Patents by Inventor Larry GAO

Larry GAO 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: 12283484
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed within include a method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, including selectively depositing passivation material over a top surface of a patterned photoresist layer trimming undesired portions of the passivation material, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy Fung, Larry Gao
  • Patent number: 12249509
    Abstract: A method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gao, Nancy Fung
  • Publication number: 20230377890
    Abstract: A method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Larry GAO, Nancy FUNG
  • Patent number: 11776811
    Abstract: A method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gao, Nancy Fung
  • Publication number: 20210358751
    Abstract: A method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Larry GAO, Nancy FUNG
  • Patent number: 10867795
    Abstract: A method of etching a hardmask layer formed on a substrate is provided. The method includes supplying an etching gas mixture to a processing region of a processing chamber. A device is disposed in the processing region when the etching gas mixture is supplied to the processing region. The device comprises a substrate and a hardmask layer formed over the substrate. The etching gas mixture comprises a fluorine-containing gas, a silicon-containing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas. The method further includes providing RF power to the etching gas mixture to form a plasma in the processing region. The plasma is configured to etch exposed portions of the hardmask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy Fung, Gene Lee, Hailong Zhou, Zohreh Hesabi, Akhil Mehrotra, Shan Jiang, Abhijit Patil, Chi-I Lang, Larry Gao
  • Publication number: 20180337047
    Abstract: A method of etching a hardmask layer formed on a substrate is provided. The method includes supplying an etching gas mixture to a processing region of a processing chamber. A device substrate is disposed in the processing region when the etching gas mixture is supplied to the processing region. The device substrate comprises a substrate and a hardmask layer formed over the substrate. The etching gas mixture comprises a fluorine-containing gas, a silicon-containing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas. The method further includes providing RF power to the etching gas mixture to form a plasma in the processing region. The plasma is configured to etch exposed portions of the hardmask layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Nancy FUNG, Gene LEE, Hailong ZHOU, Zohreh HESABI, Akhil MEHROTRA, Shan JIANG, Abhijit PATIL, Chi-I LANG, Larry GAO