Patents by Inventor Maurizio Bacchetta

Maurizio Bacchetta 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: 6630739
    Abstract: A method of depositing a dielectric ply structure to optimize the planarity of electronic devices that include a plurality of active elements having gate regions laid across the substrate as discrete parallel lines, such as the bit lines of memory cells. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the plurality of bit lines may be isolated from one another by the dielectric ply structure to provide a planar architecture onto which an optional conductive layer may be deposited. The resulting planarization avoids the typical shortcomings of the prior art, such as the lack of electrical continuity in the word lines or their excessively high electrical resistance from slenderized portions in the conductive sections due to poor planarity of the surfaces upon which the conductive layer is deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrizia Sonego, Elio Colabella, Maurizio Bacchetta, Luca Pividori
  • Patent number: 6531714
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having improved adhesion at an interface between layers of dielectric material, comprising the steps of forming a first layer of dielectric material on at least one part of a structure defined in a semiconductor substrate and forming a second dielectric material layer superimposed on the least one part of the first layer. The method further includes the step of forming, in the part where the first and second layers are superimposed, an intermediate adhesion layer comprising a ternary compound of silicon, oxygen and carbon. The formation of the adhesion layer takes place at low temperature and in an atmosphere kept essentially free of oxidative substances different from those serving to provide the silicon and the carbon to the layer. Preferably the layer is formed by the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Bacchetta, Luca Zanotti, Giuseppe Queirolo
  • Patent number: 6472750
    Abstract: A method is for forming an intermediate dielectric layer to optimize the planarity of electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor which incorporate non-volatile memories. The insulating dielectric is deposited from a liquid state source comprising silicon oxides and organics of the resist type. The liquid dielectric layer is evenly spread by a spinning technique providing good levels of planarity. Solidification, referred to as polymerization, is achieved through a low-temperature thermal cycle. Since this dielectric layer cannot be used as such to isolate the semiconductor substrate from the overlying metallization plane on account of the presence of organics forming a source of impurities, it is arranged for the layer to be encapsulated between two dielectric layers of silicon oxide as deposited from a plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrizia Sonego, Maurizio Bacchetta
  • Patent number: 6239042
    Abstract: A method is for forming an intermediate dielectric layer to optimize the planarity of electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor which incorporate non-volatile memories. The insulating dielectric is deposited from a liquid state source comprising silicon oxides and organics of the resist type. The liquid dielectric layer is evenly spread by a spinning technique providing good levels of planarity. Solidification, referred to as polymerization, is achieved through a low-temperature thermal cycle. Since this dielectric layer cannot be used as such to isolate the semiconductor substrate from the overlying metallization plane on account of the presence of organics forming a source of impurities, it is arranged for the layer to be encapsulated between two dielectric layers of silicon oxide as deposited from a plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrizia Sonego, Maurizio Bacchetta
  • Patent number: 6156637
    Abstract: A method of depositing a dielectric ply structure to optimize the planarity of electronic devices that include a plurality of active elements having gate regions laid across the substrate as discrete parallel lines, such as the bit lines of memory cells. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the plurality of bit lines may be isolated from one another by the dielectric ply structure to provide a planar architecture onto which an optional conductive layer may be deposited. The resulting planarization avoids the typical shortcomings of the prior art, such as the lack of electrical continuity in the word lines or their excessively high electrical resistance from slenderized portions in the conductive sections due to poor planarity of the surfaces upon which the conductive layer is deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrizia Sonego, Elio Colabella, Maurizio Bacchetta, Luca Pividori
  • Patent number: 6153537
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having improved adhesion at an interface between layers of dielectric material, comprising the steps of forming a first layer of dielectric material on at least one part of a structure defined in a semiconductor substrate and forming a second dielectric material layer superimposed on the least one part of the first layer. The method further includes the step of forming, in the part where the first and second layers are superimposed, an intermediate adhesion layer comprising a ternary compound of silicon, oxygen and carbon. The formation of the adhesion layer takes place at low temperature and in an atmosphere kept essentially free of oxidative substances different from those serving to provide the silicon and the carbon to the layer. Preferably the layer is formed by the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Bacchetta, Luca Zanotti, Giuseppe Queirolo
  • Patent number: 5994231
    Abstract: A method of depositing a layered dielectric structure to improve the planarity of electronic devices which include a plurality of active elements having gate regions laid across the substrate as discrete parallel lines, such as the bit lines of memory cells. The bit lines are isolated from one another by a layered dielectric structure to provide a planar architecture onto which an optional conductive layer may be deposited. The dielectric structure is formed from a highly planarizing dielectric layer of the SOG type spun over a first insulating dielectric layer and solidified by means of a thermal polymerization process. After solidifying the dielectric layer, it is subjected to a rapid thermal annealing treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Patrizia Sonego, Elio Colabella, Maurizio Bacchetta, Luca Pividori
  • Patent number: 5795821
    Abstract: A method for improved adhesion between dielectric material layers at their interface during the manufacture of a semiconductor device, comprising operations for forming a first layer (1) of a dielectric material, specifically silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride, on a circuit structure (7) defined on a substrate of a semiconductor material (6) and subsequently forming a second layer (3) of dielectric material (silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride particularly) overlying the first layer (1). Between the first dielectric material layer and the second, a thin oxide layer (2), silicon dioxide in the preferred embodiment, is formed in contact therewith. This interposed oxide (2) serves an adhesion layer function between two superimposed layers (1,3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Bacchetta, Laura Bacci, Luca Zanotti
  • Patent number: 5627403
    Abstract: A method for improved adhesion between dielectric material layers at their interface during the manufacture of a semiconductor device, comprising operations for forming a first layer (1) of a dielectric material, specifically silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride, on a circuit structure (7) defined on a substrate of a semiconductor material (6) and subsequently forming a second layer (3) of dielectric material (silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride particularly) overlying the first layer (1). Between the first dielectric material layer and the second, a thin oxide layer (2), silicon dioxide in the preferred embodiment, is formed in contact therewith. This interposed oxide (2) serves an adhesion layer function between two superimposed layers (1,3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Bacchetta, Laura Bacci, Luca Zanotti
  • Patent number: 5598028
    Abstract: A planarization process for the manufacturing of highly-planar interlayer dielectric thin films in integrated circuits, particularly in non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, comprises the steps of: forming a first barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate wherein integrated devices have been previously obtained; forming a second layer of oxide containing phosphorous and boron over the first undoped oxide the concentration of boron being lower than the concentration of phosphorous; forming a third layer of oxide containing phosphorous and boron over the second oxide layer, the concentration of phosphorous being lower than or equal to the concentration of boron; performing a thermal process at a temperature sufficient to melt the third oxide layer, to obtain a planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Aldo Losavio, Maurizio Bacchetta