Patents by Inventor Ramin Emami
Ramin Emami 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).
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Patent number: 8133096Abstract: An article of manufacture, a method, and an apparatus for use in a chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. In one aspect, an article of manufacture is provided for polishing a substrate including a polishing article having a polishing surface, the polishing surface including a first polishing portion having a first polishing material of a first hardness for polishing a first portion of the substrate, and a second polishing portion having a second polishing material of a second hardness for polishing a second portion of the substrate. The article of manufacturer may be disposed on a rotatable, stationary, or linear platen for processing a substrate. In another aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate, including providing a platen containing the polishing article disposed on the rotatable platen, delivering a polishing composition to the polishing article, and contacting a substrate on the polishing article.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ramin Emami, Robert Lum, Sourabh Mishra
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Patent number: 7497767Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing is described. The carrier head includes a backing assembly, a housing and a damping material. The backing assembly includes a substrate support surface. The housing is connectable to a drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft about a rotation axis. In one implementation, the damping material is in a load path between the backing assembly and the housing to reduce transmission of vibrations from the backing assembly to the housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2005Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Shijian Li, John M. White, Ramin Emami, Fred C. Redeker, Steven M. Zuniga, Ramakrishna Cheboli
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Patent number: 7331847Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing, includes a base, a support structure attached to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining structure attached to the base to prevent the substrate from moving along the surface. The retaining structure and the surface define a cavity for receiving the substrate. A polishing station includes a platen, a vibration damper mounted on the platen and a substrate polishing pad mounted on the vibration damper. The vibration damper includes a material that does not rebound to its original shape when subjected to a deformation.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Applied Materials, IncInventors: Hung Chih Chen, John M. White, Shijian Li, Fred C. Redeker, Ramin Emami
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Patent number: 7273813Abstract: A method and cleaning solution that removes contaminants from a dielectric material and polished surfaces of copper interconnect structures prior to an electroless deposition of a capping layer without substantially adversely affecting the interconnect formed therefrom are disclosed. The cleaning solution includes combinations of a core mixture and sulfuric acid or sulfonic compounds such as sulfonic acids that include methanesulfonic acid. In one embodiment, the core mixture includes a citric acid solution and a pH adjuster such as tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide or ammonia. One embodiment of the method includes providing a planarized substrate, applying the cleaning solution to the substrate to simultaneously clean at least one metal feature and a dielectric material of the substrate, and depositing the metal capping layer selectively on the at least one metal feature using electroless deposition.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2005Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ramin Emami, Timothy Weidman, Sergey Lopatin, Hongbin Fang, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram
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Patent number: 7256111Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method of annealing substrates in a thermal anneal chamber and/or a plasma anneal chamber before electroless deposition thereover. In one embodiment, annealing in a thermal anneal chamber includes heating the substrate in a vacuum environment while providing a gas, such as noble gases, hydrogen gas, other reducing gases, nitrogen gas, other non-reactive gases, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, annealing in a plasma chamber comprises plasma annealing the substrate in a plasma, such as a plasma from an argon gas, helium gas, hydrogen gas, and combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2004Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Sergey Lopatin, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Ramin Emami, Hongbin Fang
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Patent number: 7104267Abstract: A process for treating a copper or copper alloy substrate surface with a composition and corrosion inhibitor solution to minimize defect formation and surface corrosion, the method including applying a composition including one or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The composition may further comprise a reducing agent and/or corrosion inhibitor. The method may further comprise applying the corrosion inhibitor solution prior to treating the substrate surface with the composition.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2000Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Ramin Emami, Shijian Li, Sen-Hou Ko, Fred C. Redeker, Madhavi Chandrachood
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Publication number: 20060174912Abstract: A method and cleaning solution that removes contaminants from a dielectric material and polished surfaces of copper interconnect structures prior to an electroless deposition of a capping layer without substantially adversely affecting the interconnect formed therefrom are disclosed. The cleaning solution includes combinations of a core mixture and sulfuric acid or sulfonic compounds such as sulfonic acids that include methanesulfonic acid. In one embodiment, the core mixture includes a citric acid solution and a pH adjuster such as tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide or ammonia. One embodiment of the method includes providing a planarized substrate, applying the cleaning solution to the substrate to simultaneously clean at least one metal feature and a dielectric material of the substrate, and depositing the metal capping layer selectively on the at least one metal feature using electroless deposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2005Publication date: August 10, 2006Inventors: Ramin Emami, Timothy Weidman, Sergey Lopatin, Hongbin Fang, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram
