Patents by Inventor Li-Qun Xia

Li-Qun Xia 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).

  • Method of depositing dielectric materials in damascene applications
    Publication number: 20050233576
    Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing an oxygen-doped dielectric layer. The oxygen-doped dielectric layer may be used for a barrier layer or a hardmask. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, introducing a processing gas comprising an oxygen-containing organosilicon compound, carbon dioxide, or combinations thereof, and an oxygen-free organosilicon compound to the processing chamber, and reacting the processing gas to deposit an oxygen-doped dielectric material on the substrate, wherein the dielectric material has an oxygen content of about 15 atomic percent or less. The oxygen-doped dielectric material may be used as a barrier layer in damascene or dual damascene applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Ju-Hyung Lee, Ping Xu, Shankar Venkataraman, Li-Qun Xia, Fei Han, Ellie Yieh, Srinivas Nemani, Kangsub Yim, Farhad Moghadam, Ashok Sinha, Yi Zheng
  • Adhesion improvement for low k dielectrics to conductive materials
    Publication number: 20050233555
    Abstract: Methods are provided for processing a substrate for depositing an adhesion layer between a conductive material and a dielectric layer. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a conductive material disposed thereon, introducing a reducing compound or a silicon based compound, exposing the conductive material to the reducing compound or the silicon based compound, and depositing a silicon carbide layer without breaking vacuum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Albert Lee, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Li-Qun Xia, Zhenjiang Cui
  • Oxide-like seasoning for dielectric low k films
    Publication number: 20050227499
    Abstract: A method for seasoning a chamber and depositing a low dielectric constant layer on a substrate in the chamber is provided. In one aspect, the method includes seasoning the chamber with a first mixture comprising one or more organosilicon compounds and one or more oxidizing gases and depositing a low dielectric constant layer on a substrate in the chamber from a second mixture comprising one or more organosilicon compounds and one or more oxidizing gases, wherein a ratio of the total flow rate of the organosilicon compounds to the total flow rate of the oxidizing gases in the first mixture is lower than the total flow rate of the organosilicon compounds to the total flow rate of the oxidizing gases in the second mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Sohyun Park, Wen Zhu, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Hichem M'Saad
  • Method of modifying interlayer adhesion
    Publication number: 20050208759
    Abstract: Methods are provided for processing a substrate for depositing an adhesion layer having a low dielectric constant between two low k dielectric layers. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, wherein the barrier layer comprises silicon and carbon and has a dielectric constant less than 4, depositing a dielectric initiation layer adjacent the barrier layer, and depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the dielectric initiation layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Francimar Campana Schmitt, Li-Qun Xia, Son Nguyen, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Adhesion improvement for low k dielectrics
    Publication number: 20050202685
    Abstract: Methods are provided for processing a substrate for depositing an adhesion layer having a low dielectric constant between two low k dielectric layers. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including introducing an organosilicon compound and an oxidizing gas at a first ratio of organosilicon compound to oxidizing gas into the processing chamber, generating a plasma of the oxidizing gas and the organosilicon compound to form an initiation layer on a barrier layer comprising at least silicon and carbon, introducing the organosilicon compound and the oxidizing gas at a second ratio of organosilicon compound to oxidizing gas greater than the first ratio into the processing chamber, and depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the dielectric initiation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Lihua Huang, Tzu-Fang Huang, Dian Sugiarto, Li-Qun Xia, Peter Lee, Hichem M'Saad, Zhenjiang Cui, Sohyun Park, Jerry Sugiarto
  • CVD plasma assisted lower dielectric constant SICOH film
    Patent number: 6943127
    Abstract: A low dielectric constant film having silicon-carbon bonds and dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less, is provided. The low dielectric constant film is deposited by reacting a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power. The carbon content of the deposited film is between about 10 and about 30 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms, and is preferably between about 10 and about 20 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Seon-Mee Cho, Peter Wai-Man Lee, Chi-I Lang, Dian Sugiarto, Chen-An Chen, Li-Qun Xia, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Methods and apparatus for E-beam treatment used to fabricate integrated circuit devices
    Patent number: 6936551
