Patents by Inventor Joseph F. Salfelder
Joseph F. Salfelder 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: 12033964Abstract: Methods of semiconductor processing may include contacting a substrate with a first slurry and a first platen. The substrate may include silicon oxide defining one or more features, a liner extending across the silicon oxide and within the one or more features, and a copper-containing layer deposited on the liner and extending within the one or more features. The first slurry and the first platen may remove a first portion of the copper-containing layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a second slurry and a second platen, which may remove at least a portion of the liner. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a third slurry and a third platen, which may remove a second portion of the copper-containing layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a fourth slurry and a fourth platen, which may remove at least a portion of the silicon oxide.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2021Date of Patent: July 9, 2024Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tyler Sherwood, Joseph F. Salfelder, Ki Cheol Ahn, Kai Ma, Raghav Sreenivasan, Jason Appell
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Patent number: 11830824Abstract: Exemplary methods of processing a semiconductor substrate may include forming a layer of dielectric material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include performing an edge exclusion removal of the layer of dielectric material. The methods may include forming a mask material on the semiconductor substrate. The mask material may contact the dielectric material at an edge region of the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include patterning an opening in the mask material overlying a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include etching one or more trenches through the semiconductor substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Amirhasan Nourbakhsh, Lan Yu, Joseph F. Salfelder, Ki Cheol Ahn, Tyler Sherwood, Siddarth Krishnan, Michael Jason Fronckowiak, Xing Chen
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Publication number: 20230066610Abstract: Methods of semiconductor processing may include contacting a substrate with a first slurry and a first platen. The substrate may include silicon oxide defining one or more features, a liner extending across the silicon oxide and within the one or more features, and a copper-containing layer deposited on the liner and extending within the one or more features. The first slurry and the first platen may remove a first portion of the copper-containing layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a second slurry and a second platen, which may remove at least a portion of the liner. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a third slurry and a third platen, which may remove a second portion of the copper-containing layer. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a fourth slurry and a fourth platen, which may remove at least a portion of the silicon oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tyler Sherwood, Joseph F. Salfelder, Ki Cheol Ahn, Kai Ma, Raghav Sreenivasan, Jason Appell
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Publication number: 20220310531Abstract: Exemplary methods of processing a semiconductor substrate may include forming a layer of dielectric material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include performing an edge exclusion removal of the layer of dielectric material. The methods may include forming a mask material on the semiconductor substrate. The mask material may contact the dielectric material at an edge region of the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include patterning an opening in the mask material overlying a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include etching one or more trenches through the semiconductor substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Amirhasan Nourbakhsh, Lan Yu, Joseph F. Salfelder, Ki Cheol Ahn, Tyler Sherwood, Siddarth Krishnan, Michael Jason Fronckowiak, Xing Chen
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Patent number: 7040966Abstract: A method and polishing system for planarizing a substrate having one or more materials formed thereon. The method generally includes positioning the substrate in proximity with a polishing pad, dispensing a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid being subjected to carbonation prior to being dispensed to the polishing pad, and polishing the substrate. The polishing system generally includes a polishing platen having a polishing pad disposed thereon and in proximity to the substrate, a controller configured to cause the polishing pad to contact the substrate, and a polishing fluid delivery system to deliver a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid delivery system including a carbonation system.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignees: Applied Materials, International Business Machine CorporationInventors: Joseph F. Salfelder, Wayne Swart, Gopalakrishna B. Prabhu, Srinivas R. Mirmira, Laertis Economikos, Fen Fen Jamin, Donald J. Delehanty, Daniel Heenan, Joseph M. Danza
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Patent number: 5631803Abstract: An electrostatic chuck (20) for holding a substrate (40) in a process chamber (50) comprises a base (25) supporting a resilient insulator (30). The insulator (30) comprises (i) an electrode (35) embedded therein; (ii) a top surface (34) with a peripheral edge (32); and (iii) cooling grooves (45) for holding coolant in the top surface (34), the tips (125) of the cooling grooves (45) and the peripheral edge (32) of the insulator (30) defining an edge gap (130) having a width w. The width w of the edge gap (130) is sized sufficiently small that the coolant in the grooves (45) cools the perimeter (120) of the substrate (40) held on the chuck (20). The insulator (30) is sufficiently thick that when a substrate (40) is electrostatically held on the chuck (20) and coolant is held in the cooling grooves (45), the insulator (30) in the edge gap (130) resiliently conforms to the substrate (40) so that substantially no coolant leaks out from the tips (125) of the cooling grooves (45).Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1995Date of Patent: May 20, 1997Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: John F. Cameron, Joseph F. Salfelder, Chandra Deshpandey
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Patent number: 5451290Abstract: Improved apparatus and a method for reducing polymerparticle contamination of semiconductor wafers being processed in a system for plasma-etching silicon dioxide. A quartz gas distribution plate contains a number of gas inlet holes having cross-sectional areas sufficiently small to prevent plasma from being present in the gas inlet holes to inhibit formation of polymer material and flaking of contamination particles therefrom. The gas inlet holes are formed on the surface of the quartz gas distribution plate directly over a wafer being processed. Alternatively, the gas inlet holes are formed in the quartz plate to radially extend to the peripheral edge of the quartz plate so that contamination particles, if any, fall outside the bounds of a wafer beneath the quartz plate. The method disclosed includes the step of feeding CHF.sub.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1993Date of Patent: September 19, 1995Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Joseph F. Salfelder