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Publication number: 20060148387Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing, includes a base, a support structure attached to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining structure attached to the base to prevent the substrate from moving along the surface. The retaining structure and the surface define a cavity for receiving the substrate. The retaining structure includes an upper portion in contact with the base, a lower portion, and a vibration damper separating the upper portion and the lower portion. The vibration damper, the vibration damper includes a material that does not rebound to its original shape when subjected to a deformation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2006Publication date: July 6, 2006Inventors: Hung Chen, John White, Shijian Li, Fred Redeker, Ramin Emami
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Patent number: 7041599Abstract: High through-put Cu CMP is achieved with reduced erosion and dishing by a multi-step polishing technique. Deposited Cu is polished with fixed abrasive polishing pads initially at a high removal rate and subsequently at a reduced removal rate and high Cu:barrier layer (Ta) selectivity. Embodiments of the present invention include reducing dishing by: controlling platen rotating speeds; increasing the concentration of active chemicals; and cleaning the polishing pads between wafers. Embodiments also include removing particulate material during CMP by increasing the flow rate of the chemical agent or controlling the static etching rate between about 100 ? and about 150 ? per minute, and recycling the chemical agent. Embodiments further include flowing an inhibitor across the wafer surface after each CMP step to reduce the static etching rate.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1999Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Shijian Li, Fred C. Redeker, John White, Ramin Emami
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Patent number: 7014538Abstract: A method and apparatus for using fixed abrasive polishing pads that contain posts for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The posts have different shapes, different sizes, different heights, different materials, different distribution of abrasive particles and different process chemicals. This invention also includes preconditioning fixed abrasive articles comprising a plurality of posts so that the posts have equal heights above the backing to achieve a uniform texture. This invention relates to improvements with respect to in situ rate measurement (ISRM) devices. The invention resides in providing a mechanical means, such as a notch, to determine when approaching the end of the abrasive web roll. The invention resides in coding the web throughout its length to enable determining the location of different portions of the web. This invention resides in providing perforations in the sides or end of the web for improved handling.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2003Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: James V. Tietz, Shijian Li, Manoocher Birang, John M. White, Sandra L. Rosenberg, legal representative, Marty Scales, Ramin Emami, Lawrence M. Rosenberg, deceased
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Patent number: 7014545Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing, includes a base, a support structure attached to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining structure attached to the base to prevent the substrate from moving along the surface. The retaining structure and the surface define a cavity for receiving the substrate. The retaining structure includes an upper portion in contact with the base, a lower portion, and a vibration damper separating the upper portion and the lower portion. The vibration damper, the vibration damper includes a material that does not rebound to its original shape when subjected to a deformation.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2004Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, John M. White, Shijian Li, Fred C. Redeker, Ramin Emami
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Publication number: 20050245181Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing is described. The carrier head includes a backing assembly, a housing and a damping material. The backing assembly includes a substrate support surface. The housing is connectable to a drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft about a rotation axis. In one implementation, the damping material is in a load path between the backing assembly and the housing to reduce transmission of vibrations from the backing assembly to the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2005Publication date: November 3, 2005Inventors: Hung Chen, Shijian Li, John White, Ramin Emami, Fred Redeker, Steven Zuniga, Ramakrishna Cheboli
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Publication number: 20050189235Abstract: An article of manufacture, a method, and an apparatus for use in a chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. In one aspect, an article of manufacture is provided for polishing a substrate including a polishing article having a polishing surface, the polishing surface including a first polishing portion having a first polishing material of a first hardness for polishing a first portion of the substrate, and a second polishing portion having a second polishing material of a second hardness for polishing a second portion of the substrate. The article of manufacturer may be disposed on a rotatable, stationary, or linear platen for processing a substrate. In another aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate, including providing a platen containing the polishing article disposed on the rotatable platen, delivering a polishing composition to the polishing article, and contacting a substrate on the polishing article.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2005Publication date: September 1, 2005Inventors: Ramin Emami, Robert Lum, Sourabh Mishra
