Patents by Inventor Kathleen Nafus

Kathleen Nafus 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).

  • Patent number: 11538684
    Abstract: A processing method is disclosed that enables an improved directed self-assembly (DSA) processing scheme by allowing the formation of improved guide strips in the DSA template that may enable the formation of sub-30 nm features on a substrate. The improved guide strips may be formed by improving the selectivity of wet chemical processing between different organic layers or films. In one embodiment, treating the organic layers with one or more wavelengths of ultraviolet light may improve selectivity. The first wavelength of UV light may be less than 200 nm and the second wavelength of UV light may be greater than 200 mn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mark H. Somervell, Ian J. Brown, Ihsan Simms, Ainhoa Negreira, Kathleen Nafus
  • Publication number: 20200066509
    Abstract: A processing method is disclosed that enables an improved directed self-assembly (DSA) processing scheme by allowing the formation of improved guide strips in the DSA template that may enable the formation of sub-30 nm features on a substrate. The improved guide strips may be formed by improving the selectivity of wet chemical processing between different organic layers or films. In one embodiment, treating the organic layers with one or more wavelengths of ultraviolet light may improve selectivity. The first wavelength of UV light may be less than 200 nm and the second wavelength of UV light may be greater than 200 mn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Mark H. Somervell, Ian J. Brown, Ihsan Simms, Ainhoa Negreira, Kathleen Nafus
  • Patent number: 10490402
    Abstract: A processing method is disclosed that enables an improved directed self-assembly (DSA) processing scheme by allowing the formation of improved guide strips in the DSA template that may enable the formation of sub-30 nm features on a substrate. The improved guide strips may be formed by improving the selectivity of wet chemical processing between different organic layers or films. In one embodiment, treating the organic layers with one or more wavelengths of ultraviolet light may improve selectivity. The first wavelength of UV light may be less than 200 nm and the second wavelength of UV light may be greater than 200 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mark Somervell, Ian Brown, Ihsan Simms, Ainhoa Negreira, Kathleen Nafus
  • Patent number: 10438806
    Abstract: Techniques herein include methods for selectively modifying chemical properties of organosilicates including periodic mesoporous organosilicates (PMOs) in situ for use in fabrication of semiconductor devices. With techniques herein, such materials are manipulated in their chemical properties after deposition and can accordingly be used as sacrificial patterning films and/or as patterning enabling materials. Using selective treatments such as annealing, curing, plasma exposure, and silylation, chemical properties such as etch resistance and hydrophobicity can be changed to enable a given patterning operation. A given film can be etch resistant for one patterning operation, and then changed to be etch removable for a subsequent patterning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kathleen Nafus, Serge Biesemans
  • Publication number: 20180315612
    Abstract: Techniques herein include methods for selectively modifying chemical properties of organosilicates including periodic mesoporous organosilicates (PMOs) in situ for use in fabrication of semiconductor devices. With techniques herein, such materials are manipulated in their chemical properties after deposition and can accordingly be used as sacrificial patterning films and/or as patterning enabling materials. Using selective treatments such as annealing, curing, plasma exposure, and silylation, chemical properties such as etch resistance and hydrophobicity can be changed to enable a given patterning operation. A given film can be etch resistant for one patterning operation, and then changed to be etch removable for a subsequent patterning operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Kathleen Nafus, Serge Biesemans
  • Patent number: 9418834
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a processing system for spin-coating a substrate with Molecular Self-assembly (MSA) chemicals to form photoresist films and/or low dielectric constant (low-k) films on the substrate. The spin-coating processing system may include a spin-coating chamber that can receive and spin-coat MSA chemicals onto the substrate and an annealing chamber to thermally treat the substrate after the spin-coat process. In certain embodiments, the spin-coating processing system may also pre-treat or pre-wet the substrate prior to the spin-coating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ainhoa Romo Negreira, Kathleen Nafus, Yuhei Kuwahara, Koichi Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20150170903
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a processing system for spin-coating a substrate with Molecular Self-assembly (MSA) chemicals to form photoresist films and/or low dielectric constant (low-k) films on the substrate. The spin-coating processing system may include a spin-coating chamber that can receive and spin-coat MSA chemicals onto the substrate and an annealing chamber to thermally treat the substrate after the spin-coat process. In certain embodiments, the spin-coating processing system may also pre-treat or pre-wet the substrate prior to the spin-coating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Ainhoa Romo Negreira, Kathleen Nafus, Yuhei Kuwahara, Koichi Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20150064917
    Abstract: A processing method is disclosed that enables an improved directed self-assembly (DSA) processing scheme by allowing the formation of improved guide strips in the DSA template that may enable the formation of sub-30 nm features on a substrate. The improved guide strips may be formed by improving the selectivity of wet chemical processing between different organic layers or films. In one embodiment, treating the organic layers with one or more wavelengths of ultraviolet light may improve selectivity. The first wavelength of UV light may be less than 200 nm and the second wavelength of UV light may be greater than 200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Somervell, Ian Brown, Ihsan Simms, Ainhoa Negreira, Kathleen Nafus
  • Patent number: 7673278
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for processing substrates using a hot-spot library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Benjamen M. Rathsack, Kathleen Nafus, Steven Scheer
  • Patent number: 7582414
    Abstract: A method and system is described for drying a thin film on a substrate following liquid immersion lithography. Drying the thin film to remove immersion liquid from the thin film is performed prior to baking the thin film, thereby reducing the likely hood for interaction of immersion liquid with the baking process. This interaction has been shown to cause non-uniformity in critical dimension for the pattern formed in the thin film following the developing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Chung-Peng Ho, Kathleen Nafus, Kaz Yoshioka, Richard Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20090144691
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for processing substrates using a hot-spot library.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Benjamen M. Rathsack, Kathleen Nafus, Steven Scheer
  • Publication number: 20080241400
    Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for curing a plurality of lithography layers while reducing the level of intermixing are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Steven Scheer, Kathleen Nafus
  • Publication number: 20060216651
    Abstract: A method and system is described for drying a thin film on a substrate following liquid immersion lithography. Drying the thin film to remove immersion fluid from the thin film is performed prior to baking the thin film, thereby reducing the likely hood for interaction of immersion fluid with the baking process. This interaction has been shown to cause non-uniformity in critical dimension for the pattern formed in the thin film following the developing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Chung-Peng Ho, Kathleen Nafus, Kaz Yoshioka, Richard Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7070915
    Abstract: A method and system is described for drying a thin film on a substrate following liquid immersion lithography. Drying the thin film to remove immersion fluid from the thin film is performed prior to baking the thin film, thereby reducing the likely hood for interaction of immersion fluid with the baking process. This interaction has been shown to cause non-uniformity in critical dimension for the pattern formed in the thin film following the developing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Chung-Peng Ho, Kathleen Nafus, Kaz Yoshioka, Richard Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20050046934
    Abstract: A method and system is described for drying a thin film on a substrate following liquid immersion lithography. Drying the thin film to remove immersion fluid from the thin film is performed prior to baking the thin film, thereby reducing the likely hood for interaction of immersion fluid with the baking process. This interaction has been shown to cause non-uniformity in critical dimension for the pattern formed in the thin film following the developing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Chung-Peng Ho, Kathleen Nafus, Kaz Yoshioka, Richard Yamaguchi