Patents by Inventor Nagarajan Rajagopalan

Nagarajan Rajagopalan 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).

  • Publication number: 20110136327
    Abstract: Methods of forming high-current density vertical p-i-n diodes on a substrate are described. The methods include the steps of concurrently combining a group-IV-element-containing precursor with a sequential exposure to an n-type dopant precursor and a p-type dopant precursor in either order. An intrinsic layer is deposited between the n-type and p-type layers by reducing or eliminating the flow of the dopant precursors while flowing the group-IV-element-containing precursor. The substrate may reside in the same processing chamber during the deposition of each of the n-type layer, intrinsic layer and p-type layer and the substrate is not exposed to atmosphere between the depositions of adjacent layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinhai Han, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Ji Ae Park, Bencherki Mebarki, Heung Lak Park, Bok Hoen Kim
  • Patent number: 7947611
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film by flowing a oxidizing gas into a processing chamber, flowing an organosilicon compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at an organosilicon flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the organosilicon compound and flowing the organosilicon compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, maintaining the organosilicon flow rate to deposit an initiation layer, flowing a porogen compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at a porogen flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the porogen compound and flowing the porogen compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, increasing the organosilicon flow rate and the porogen flow rate while depositing a transition layer, and maintaining a second organosilicon flow rate and a second porogen flow rate to deposit a porogen containing organosilicate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin W. Ho, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Alexandros T. Demos, Kelvin Chan, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7723228
    Abstract: Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Kegang Huang, Bok Hoen Kim, Hichem M'saad, Thomas Nowak
  • Publication number: 20100087062
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing organosilicate dielectric layers having good adhesion properties and low dielectric constant. Embodiments are described in which layers are deposited at low temperature and at high temperature. The low temperature layers are generally post-treated, whereas the high temperature layers need no post treating. Adhesion of the layers is promoted by use of an initiation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Annamalai Lakshmanan, Dante Manalo, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Francimar C. Schmitt, Bok Hoen Kim
  • Publication number: 20090011148
    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: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Bok Heon Kim, Lester A. D'Cruz, Zhenjiang Cui, Girish A. Dixit, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Hichem M'Saad, Meiyee Shek, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20080280457
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film by flowing a oxidizing gas into a processing chamber, flowing an organosilicon compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at an organosilicon flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the organosilicon compound and flowing the organosilicon compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, maintaining the organosilicon flow rate to deposit an initiation layer, flowing a porogen compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at a porogen flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the porogen compound and flowing the porogen compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, increasing the organosilicon flow rate and the porogen flow rate while depositing a transition layer, and maintaining a second organosilicon flow rate and a second porogen flow rate to deposit a porogen containing organosilicate dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Dustin W. Ho, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Alexandros T. Demos, Kelvin Chan, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7410916
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film by flowing a oxidizing gas into a processing chamber, flowing an organosilicon compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at an organosilicon flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the organosilicon compound and flowing the organosilicon compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, maintaining the organosilicon flow rate to deposit an initiation layer, flowing a porogen compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at a porogen flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the porogen compound and flowing the porogen compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, increasing the organosilicon flow rate and the porogen flow rate while depositing a transition layer, and maintaining a second organosilicon flow rate and a second porogen flow rate to deposit a porogen containing organosilicate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin W. Ho, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Alexandros T. Demos, Kelvin Chan, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20080119058
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film by flowing a oxidizing gas into a processing chamber, flowing an organosilicon compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at an organosilicon flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the organosilicon compound and flowing the organosilicon compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, maintaining the organosilicon flow rate to deposit an initiation layer, flowing a porogen compound from a bulk storage container through a digital liquid flow meter at a porogen flow rate to a vaporization injection valve, vaporizing the porogen compound and flowing the porogen compound and a carrier gas into the processing chamber, increasing the organosilicon flow rate and the porogen flow rate while depositing a transition layer, and maintaining a second organosilicon flow rate and a second porogen flow rate to deposit a porogen containing organosilicate dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: DUSTIN W. HO, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Alexandros T. Demos, Kelvin Chan, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7371427
    Abstract: Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Kegang Huang, Bok Hoen Kim, Hichem M'saad, Thomas Nowak
  • Publication number: 20080075888
    Abstract: Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Kegang Huang, Bok Heon Kim, Hichem M'saad, Thomas Nowak
  • Patent number: 7297376
    Abstract: A method for depositing a low dielectric constant film is provided by positioning a substrate within a processing chamber having a powered electrode, and flowing into the processing chamber an initiation gas mixture of a flow rate of one or more organosilicon compounds and a flow rate of one or more oxidizing gases to deposit an initiation layer by applying an RF power to the electrode. The organosilicon compound flow rate is then ramped-up to a final flow rate to deposit a first transition layer, upon which one or more porogen compounds is introduced and the flow rate porogen compound is ramped up to a final deposition rate while depositing a second transition layer. A porogen doped silicon oxide layer is then deposited by flowing the final porogen and organosilicon flow rates until the RF power is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kang Sub Yim, Kelvin Chan, Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Josephine Ju-Hwei Chang Liu, Sang H. Ahn, Yi Zheng, Sang In Yi, Vu Ngoc Tran Nguyen, Alexandros T. Demos
  • Patent number: 7229911
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Albert Lee, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Li-Qun Xia, Zhenjiang Cui
  • Publication number: 20060093756
    Abstract: A method for seasoning a deposition chamber wherein the chamber components and walls are densely coated with a material that does not contain carbon prior to deposition of an organo-silicon material on a substrate. An optional carbon-containing layer may be deposited therebetween. A chamber cleaning method using low energy plasma and low pressure to remove residue from internal chamber surfaces is provided and may be combined with the seasoning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Li-Qun Xia, Mihaela Balseanu, Thomas Nowak, Ranjana Shah, Huiwen Xu, Chad Peterson, Derek Witty, Hichem M'Saad
  • Publication number: 20060046479
    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: August 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Albert Lee, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Li-Qun Xia, Zhenjiang Cui
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20040231795
    Abstract: Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Kegang Huang, Bok Hoen Kim, Hichem M'saad, Thomas Nowak
  • Publication number: 20040235292
    Abstract: Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Kegang Huang, Bok Hoen Kim, Hichem M'Saad, Thomas Nowak
  • Patent number: 6656840
    Abstract: A method for forming a microelectronics device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a conductive structure on a substrate. A first layer comprising silicon and nitrogen is formed on the substrate. A second layer comprising silicon and nitrogen is then formed on the first layer. The nitrogen to silicon ratio in the first layer is greater than the nitrogen to silicon ratio in the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Joe Feng, Christopher S Ngai, Meiyee (Maggie Le) Shek, Suketu A Parikh, Linh H Thanh
  • Publication number: 20030203614
    Abstract: A method for forming a microelectronics device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a conductive structure on a substrate. A first layer comprising silicon and nitrogen is formed on the substrate. A second layer comprising silicon and nitrogen is then formed on the first layer. The nitrogen to silicon ratio in the first layer is greater than the nitrogen to silicon ratio in the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Joe Feng, Christopher S. Ngai, Meiyee Shek, Suketu A. Parikh, Linh H. Thanh