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Publication number: 20050170650Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for activating a metal layer prior to depositing a cobalt-containing capping layer is provided which includes exposing the metal layer to an electroless activation solution to deposit a palladium layer on the metal layer and depositing the cobalt-containing capping layer on the palladium layer. The electroless activation solution contains palladium nitrate at a concentration in a range from about 0.01 mM to about 1.0 mM, nitric acid at a concentration in a range from about 0.01 mM to about 3.0 mM and water. In another embodiment, the electroless activation solution contains palladium nitrate at a concentration in a range from about 0.01 mM to about 1.0 mM, methanesulfonic acid at a concentration in a range from about 0.01 mM to about 3.0 mM and water.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2004Publication date: August 4, 2005Inventors: Hongbin Fang, Ramin Emami, Timothy Weidman, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Fang Mei
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Publication number: 20050164497Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method of annealing substrates in a thermal anneal chamber and/or a plasma anneal chamber before electroless deposition thereover. In one embodiment, annealing in a thermal anneal chamber comprises heating the substrate in a vacuum environment while providing a gas, such as a noble gas, a reducing gas such as hydrogen gas, a non-reducing gas such as nitrogen gas, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, annealing in a plasma chamber comprises annealing the substrate in a plasma, such as a plasma from an argon gas, helium gas, hydrogen gas, or combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2004Publication date: July 28, 2005Inventors: Sergey Lopatin, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Ramin Emami, Hongbin Fang
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Publication number: 20050161338Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a cobalt-containing capping layer on a metal layer is provided which includes rinsing the metal layer with a deionized water wetting step, depositing a palladium layer on the metal layer by exposing the metal layer to an electroless activation solution comprising a palladium precursor and an acid, and depositing the cobalt-containing capping layer on the palladium layer by exposing the palladium layer to an electroless cobalt-containing solution comprising a cobalt source, a tungsten source, an oxygen scavenger and a surfactant. Ascorbic acid may be used as the oxygen scavenger.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2004Publication date: July 28, 2005Inventors: Hongbin Fang, Ramin Emami, Timothy Weidman, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram
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Patent number: 6857941Abstract: An article of manufacture, a method, and an apparatus for use in a chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. In one aspect, an article of manufacture is provided for polishing a substrate including a polishing article having a polishing surface, the polishing surface including a first polishing portion having a first polishing material of a first hardness for polishing a first portion of the substrate, and a second polishing portion having a second polishing material of a second hardness for polishing a second portion of the substrate. The article of manufacture may be disposed on a rotatable, stationary, or linear platen for processing a substrate. In another aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate, including providing a platen containing the polishing article disposed on the rotatable platen, delivering a polishing composition to the polishing article, and contacting a substrate on the polishing article.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2002Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ramin Emami, Robert Lum, Sourabh Mishra
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Patent number: 6832948Abstract: The CMP removal rate of a fixed abrasive article is increased and wafer-to-wafer uniformity enhanced by thermal preconditioning. Embodiments include preconditioning a fixed abrasive article by heating with hot water to a temperature of about 90° C. to about 100° C. to increase and stabilize the Cu or Cu alloy CMP removal rate.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1999Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Ramin Emami, Shijian Li, Fred C. Redeker
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Patent number: 6786996Abstract: The present invention generally provides an improved apparatus and method for removing an edge bead from a substrate. The apparatus includes a processing chamber having an edge bead removal fluid distribution system positioned therein and a substrate support member positioned in the processing chamber proximate the fluid distribution system. The substrate support member generally includes an upper substrate support surface having a plurality of fluid dispensing apertures formed therein, at least three capillary ring support posts radially positioned about a perimeter of the upper substrate support surface, and a annular capillary ring having a planar upper surface rigidly mounted to the capillary ring support posts.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2001Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.Inventor: Ramin Emami
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Publication number: 20040142646Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing, includes a base, a support structure attached to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining structure attached to the base to prevent the substrate from moving along the surface. The retaining structure and the surface define a cavity for receiving the substrate. The retaining structure includes an upper portion in contact with the base, a lower portion, and a vibration damper separating the upper portion and the lower portion. The vibration damper, the vibration damper includes a material that does not rebound to its original shape when subjected to a deformation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2004Publication date: July 22, 2004Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc., a Delaware corporationInventors: Hung Chih Chen, John M. White, Shijian Li, Fred C. Redeker, Ramin Emami