Patents by Inventor Ralph R. Dammel

Ralph R. Dammel 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: 7595141
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous coating composition for coating a photoresist pattern comprising a polymer containing amino group. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a microelectronic device comprising providing a substrate with a photoresist pattern, coating the photoresist pattern with the novel coating material reacting a portion of the coating material in contact with the photoresist pattern, and removing a portion of the coating material which is not reacted with a removal solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Takanori Kudo, Munirathna Padmanaban, Ralph R. Dammel
  • Patent number: 7547501
    Abstract: The present application relates to photoactive materials having the formula wherein C1+ is a cation; each of R30, R31, R32, R33, R34, R35, R36, R37, R38, R39, R40, and R41 are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkyl chain optionally containing one or more O atoms, halide, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyl, and alkoxy, the alkyl, alkyl chain optionally containing one or more O atoms, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, and alkoxy groups being unsubstituted or substituted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, M. Dalil Rahman, David L. Rentkiewicz, Karl van Werden
  • Patent number: 7537879
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel chemically amplified photoresist, which is sensitive to wavelengths between 300 nm and 100 nm, and comprises a) a novel polymer comprising a sulfone group pendant from a polymer backbone that is insoluble in an aqueous alkaline solution and comprises at least one acidic moiety protected with acid labile group, and b) a compound capable of producing an acid upon irradiation. The invention also relates to a process of imaging the novel positive photoresist composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Francis M. Houlihan, Ralph R. Dammel, Andrew R. Romano, Munirathna Padmanaban, M. Dalil Rahman
  • Patent number: 7521170
    Abstract: The present application relates to a compound of formula A-X—B, where (i)A-X—B form an ionic compound Ai Xi Bi where Ai and Bi are each individually an organic onium cation; and Xi is anion of the formula Q-R500—SO3? or (ii)A-X—B form a non-ionic compound Ac-Xc-Bc, where Ai, Bi, Q, R500, Ac, Bc, and Xc are defined herein. The compounds are useful as photoactive materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: M. Dalil Rahman, Francis M. Houlihan, Munirathna Padmanaban, SangHo Lee, Ralph R. Dammel, David Rentkiewicz, Clement Anyadiegwu
  • Publication number: 20090087782
    Abstract: The present application relates to a compound of formula A-X—B, where (i) A-X—B form an ionic compound Ai Xi Bi where Ai and Bi are each individually an organic onium cation; and Xi is anion of the formula Q-R500—SO3? or (ii) A-X—B form a non-ionic compound Ac-Xc-Bc, where Ai, Bi, Q,, R500, Ac, Bc, and Xc are defined herein. The compounds are useful as photoactive materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: M. Dalil Rahman, Francis M. Houlihan, Munirathna Padmanaban, SangHo Lee, Ralph R. Dammel, David Rentkiewicz, Clement Anyadiegwu
  • Patent number: 7473512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for imaging deep ultraviolet (uv) photoresists with a topcoat using deep uv immersion lithography. The invention further relates to a topcoat composition comprising a polymer with at least one ionizable group having a pKa ranging from about ?9 to about 11. The invention also relates to a process for imaging a photoresist with a top barrier coat to prevent contamination of the photoresist from environmental contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Francis M. Houlihan, Ralph R. Dammel, Andrew R. Romano, Raj Sakamuri
  • Publication number: 20080248427
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous coating composition for coating a photoresist pattern comprising a polymer containing a lactam group of structure (1) where R1 is independently selected hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyl alcohol, hydroxy (OH), amine (NH2), carboxylic acid, and amide (CONH2), represents the attachment to the polymer, m=1-6, and n=1-4. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a microelectronic device comprising providing a substrate with a photoresist pattern, coating the photoresist pattern with the novel coating material reacting a portion of the coating material in contact with the photoresist pattern, and removing a portion of the coating material which is not reacted with a removal solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Muthiah Thiyagarajan, Ralph R. Dammel, Yi Cao, SungEun Hong, WenBing Kang, Clement Anyadiegwu
  • Patent number: 7416834
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spin-on antireflective coating composition for a photoresist comprising a polymer, a crosslinking compound and a thermal acid generator, where the polymer comprises at least one functional moiety capable of increasing the refractive index of the antireflective coating composition to a value equal or greater than 1.8 at exposure radiation used for imaging the photoresist and a functional moiety capable of absorbing exposure radiation used for imaging the photoresist. The invention further relates to a process for imaging the antireflective coating of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: David J. Abdallah, Ralph R. Dammel
  • Publication number: 20080171270
    Abstract: The present application relates to a polymer having the formula where R30, R31, R32, R33, R40, R41, R42, jj, kk, mm, and nn are described herein. The compounds are useful in forming photoresist compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Munirathna Padmanaban, Srinivasan Chakrapani, Ralph R. Dammel
  • Publication number: 20080085463
    Abstract: The present application relates to photoactive materials having the formula wherein C1+ is a cation; each of R30, R31, R32, R33, R34, R35, R36, R37, R38, R39, R40, and R41 are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkyl chain optionally containing one or more O atoms, halide, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyl, and alkoxy, the alkyl, alkyl chain optionally containing one or more O atoms, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, and alkoxy groups being unsubstituted or substituted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, M. Dalil Rahman, David L. Rentkiewicz, Karl van Werden
