Patents by Inventor Ruitong Xiong

Ruitong Xiong 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: 12125675
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor in the processing region. The plasma may be at least partially formed by an RF power operating at between about 50 W and 1,000 W, at a pulsing frequency below about 100,000 Hz, and at a duty cycle between about 5% and 95%. The methods may include forming a layer of material on the substrate. The layer of material may include a silicon-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruitong Xiong, Bo Xie, Xiaobo Li, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Patent number: 12119223
    Abstract: Method of forming low-k films with reduced dielectric constant, reduced CHx content, and increased hardness are described. A siloxane film is on a substrate surface using a siloxane precursor comprising O—Si—O bonds and cured using ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure K. Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20240290611
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing material may include flowing a silicon-oxygen-and-carbon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The plasma may be formed at a frequency less than 15 MHz (e.g., 13.56 MHz). The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant below or about 3.5 and a hardness greater than about 3 Gpa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Kang S. Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia, Ruitong Xiong
  • Patent number: 11967498
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing material may include flowing a silicon-oxygen-and-carbon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The plasma may be formed at a frequency less than 15 MHz (e.g., 13.56 MHz). The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant below or about 3.5 and a hardness greater than about 3 Gpa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Kang S. Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia, Ruitong Xiong
  • Publication number: 20240087880
    Abstract: Embodiments include semiconductor processing methods to form low-? films on semiconductor substrates are described. The processing methods may include flowing one or more deposition precursors to a semiconductor processing system. The one or more deposition precursors may include a silicon-containing precursor that may be a cyclic compound. The methods may include generating a deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant less than or about 3.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shruba Gangopadhyay, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Michael Haverty, Bo Xie, Li-Qun Xia, Rui Lu, Yijun Liu, Ruitong Xiong, Xiaobo Li, Lakmal C. Kalutarage, Lauren Bagby
  • Publication number: 20240087881
    Abstract: Embodiments include semiconductor processing methods to form low-K films on semiconductor substrates are described. The processing methods may include flowing one or more deposition precursors to a semiconductor processing system, wherein the one or more deposition precursors include a silicon-containing precursor. The silicon-containing precursor may include a carbon chain. The methods may include generating a deposition plasma from the one or more deposition precursors. The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant less than or about 3.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Haverty, Shruba Gangopadhyay, Bo Xie, Yijun Liu, Ruitong Xiong, Rui Lu, Xiaobo Li, Li-Qun Xia, Lakmal C. Kalutarage, Lauren Bagby
  • Publication number: 20240071817
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing one or more deposition precursors to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A semiconductor substrate may be positioned within the processing region. The methods may include forming a layer of low dielectric constant material on the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include purging the processing region of the one or more deposition precursors. A plasma power may be maintained at less than or about 750 W while purging the processing region. The methods may include forming an interface layer on the layer of low dielectric constant material. The methods may include forming a cap layer on the interface layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruitong Xiong, Rui Lu, Xiaobo Li, Bo Xie, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Patent number: 11830728
    Abstract: A method for dielectric filling of a feature on a substrate yields a seamless dielectric fill with high-k for narrow features. In some embodiments, the method may include depositing a metal material into the feature to fill the feature from a bottom of the feature wherein the feature has an opening ranging from less than 20 nm to approximately 150 nm at an upper surface of the substrate and wherein depositing the metal material is performed using a high ionization physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to form a seamless metal gap fill and treating the seamless metal gap fill by oxidizing/nitridizing the metal material of the seamless metal gap fill with an oxidation/nitridation process to form dielectric material wherein the seamless metal gap fill is converted into a seamless dielectric gap fill with high-k dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Chengyu Liu, Ruitong Xiong, Bo Xie, Xianmin Tang, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20230142684
    Abstract: Method of forming low-k films with reduced dielectric constant, reduced CHx content, and increased hardness are described. A siloxane film is on a substrate surface using a siloxane precursor comprising O—Si—O bonds and cured using ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure K. Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20230113965
    Abstract: A method for dielectric filling of a feature on a substrate yields a seamless dielectric fill with high-k for narrow features. In some embodiments, the method may include depositing a metal material into the feature to fill the feature from a bottom of the feature wherein the feature has an opening ranging from less than 20 nm to approximately 150 nm at an upper surface of the substrate and wherein depositing the metal material is performed using a high ionization physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to form a seamless metal gap fill and treating the seamless metal gap fill by oxidizing/nitridizing the metal material of the seamless metal gap fill with an oxidation/nitridation process to form dielectric material wherein the seamless metal gap fill is converted into a seamless dielectric gap fill with high-k dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Chengyu LIU, Ruitong XIONG, Bo XIE, Xianmin TANG, Yijun LIU, Li-Qun XIA