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for fabricating a low-k dielectric film that includes steps of: (a) chemical vapor depositing a lower-k dielectric film; and (b) e-beam treating the lower-k dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Farhad Moghadam, Jun Zhao, Timothy Weidman, Rick J. Roberts, Li-Qun Xia, Alexandros T. Demos
  • Hardness improvement of silicon carboxy films
    Patent number: 6936309
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film having an improved hardness and elastic modulus is provided. In one aspect, the method comprises depositing a low dielectric constant film having silicon, carbon, and hydrogen, and then treating the deposited film with a plasma of helium, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof at conditions sufficient to increase the hardness of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lihua Li, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh
  • Methods and apparatuses promoting adhesion of dielectric barrier film to copper
    Publication number: 20050186339
    Abstract: Adhesion between a copper metallization layer and a dielectric barrier film may be promoted by stabilizing a flow of a silicon-containing precursor in a divert line leading to the chamber exhaust. The stabilized gas flow is then introduced to the processing chamber to precisely form a silicide layer over the copper. This silicidation step creates a network of strong Cu—Si bonds that prevent delamination of the barrier layer, while not substantially altering the sheet resistance and other electrical properties of the resulting metallization structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., A Delaware corporation
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Bok Kim, Lester D'Cruz, Zhenjiang Cui, Girish Dixit, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Hichem M'Saad, Meiyee Shek, Li-Qun Xia
  • Method for modifying dielectric characteristics of dielectric layers
    Patent number: 6921727
    Abstract: A method of treating a dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, where the dielectric layer has been processed in a manner that causes a change in the dielectric constant of an affected region of the layer. The treatment of the affected region may comprise etching, sputtering, annealing, or combinations thereof. The treatment returns the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer to substantially the dielectric constant that existed before processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kang-Lie Chiang, Mahmoud Dahimene, Xiaoye Zhao, Yan Ye, Gerardo A. Delgadino, Hoiman Hung, Li-Qun Xia, Giuseppina R. Conti
  • Solvent free photoresist strip and residue removal processing for post etching of low-k films
    Publication number: 20050158667
    Abstract: A photoresist or a residue of the photoresist may by removed by the hydrogen and water plasma mixture. The process may be performed at a temperature range between about 150° C. and about 450° C., preferably about 250° C., and a power range between about 500 W and about 3000 W, preferably about 1400 W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Huong Thanh Nguyen, Mark Naoshi Kawaguchi, Mehul Naik, Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh
  • Method for forming ultra low k films using electron beam
    Publication number: 20050153073
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method for depositing a low dielectric constant film using an e-beam treatment. In one aspect, the method includes delivering a gas mixture comprising one or more organosilicon compounds and one or more hydrocarbon compounds having at least one cyclic group to a substrate surface at deposition conditions sufficient to deposit a non-cured film comprising the at least one cyclic group on the substrate surface. The method further includes substantially removing the at least one cyclic group from the non-cured film using an electron beam at curing conditions sufficient to provide a dielectric constant less than 2.5 and a hardness greater than 0.5 GPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Yi Zheng, Srinivas Nemani, Li-Qun Xia, Eric Hollar, Kang Yim
  • CVD plasma assisted lower dielectric constant sicoh film
    Publication number: 20050153572
    Abstract: A low dielectric constant film having silicon-carbon bonds and dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less, is provided. The low dielectric constant film is deposited by reacting a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power. The carbon content of the deposited film is between about 10 and about 30 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms, and is preferably between about 10 and about 20 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Seon-Mee Cho, Peter Lee, Chi-I Lang, Dian Sugiarto, Chen-An Chen, Li-Qun Xia, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Method of modifying interlayer adhesion
    Patent number: 6913992
    Abstract: Methods are provided for processing a substrate for depositing an adhesion layer having a low dielectric constant between two low k dielectric layers. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, wherein the barrier layer comprises silicon and carbon and has a dielectric constant less than 4, depositing a dielectric initiation layer adjacent the barrier layer, and depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the dielectric initiation layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Francimar Campana Schmitt, Li-Qun Xia, Son Van Nguyen, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Method for curing low dielectric constant film using direct current bias
