Patents by Inventor PHILIP HSIN-HUA LI

PHILIP HSIN-HUA LI 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: 20250098363
    Abstract: A device includes a bottom contact layer on a substrate, an absorber layer on the bottom contact layer, a cap layer on the absorber layer, a hole blocker layer on the cap layer, and a top contact layer on the hole blocker layer. The absorber layer includes oxygen-annealed copper, indium, gallium and selenium. The device has a quantum efficiency greater than about 50%, measured at a voltage of about ?1 volt and at a wavelength of about 940 nanometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 12211947
    Abstract: A method includes forming, on a substrate by performing physical vapor deposition in vacuum, an absorber layer including copper (Cu), indium (In), gallium (Ga) and selenium (Se), forming a stack including the substrate and an oxygen-annealed absorber layer by performing in-situ oxygen annealing of the absorber layer to improve quantum efficiency of the image sensor by passivating selenium vacancies due to dangling bonds, and forming a cap layer over the oxygen-annealed absorber layer by performing physical vapor deposition in vacuum. The cap layer includes at least one of: Ga2O3·Sn, ZnS, CdS, CdSe, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnIn2Se4, CuGaS2, In2S3, MgO, or Zn0.8Mg0.2O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Publication number: 20230275165
    Abstract: A method includes forming, on a substrate by performing physical vapor deposition in vacuum, an absorber layer including copper (Cu), indium (In), gallium (Ga) and selenium (Se), forming a stack including the substrate and an oxygen-annealed absorber layer by performing in-situ oxygen annealing of the absorber layer to improve quantum efficiency of the image sensor by passivating selenium vacancies due to dangling bonds, and forming a cap layer over the oxygen-annealed absorber layer by performing physical vapor deposition in vacuum. The cap layer includes at least one of: Ga2O3·Sn, ZnS, CdS, CdSe, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnIn2Se4, CuGaS2, In2S3, MgO, or Zn0.8Mg0.2O.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 11728449
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to photovoltaic devices, CIGS containing films, and methods of manufacturing CIGS containing films and photovoltaic devices to improve quantum efficiency, reduce interface charges, electron losses, and electron re-combinations. The CIGS layers in the photovoltaic devices described herein may be deposited using physical vapor deposition, followed by in-situ oxygen annealing, and further followed by deposition of a cap layer over the CIGS layer without subjecting the CIGS layer to an air break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 11088293
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus form a photon absorber layer of a photodiode with characteristics conducive to applications such as, but not limited to, image sensors and the like. The absorber layer uses a copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) material with a gallium mole fraction of approximately 35% to approximately 70% to control the absorbed wavelengths while reducing dark current. Deposition temperatures of the absorber layer are controlled to less than approximately 400 degrees Celsius to produce sub-micron grain sizes. The absorber layer is doped with antimony at a temperature of less than approximately 400 degrees Celsius to increase the absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-Hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Publication number: 20210167235
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to photovoltaic devices, CIGS containing films, and methods of manufacturing CIGS containing films and photovoltaic devices to improve quantum efficiency, reduce interface charges, electron losses, and electron re-combinations. The CIGS layers in the photovoltaic devices described herein may be deposited using physical vapor deposition, followed by in-situ oxygen annealing, and further followed by deposition of a cap layer over the CIGS layer without subjecting the CIGS layer to an air break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 11018275
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include photodiodes and methods of forming such photodiodes. In an embodiment, a method of creating a photodiode, comprises disposing an absorber layer over a first contact, wherein the absorber layer comprises a first conductivity type, and disposing a semiconductor layer over the absorber, wherein the semiconductor layer has a second conductivity type that is opposite from the first conductivity type. In an embodiment, the method further comprises disposing a hole blocking layer over the semiconductor layer, wherein the hole blocking layer is formed with a reactive sputtering process with a processing gas that comprises oxygen, and disposing a second contact over the hole blocking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Publication number: 20210151949
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming an ohmic contact layer in a wafer containing CMOS devices and attaching a VCSEL die therein. A composite layer that forms the ohmic contact layer is selected based on the epitaxially-grown compound semiconductor material of the VCSEL die. The ohmic contact layer may not comprise gold, as gold introduces contamination in the rest of the CMOS process. The wafer may have an allocated area for accepting the VCSEL die. The allocated area may have a recess to facilitate placement of the VCSEL die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-Hua LI, Seshadri RAMASWAMI, Kiyoung LEE
  • Publication number: 20210111222
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include CMOS image sensors and methods of forming such devices. In an embodiment, a method of forming a CMOS image sensor comprises pressurizing a chamber with a gas comprising hydrogen, and annealing a substrate in the pressurized chamber. In an embodiment the substrate comprises the CMOS image sensor. In an embodiment, the CMOS image sensor comprises a semiconductor body and a trench around a perimeter the semiconductor body, wherein the trench is filled with a high-k oxide that directly contacts the semiconductor body. In an embodiment, the method further comprises, depressurizing the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Toshihiko Miyashita, Ellie Yieh, Srinivas D. Nemani, Seshadri Ramaswami, Nikolaos Bekiaris
  • Publication number: 20210111297
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include photodiodes and methods of forming such photodiodes. In an embodiment, a method of creating a photodiode, comprises disposing an absorber layer over a first contact, wherein the absorber layer comprises a first conductivity type, and disposing a semiconductor layer over the absorber, wherein the semiconductor layer has a second conductivity type that is opposite from the first conductivity type. In an embodiment, the method further comprises disposing a hole blocking layer over the semiconductor layer, wherein the hole blocking layer is formed with a reactive sputtering process with a processing gas that comprises oxygen, and disposing a second contact over the hole blocking layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Publication number: 20200006412
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus form an image sensor pixel circuit on flexible and non-flexible substrates. At least one indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin film transistor (TFT) is formed at a process temperature of approximately 400 degrees Celsius or less and at least one photodiode is formed on at least one of the at least one IGZO TFT. The at least one photodiode having an absorption layer formed, at least in part, by depositing a copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) material with a gallium mole fraction of approximately 35% to approximately 70% at a process temperature of less than or equal to approximately 400 degrees Celsius and doping the CIGS material with antimony at a process temperature of less than or equal to approximately 400 degrees Celsius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: PHILIP HSIN-HUA LI, SESHADRI RAMASWAMI
  • Publication number: 20200006581
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus form a photon absorber layer of a photodiode with characteristics conducive to applications such as, but not limited to, image sensors and the like. The absorber layer uses a copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) material with a gallium mole fraction of approximately 35% to approximately 70% to control the absorbed wavelengths while reducing dark current. Deposition temperatures of the absorber layer are controlled to less than approximately 400 degrees Celsius to produce sub-micron grain sizes. The absorber layer is doped with antimony at a temperature of less than approximately 400 degrees Celsius to increase the absorption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: PHILIP HSIN-HUA LI, SESHADRI RAMASWAMI