074741Abstract: A method for dry cleaning a process chamber including a nickel deposit. The method includes exposing a system component in the process chamber to a process gas with a carbonyl gas, reacting the nickel deposit on the system component with the carbonyl gas in a dry cleaning process to form a gaseous nickel carbonyl product, and exhausting the gaseous nickel carbonyl product from the process chamber. A mass signal of the nickel carbonyl product can be used to monitor and control the dry cleaning process.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2005Publication date: April 5, 2007Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Gordon Bease, Hongyun Cottle