Patents by Inventor Michael Carris
Michael Carris 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: 9659769Abstract: A highly tensile dielectric layer is generated on a heat sensitive substrate while not exceeding thermal budget constraints. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is used to produce highly tensile films to be used, for example, in strained NMOS transistor architectures. UV curing of as-deposited PECVD silicon nitride films, for example, has been shown to produce films with stresses of at least 1.65 E10 dynes/cm2. Other dielectric capping layer film materials show similar results. In transistor implementations, the stress from a source/drain region capping layer composed of such a film is uniaxially transferred to the NMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create tensile strain in the NMOS channel.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2004Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bhadri Varadarajan, Sean Chang, James S. Sims, Guangquan Lu, David Mordo, Kevin Ilcisin, Mandar Pandit, Michael Carris
-
Patent number: 7968436Abstract: Copper diffusion barrier films having low dielectric constants are suitable for a variety of copper/inter-metal dielectric integration schemes. Copper diffusion barrier films in accordance with the invention are composed of one or more layers of silicon carbide, at least one of the silicon carbide layers having a composition of at least 40% carbon (C), for example, between about 45 and 60% carbon (C). The films' high carbon-content layer will have a composition wherein the ratio of C to Si is greater than 2:1; or >3:1; or >4:1; or >5.1. The high carbon-content copper diffusion barrier films have a reduced effective k relative to conventional barrier materials.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Xingyuan Tang, Haiying Fu, Michael Carris, William Crew
-
Patent number: 7842604Abstract: The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film composed, at least in part, of boron-doped silicon carbide suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. The copper diffusion barrier maintains a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Atul Gupta, Karen Billington, Michael Carris, William Crew, Thomas W. Mountsier
-
Patent number: 7573061Abstract: Copper diffusion barrier films having low dielectric constants are suitable for a variety of copper/inter-metal dielectric integration schemes. Copper diffusion barrier films in accordance with the invention are composed of one or more layers of silicon carbide, at least one of the silicon carbide layers having a composition of at least 40% carbon (C), for example, between about 45 and 60% carbon (C). The films' high carbon-content layer will have a composition wherein the ratio of C to Si is greater than 2:1; or >3:1; or >4:1; or >5.1. The high carbon-content copper diffusion barrier films have a reduced effective k relative to conventional barrier materials.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Xingyuan Tang, Haiying Fu, Michael Carris, William Crew
-
Patent number: 7420275Abstract: Copper diffusion barrier films having a boron-doped silicon carbide layer with at least 25% boron by atomic weight of the layer composition have advantages for semiconductor device integration schemes. The films have an integration worthy etch selectivity to carbon doped oxide of at least 10 to 1, can adhere to copper with an adhesion energy of at least 20 J/m2, and can maintain an effective dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture. The films are suitable for use in a wide range of VLSI and ULSI structures and devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2006Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Atul Gupta, Karen Billington, Michael Carris, William Crew, Thomas W. Mountsier
-
Patent number: 7282438Abstract: Copper diffusion barrier films having low dielectric constants are suitable for a variety of copper/inter-metal dielectric integration schemes. Copper diffusion barrier films in accordance with the invention are composed of one or more layers of silicon carbide, at least one of the silicon carbide layers having a composition of at least 40% carbon (C), for example, between about 45 and 60% carbon (C). The films' high carbon-content layer will have a composition wherein the ratio of C to Si is greater than 2:1; or >3:1; or >4:1; or >5.1. The high carbon-content copper diffusion barrier films have a reduced effective k relative to conventional barrier materials.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Xingyuan Tang, Haiying Fu, Michael Carris, William Crew
-
Patent number: 7239017Abstract: The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film composed, at least in part, of boron-doped silicon carbide suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. The copper diffusion barrier maintains a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2004Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Atul Gupta, Karen Billington, Michael Carris, William Crew, Thomas W. Mountsier
-
Patent number: 7163889Abstract: The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. Some embodiments of the film are formed of a silicon-based material doped with boron. Other embodiments are formed, at least in part, of boron nitride. Some such embodiments include a moisture barrier film that includes oxygen and/or carbon. Preferred embodiments of the copper diffusion barrier maintain a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2005Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Robert Hepburn, Michael Carris, William Crew
-
Publication number: 20060019486Abstract: The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. Some embodiments of the film are formed of a silicon-based material doped with boron. Other embodiments are formed, at least in part, of boron nitride. Some such embodiments include a moisture barrier film that includes oxygen and/or carbon. Preferred embodiments of the copper diffusion barrier maintain a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2005Publication date: January 26, 2006Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Robert Hepburn, Michael Carris, William Crew
-
Patent number: 6967405Abstract: The present invention provides a low dielectric constant copper diffusion barrier film suitable for use in a semiconductor device and methods for fabricating such a film. Some embodiments of the film are formed of a silicon-based material doped with boron. Other embodiments are formed, at least in part, of boron nitride. Some such embodiments include a moisture barrier film that includes oxygen and/or carbon. Preferred embodiments of the copper diffusion barrier maintain a stable dielectric constant of less than 4.5 in the presence of atmospheric moisture.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2003Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Inventors: Yongsik Yu, Karen Billington, Robert Hepburn, Michael Carris, William Crew