  • Patent number: 11621162
    Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods are described for forming UV-treated, low-? dielectric films. The methods may include flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The deposition precursors may include a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The methods may further include generating a deposition plasma from the deposition precursors within the substrate processing region, and depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma. The as-deposited silicon-and-carbon-containing material may be characterized by greater than or about 5% hydrocarbon groups. The methods may still further include exposing the deposited silicon-and-carbon-containing material to ultraviolet light. The exposed silicon-and-carbon-containing material may be characterized by less than or about 2% hydrocarbon groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20230094012
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor in the processing region. The plasma may be at least partially formed by an RF power operating at between about 50 W and 1,000 W, at a pulsing frequency below about 100,000 Hz, and at a duty cycle between about 5% and 95%. The methods may include forming a layer of material on the substrate. The layer of material may include a silicon-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruitong Xiong, Bo Xie, Xiaobo Li, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Patent number: 11600486
    Abstract: Embodiments of the semiconductor processing methods to form low-? films on semiconductor substrates are described. The processing methods may include flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The deposition precursors may include a silicon-containing precursor that has at least one vinyl group. The methods may further include generating a deposition plasma in the substrate processing region from the deposition precursors. A silicon-and-carbon-containing material, characterized by a dielectric constant (? value) less than or about 3.0, may be deposited on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure K. Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Patent number: 11572622
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods to clean a substrate processing chamber are described. The methods may include depositing a dielectric film on a first substrate in a substrate processing chamber, where the dielectric film may include a silicon-carbon-oxide. The first substrate having the dielectric film may be removed from the substrate processing chamber, and the dielectric film may be deposited on at least one more substrate in the substrate processing chamber. The at least one more substrate may be removed from the substrate processing chamber after the dielectric film is deposited on the substrate. Etch plasma effluents may flow into the substrate processing chamber after the removal of a last substrate having the dielectric film. The etch plasma effluents may include greater than or about 500 sccm of NF3 plasma effluents, and greater than or about 1000 sccm of O2 plasma effluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia, Sure K. Ngo
  • Publication number: 20220108884
    Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods are described for forming UV-treated, low-? dielectric films. The methods may include flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The deposition precursors may include a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The methods may further include generating a deposition plasma from the deposition precursors within the substrate processing region, and depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma. The as-deposited silicon-and-carbon-containing material may be characterized by greater than or about 5% hydrocarbon groups. The methods may still further include exposing the deposited silicon-and-carbon-containing material to ultraviolet light. The exposed silicon-and-carbon-containing material may be characterized by less than or about 2% hydrocarbon groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20220084815
    Abstract: Embodiments of the semiconductor processing methods to form low-? films on semiconductor substrates are described. The processing methods may include flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The deposition precursors may include a silicon-containing precursor that has at least one vinyl group. The methods may further include generating a deposition plasma in the substrate processing region from the deposition precursors. A silicon-and-carbon-containing material, characterized by a dielectric constant (? value) less than or about 3.0, may be deposited on the substrate from plasma effluents of the deposition plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Sure Ngo, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia
  • Publication number: 20220081765
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods to clean a substrate processing chamber are described. The methods may include depositing a dielectric film on a first substrate in a substrate processing chamber, where the dielectric film may include a silicon-carbon-oxide. The first substrate having the dielectric film may be removed from the substrate processing chamber, and the dielectric film may be deposited on at least one more substrate in the substrate processing chamber. The at least one more substrate may be removed from the substrate processing chamber after the dielectric film is deposited on the substrate. Etch plasma effluents may flow into the substrate processing chamber after the removal of a last substrate having the dielectric film. The etch plasma effluents may include greater than or about 500 sccm of NF3 plasma effluents, and greater than or about 1000 sccm of O2 plasma effluents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Ruitong Xiong, Kang Sub Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia, Sure Ngo
  • Publication number: 20210407792
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing material may include flowing a silicon-oxygen-and-carbon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The plasma may be formed at a frequency less than 15 MHz (e.g., 13.56 MHz). The methods may include depositing a silicon-and-carbon-containing material on the substrate. The silicon-and-carbon-containing material as-deposited may be characterized by a dielectric constant below or about 3.5 and a hardness greater than about 3 Gpa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Kang S. Yim, Yijun Liu, Li-Qun Xia, Ruitong Xiong