    Patent number: 6914014
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film on a substrate. The method includes depositing a low dielectric constant film comprising silicon, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen on the substrate disposed in a chemical vapor deposition chamber, introducing a gas mixture comprising a hydrogen-containing gas to the chemical vapor deposition chamber, forming a plasma of the gas mixture proximate the low dielectric constant film using a radio frequency power, and applying a direct current bias to at least one of the substrate or a gas distribution plate to cure the low dielectric constant film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lihua Li, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Maosheng Zhao
  • Methods of reducing plasma-induced damage for advanced plasma CVD dielectrics
    Patent number: 6911403
    Abstract: A method for depositing an organosilicate layer on a substrate includes varying one or more processing conditions during a process sequence for depositing an organosilicate layer from a gas mixture comprising an organosilicon compound in the presence of RF power in a processing chamber. In one aspect, the distance between the substrate and a gas distribution manifold in the processing chamber is varied during processing. Preferably, the method of depositing an organosilicate layer minimizes plasma-induced damage to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lihua Li, Tsutomu Tanaka, Tzu-Fang Huang, Li-Qun Xia, Dian Sugiarto, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Peter Wai-Man Lee, Mario David Silvetti
  • Methods and apparatus for e-beam treatment used to fabricate integrated circuit devices
    Publication number: 20050130404
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for fabricating a low-k dielectric film that included steps of: (a) chemical vapor depositing a lower-k dielectric film; and (b) e-beam treating the lower-k dielectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Farhad Moghadam, Jun Zhao, Timothy Weidman, Rick Roberts, Li-Qun Xia, Alexandros Demos
  • Low dielectric (low k) barrier films with oxygen doping by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)
    Publication number: 20050130440
    Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing a silicon carbide layer having significantly reduced current leakage. The silicon carbide layer may be a barrier layer or part of a barrier bilayer that also includes a barrier layer. Methods for depositing oxygen-doped silicon carbide barrier layers are also provided. The silicon carbide layer may be deposited by reacting a gas mixture comprising an organosilicon compound, an aliphatic hydrocarbon comprising a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond, and optionally, helium in a plasma. Alternatively, the silicon carbide layer may be deposited by reacting a gas mixture comprising hydrogen or argon and an organosilicon compound in a plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Kang Yim, Melissa Tam, Dian Sugiarto, Chi-I Lang, Peter Lee, Li-Qun Xia
  • Lid cooling mechanism and method for optimized deposition of low-K dielectric using TR methylsilane-ozone based processes
    Patent number: 6899763
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing thin films. The apparatus generally comprises a process chamber having one or more walls and a lid and two heat exchangers. A first heat exchanger is coupled to the walls and a second heat exchanger is coupled to the lid. The two heat exchangers are configured to provide separate temperature control of the walls and lid. Separate control of the lid and wall temperatures inhibits reaction of the organosilane within the lid while optimizing a reaction within the chamber. The apparatus implements a method, in which a process gas comprising ozone and an organosilane are admitted through the into a processing while a substrate is heated to form a carbon-doped silicon oxide layer over the substrate. During deposition, the lid is kept cooler than the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Himansu Pokharna, Li-Qun Xia, Tian H. Lim
  • Method of depositing dielectric materials in damascene applications
    Patent number: 6890850
    Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing an oxygen-doped dielectric layer. The oxygen-doped dielectric layer may be used for a barrier layer or a hardmask. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, introducing a processing gas comprising an oxygen-containing organosilicon compound, carbon dioxide, or combinations thereof, and an oxygen-free organosilicon compound to the processing chamber, and reacting the processing gas to deposit an oxygen-doped dielectric material on the substrate, wherein the dielectric material has an oxygen content of about 15 atomic percent or less. The oxygen-doped dielectric material may be used as a barrier layer in damascene or dual damascene applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ju-Hyung Lee, Ping Xu, Shankar Venkataraman, Li-Qun Xia, Fei Han, Ellie Yieh, Srinivas D. Nemani, Kangsub Yim, Farhad K. Moghadam, Ashok K. Sinha, Yi Zheng