  • Patent number: 7351521
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoresist composition comprising a photoacid generator and at least one polymer comprising at least one unit as described by structure 1, The invention also relates to a process for imaging the photoresist composition of the present invention, and to a process of making the polymer in the presence of an organic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, Raj Sakamuri, Francis M. Houlihan
  • Publication number: 20080076059
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spin-on antireflective coating composition for a photoresist comprising a polymer, a crosslinking compound and a thermal acid generator, where the polymer comprises at least one functional moiety capable of increasing the refractive index of the antireflective coating composition to a value equal or greater than 1.8 at exposure radiation used for imaging the photoresist and a functional moiety capable of absorbing exposure radiation used for imaging the photoresist. The invention further relates to a process for imaging the antireflective coating of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: David J. Abdallah, Ralph R. Dammel
  • Patent number: 7211366
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoresist composition comprising a photoacid generator and at least one polymer comprising at least one unit as described by structure 1, The invention also relates to a process for imaging the photoresist composition of the present invention, and to a process of making the polymer in the presence of an organic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, Raj Sakamuri, Francis M. Houlihan
  • Patent number: 7033728
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a photosensitive composition useful at wavelengths between 300 nm and 10 nm which comprises a polymer containing a substituted or unsubstituted higher adamantane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventor: Ralph R. Dammel
  • Patent number: 6991888
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel photoresist composition that can be developed with an aqueous alkaline solution, and is capable of being imaged at exposure wavelengths in the deep ultraviolet. The invention also relates to a process for imaging the novel photoresist as well as novel photoacid generators. The novel photoresist comprises a) a polymer containing an acid labile group, and b) a novel mixture of photoactive compounds, where the mixture comprises a lower absorbing compound selected from structure 1 and 2, and a higher absorbing compound selected from structure 4 and 5, where, R1 and R2 R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are defined herein; m=1–5; X? is an anion, and Ar is selected from naphthyl, anthracyl, and structure 3, where R30, R31, R32, R33, and R34 are defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventors: Munirathna Padmanaban, Takanori Kudo, Sangho Lee, Ralph R. Dammel, M. Dalil Rahman
  • Patent number: 6852465
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-sensitive photoresist composition especially useful for imaging thick films, comprising a film-forming alkali-soluble resin, a photoactive compound, and a surfactant at a level ranging from about 2000 ppm to about 14,000 ppm by weight of total photoresist. Preferably the photoresist film has a thickness greater than 20 microns. The invention further provides for a process for coating and imaging the light-sensitive composition of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Clariant International Ltd.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, Stephen Meyer, Mark A. Spak
  • Patent number: 6844131
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel absorbing, photoimageable and aqueous developable positive-working antireflective coating composition comprising a photoacid generator and a polymer comprising at least one unit with an acid labile group and at least one unit with an absorbing chromophore. The invention further relates to a process for using such a composition. The present invention also relates to a novel absorbing, photoimageable and aqueous alkali developable positive-working antireflective coating composition comprising a polymer comprising at least one unit with an acid labile group, a dye and a photoacid generator. The invention further relates to a process for using such a composition. The invention also relates to a novel process for forming a positive image with a positive photoresist and a novel photoimageable and aqueous developable positive-working antireflective coating composition, where the antireflective coating comprises a polymer comprising an acid labile group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Limited
    Inventors: Joseph E. Oberlander, Ralph R. Dammel, Shuji Ding-Lee, Mark O. Neisser, Medhat A. Toukhy
  • Patent number: 6800415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a novel negative, aqueous photoresist composition comprising a polyvinylacetal polymer, a water-soluble photoactive compound and a crosslinking agent. The water-soluble photoactive compound is preferably a sulfonium salt. The invention also relates to forming a negative image from the novel photoresist composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Ltd
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Lu, Mark O. Neisser, Ralph R. Dammel, Hengpeng Wu
  • Patent number: 6800416
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel negative working deep uv photoresist that is developable in an aqueous alkaline solution, and comprises a fluorinated polymer, photoactive compound and a crosslinking agent. The photoresist composition is particularly useful for patterning with exposure wavelengths of 193 nm and 157 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Kudo, Munirathna Padmanaban, Ralph R. Dammel, Medhat A. Touky
  • Publication number: 20040185368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-sensitive photoresist composition especially useful for imaging thick films, comprising a film-forming alkali-soluble resin, a photoactive compound, and a surfactant at a level ranging from about 2000 ppm to about 14,000 ppm by weight of total photoresist. Preferably the photoresist film has a thickness greater than 20 microns. The invention further provides for a process for coating and imaging the light-sensitive composition of this invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Ralph R. Dammel, Stephen Meyer, Mark A. Spak