Patents by Inventor Lothar Brencher

Lothar Brencher 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: 9543157
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a method for processing a carrier may include: performing a dry etch process in a processing chamber to remove a first material from the carrier by an etchant, the processing chamber including an exposed inner surface including aluminum and the etchant including a halogen; and, subsequently, performing a hydrogen plasma process in the processing chamber to remove a second material from at least one of the carrier or the inner surface of the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Michael Renner, Lothar Brencher
  • Publication number: 20160197009
    Abstract: A method for etching a layer assembly, the layer assembly including an intermediate layer sandwiched between an etch layer and a stop layer, the method including a step of etching the etch layer using a first etchant and a step of etching the intermediate layer using a second etchant. The first etchant includes a first etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the etch layer and the intermediate layer. The second etchant includes a second etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the intermediate layer and the stop layer. The first etchant being is different from the second etchant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Dirk Meinhold, Michael Hartenberger, Georg Seidemann, Wolfgang Dickenscheid
  • Patent number: 9305798
    Abstract: A method for etching a layer assembly, the layer assembly including an intermediate layer sandwiched between an etch layer and a stop layer, the method including a step of etching the etch layer using a first etchant and a step of etching the intermediate layer using a second etchant. The first etchant includes a first etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the etch layer and the intermediate layer. The second etchant includes a second etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the intermediate layer and the stop layer. The first etchant being is different from the second etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Dirk Meinhold, Michael Hartenberger, Georg Seidemann, Wolfgang Dickenscheid
  • Publication number: 20160093500
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a method for processing a carrier may include: performing a dry etch process in a processing chamber to remove a first material from the carrier by an etchant, the processing chamber including an exposed inner surface including aluminum and the etchant including a halogen; and, subsequently, performing a hydrogen plasma process in the processing chamber to remove a second material from at least one of the carrier or the inner surface of the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Renner, Lothar Brencher
  • Patent number: 9082719
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a method for removing a dielectric layer from a bottom of a trench while maintaining the dielectric layer on sidewalls of the trench. The method includes etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and generating a passivation layer on the dielectric layer at an upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of a plasma etch process to a first mode; and a step of etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and etching the passivation layer at the upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of the plasma etch process to a second mode before the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench is completely removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Carsten Moritz
  • Publication number: 20140110374
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a method for removing a dielectric layer from a bottom of a trench while maintaining the dielectric layer on sidewalls of the trench. The method includes etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and generating a passivation layer on the dielectric layer at an upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of a plasma etch process to a first mode; and a step of etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and etching the passivation layer at the upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of the plasma etch process to a second mode before the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench is completely removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Carsten Moritz
  • Publication number: 20130288481
    Abstract: A method for etching a layer assembly, the layer assembly including an intermediate layer sandwiched between an etch layer and a stop layer, the method including a step of etching the etch layer using a first etchant and a step of etching the intermediate layer using a second etchant. The first etchant includes a first etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the etch layer and the intermediate layer. The second etchant includes a second etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the intermediate layer and the stop layer. The first etchant being is different from the second etchant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Dirk Meinhold, Michael Hartenberger, Georg Seidemann, Wolfgang Dickenscheid
  • Patent number: 8404597
    Abstract: A method for etching a layer assembly, the layer assembly including an intermediate layer sandwiched between an etch layer and a stop layer, the method including a step of etching the etch layer using a first etchant and a step of etching the intermediate layer using a second etchant. The first etchant includes a first etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the etch layer and the intermediate layer. The second etchant includes a second etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the intermediate layer and the stop layer. The first etchant being different from the second etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Dirk Meinhold, Michael Hartenberger, Georg Seidemann, Wolfgang Dickenscheld
  • Publication number: 20090124089
    Abstract: A method for etching a layer assembly, the layer assembly including an intermediate layer sandwiched between an etch layer and a stop layer, the method including a step of etching the etch layer using a first etchant and a step of etching the intermediate layer using a second etchant. The first etchant includes a first etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the etch layer and the intermediate layer. The second etchant includes a second etch selectivity of at least 5:1 with respect to the intermediate layer and the stop layer. The first etchant being different from the second etchant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventor: Lothar Brencher
  • Publication number: 20050181604
    Abstract: A method for structuring metal is disclosed. At least one corrosion-intensive metal layer is deposited on an Si substrate by means of deposition method. An etching mask is then produced on the corrosion-intensive metal layer by photolithographic patterning processes using a resist. The metal layer can then be patterned through the etching mask by means of etching, preferably by plasma etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Sperlich, Lothar Brencher, Jens Bachmann
  • Patent number: 6475919
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing trenches for manufacturing storage capacitors in DRAM cell configurations. In the method, a two-stage hard mask having a first mask layer (1) and an underlying second mask layer (2) is used. A resist mask is applied to the mask layers (1, 2). The trenches are structured by etching processes, in which, in a first etching process, the first mask layer (1) is etched selectively with respect to the resist mask, and in a second etching process, the second mask layer (2) is etched selectively with respect to the first mask layer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Maik Stegememann, Uwe Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20010034112
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing trenches for manufacturing storage capacitors in DRAM cell configurations. In the method, a two-stage hard mask having a first mask layer (1) and an underlying second mask layer (2) is used. A resist mask is applied to the mask layers (1, 2). The trenches are structured by etching processes, in which, in a first etching process, the first mask layer (1) is etched selectively with respect to the resist mask, and in a second etching process, the second mask layer (2) is etched selectively with respect to the first mask layer (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Lothar Brencher, Maik Stegemann, Uwe Rudolph