Patents by Inventor Kevin Kashefi

Kevin Kashefi 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: 20240332075
    Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic devices comprise forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least one feature defining a gap including sidewalls and a bottom. The methods include selectively depositing a first self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the bottom of the gap; forming a barrier layer on the dielectric layer; selectively depositing a second self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the barrier layer and on the bottom of the gap; treating the microelectronic device with a plasma to remove a first portion of the second self-assembled monolayer (SAM); selectively depositing a metal liner on the barrier layer on the sidewall; removing a second portion of the second self-assembled monolayer (SAM); and performing a gap fill process on the metal liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajie Cen, Kevin Kashefi, Zhiyuan Wu, Yang Zhou, Yong Jin Kim, Carmen Leal Cervantes, Ge Qu, Zheng Ju
  • Patent number: 12094766
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups selected from alkene, alkyne, ketone, hydroxyl, aldehyde, or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. McSwiney, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Drew Phillips, Aaron Dangerfield, David Thompson, Kevin Kashefi, Xiangjin Xie
  • Publication number: 20240297073
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor devices by enhancing selective deposition are described. In some embodiments, a blocking layer is deposited on a metal surface before deposition of a barrier layer. The methods include exposing a substrate with a metal surface, a dielectric surface and an aluminum oxide surface or an aluminum nitride surface to a blocking molecule to form the blocking layer selectively on the metal surface over the dielectric surface and one of the aluminum oxide surface or the aluminum nitride surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Muthukumar Kaliappan, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Yong Jin Kim, Carmen Leal Cervantes, Xiangjin Xie, Jesus Candelario Mendoza-Gutierrez, Aaron Dangerfield, Michael Haverty, Mark Saly, Kevin Kashefi
  • Publication number: 20240258103
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for forming electrical interconnects. Additional embodiments provide methods of forming and treating barrier and liner layers to improve film and material properties. In some embodiments, the resulting composite layers provide improved resistivity, decrease void formation and improve device reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajie Cen, Ge Qu, Shinjae Hwang, Zheng Ju, Yang Zhou, Zhiyuan Wu, Feng Chen, Kevin Kashefi
  • Publication number: 20240258161
    Abstract: Methods of forming devices comprise forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least one feature defining a gap including sidewalls and a bottom. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is formed on the bottom of the gap which resists degradation when exposed to the ambient atmosphere. A barrier layer is selectively deposited on the sidewalls but not on the bottom of the gap. The SAM is removed after selectively depositing the barrier layer on the sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Jin Kim, Carmen Leal Cervantes, Kevin Kashefi, Xingye Wang
  • Publication number: 20240258164
    Abstract: Methods of forming devices comprise forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least one feature defining a gap including sidewalls and a bottom. A pre-clean process is performed before a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is formed on the bottom of the gap. A barrier layer is selectively deposited on the sidewalls but not on the bottom of the gap. The SAM is removed after selectively depositing the barrier layer on the sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajie Cen, Carmen Leal Cervantes, Yong Jin Kim, Kevin Kashefi, Xiaodong Wang
  • Publication number: 20240194605
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first level comprising a metal layer within a first dielectric layer formed on a substrate, a second level formed on the first level, the second level comprising an interconnect within a second dielectric layer and a barrier layer formed around the interconnect, and a metal capping layer disposed at an interface between the metal layer and the interconnect, wherein the metal capping layer comprises tungsten (W) and has a thickness of between 20 ? and 40 ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Mohammad Mahdi TAVAKOLI, Avgerinos V. GELATOS, Jiajie CEN, Kevin KASHEFI, Joung Joo LEE, Zhihui LIU, Yang ZHOU, Zhiyuan WU, Meng-Shan WU
  • Publication number: 20240186181
    Abstract: Methods to deposit a metal cap for an interconnect are disclosed. In embodiments, a method comprises contacting the substrate with an alkyl halide and a ruthenium metal precursor to form a metal cap for an interconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Ge QU, Qihao ZHU, Zheng JU, Yang ZHOU, Jiajie CEN, Feng Q. LIU, Zhiyuan WU, Feng CHEN, Kevin KASHEFI, Xianmin TANG, Jeffrey W. ANTHIS, Mark Joseph SALY
  • Patent number: 11967523
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups selected from alkene, alkyne, ketone, alcohol, ester, or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangjin Xie, Kevin Kashefi
  • Patent number: 11955382
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a reverse selective etch stop layer are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide interconnects with lower resistance than methods which utilize non-selective (e.g., blanket) etch stop layers. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize reverse selective etch stop layers within a subtractive etch scheme. Some embodiments of the disclosure selectively deposit the etch stop layer by passivating the surface of the metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Kashefi, Alexander Jansen, Mehul Naik, He Ren, Lu Chen, Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 11952655
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a physical vapor deposition processing chamber comprises a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed within the processing volume and comprising a substrate support surface configured to support a substrate, a power supply configured to energize a target for sputtering material toward the substrate, an electromagnet operably coupled to the chamber body and positioned to form electromagnetic filed lines through a sheath above the substrate during sputtering for directing sputtered material toward the substrate, and a controller operably coupled to the physical vapor deposition processing chamber for controlling the electromagnet based on a recipe comprising a pulsing schedule for pulsing the electromagnet during operation to control directionality of ions relative to a feature on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Kashefi, Xiaodong Wang, Suhas Bangalore Umesh, Zheng Ju, Jiajie Cen
  • Publication number: 20240038541
    Abstract: Methods for cleaning oxides from a substrate surface are performed without affecting low-k dielectric or carbon materials on the substrate. In some embodiments, the method may include performing a preclean process with a chlorine-based soak to remove oxides from a surface of a substrate in a back end of the line (BEOL) process and treating the surface of the substrate with a remote plasma with a hydrogen gas and at least one inert gas to remove residual chlorine residue from the surface of the substrate without damaging low-k dielectric material or carbon material on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Jiajie CEN, Xiaodong WANG, Kevin KASHEFI, Shi YOU
  • Patent number: 11848229
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups, at least one functional group selected from amino groups, hydroxyl groups, ether linkages or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. McSwiney, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Drew Phillips, Aaron Dangerfield, David Thompson, Kevin Kashefi, Xiangjin Xie
  • Publication number: 20230313364
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a physical vapor deposition processing chamber comprises a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed within the processing volume and comprising a substrate support surface configured to support a substrate, a power supply configured to energize a target for sputtering material toward the substrate, an electromagnet operably coupled to the chamber body and positioned to form electromagnetic filed lines through a sheath above the substrate during sputtering for directing sputtered material toward the substrate, and a controller operably coupled to the physical vapor deposition processing chamber for controlling the electromagnet based on a recipe comprising a pulsing schedule for pulsing the electromagnet during operation to control directionality of ions relative to a feature on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin KASHEFI, Xiaodong Wang, Suhas Bangalore Umesh, Zheng Ju, Jiajie Cen
  • Patent number: 11776806
    Abstract: Methods for pre-cleaning substrates having metal and dielectric surfaces are described. The substrate is exposed to a strong reductant to remove contaminants from the metal surface and damage the dielectric surface. The substrate is then exposed to an oxidation process to repair the damage to the dielectric surface and oxidize the metal surface. The substrate is then exposed to a weak reductant to reduce the metal oxide to a pure metal surface without substantially affecting the dielectric surface. Processing tools and computer readable media for practicing the method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Xi Cen, Yakuan Yao, Yiming Lai, Kai Wu, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, David T. Or, Kevin Kashefi, Yu Lei, Lin Dong, He Ren, Yi Xu, Mehul Naik, Hao Chen, Mang-Mang Ling
  • Publication number: 20230253248
    Abstract: Methods of forming devices comprise forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least one feature defining a gap including sidewalls and a bottom. The methods include selectively depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the bottom of the gap. The SAM comprises a hydrocarbon having a formula of H—C?C—R, wherein R is a linear alkyl chain or aryl group comprising from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a formula of R?C?CR?, wherein R? and R? independently include a linear alkyl chain or aryl group comprising from 1 to 20 carbon atoms A barrier layer is formed on the SAM before selectively depositing a metal liner on the barrier layer. The SAM is removed after selectively depositing the metal liner on the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Zhou, Yong Jin Kim, Ge Qu, Zhiyuan Wu, Carmen Leal Cervantes, Feng Chen, Kevin Kashefi, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Drew Phillips, Aaron Dangerfield
  • Publication number: 20230212747
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposition includes: a chamber enclosing a processing volume; a substrate support disposed in the chamber and configured to support a substrate in the processing volume; a gas distribution system coupled to the chamber and configured to distribute a process gas into the processing volume; a first SAM precursor source fluidly coupled to the gas distribution system to provide a first SAM precursor as a part of the process gas; and a second SAM precursor source fluidly coupled to the gas distribution system to provide a second SAM precursor, different than the first SAM precursor, as a part of the process gas, wherein the first and second SAM precursor sources are independently controllable to control a relative percentage of the first and second SAM precursors in the process gas with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin KASHEFI, Joel Minster HUSTON, Michael Lee MCSWINEY, Carmen LEAL CERVANTES, Yongjin KIM, Drew William PHILLIPS, Mark Joseph SALY
  • Publication number: 20230197508
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize phenanthroline or a phenanthroline derivative to form the self-assembled monolayer. Some embodiments selective form the self-assembled monolayer on tungsten or molybdenum. Some embodiments utilize the self-assembled monolayer to selectively deposit on dielectric surfaces over metallic surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangjin Xie, Kevin Kashefi
  • Publication number: 20230187204
    Abstract: Provided are methods for pre-cleaning a substrate. A substrate having tungsten oxide (WOx) thereon is soaked in tungsten fluoride (WF6), which reduces the tungsten oxide (WOx) to tungsten (W). Subsequently, the substrate is treated with hydrogen, e.g., plasma treatment or thermal treatment, to reduce the amount of fluorine present so that fluorine does not invade the underlying insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wang, Kevin Kashefi, Rongjun Wang, Shi You, Keith T. Wong, Yuchen Liu, Ya-Hsi Hwang, Jean Lu
  • Publication number: 20230132200
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups selected from alkene, alkyne, ketone, hydroxyl, aldehyde, or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. McSwiney, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Drew Phillips, Aaron Dangerfield, David Thompson, Kevin Kashefi, Xiangjin Xie