Patents by Inventor Sean X. Lin

Sean X. Lin 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: 8691689
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits having low resistance device contacts are provided. One method includes depositing an ILD layer of insulating material overlying a device region that includes a metal silicide region. The ILD layer is etched to form a sidewall that defines a contact opening formed through the ILD layer exposing the metal silicide region. A liner is formed overlying the sidewall and the metal silicide region and defines an inner cavity in the contact opening. A copper layer is formed overlying the liner and at least partially filling the inner cavity. The copper layer is etched to expose an upper portion of the liner while leaving a copper portion disposed in a bottom portion of the inner cavity. Copper is electrolessly deposited on the copper portion to fill a remaining portion of the inner cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Besser, Sean X. Lin, Valli Arunachalam
  • Patent number: 8673766
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming copper-based conductive structures on integrated circuit devices. In one example, the method includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, performing a deposition process to form an as-deposited copper-based seed layer above the layer of insulating material in the trench/via, wherein the copper-based seed layer has a first portion that is positioned above a bottom of the trench/via that is thicker than second portions of the copper seed layer that are positioned above sidewalls of the trench/via, performing an etching process on the as-deposited copper-based seed layer to substantially remove portions of the second portions of the as-deposited copper-based seed layer and performing an electroless deposition process to fill the trench/via with a copper-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Sean X. Lin, Ming He, Xunyuan Zhang, Larry Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130309863
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming copper-based conductive structures on integrated circuit devices. In one example, the method includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, performing a deposition process to form an as-deposited copper-based seed layer above the layer of insulating material in the trench/via, wherein the copper-based seed layer has a first portion that is positioned above a bottom of the trench/via that is thicker than second portions of the copper seed layer that are positioned above sidewalls of the trench/via, performing an etching process on the as-deposited copper-based seed layer to substantially remove portions of the second portions of the as-deposited copper-based seed layer and performing an electroless deposition process to fill the trench/via with a copper-based material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Sean X. Lin, Ming He, Xunyuan Zhang, Larry Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130244421
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming copper-based conductive structures on integrated circuit devices. In one example, the method includes the steps of forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a copper-based seed layer above the layer of insulating material and in the trench/via, performing a heating process on the copper-based seed layer to increase an amount of the copper-based seed layer positioned proximate a bottom of the trench/via, performing an etching process on said copper-based seed layer and performing an electroless copper deposition process to fill the trench/via with a copper-based material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Sean X. LIN, Ming HE, Xunyuan ZHANG, Larry ZHAO
  • Patent number: 8517769
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming copper-based conductive structures on integrated circuit devices. In one example, the method includes the steps of forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a copper-based seed layer above the layer of insulating material and in the trench/via, performing a heating process on the copper-based seed layer to increase an amount of the copper-based seed layer positioned proximate a bottom of the trench/via, performing an etching process on said copper-based seed layer and performing an electroless copper deposition process to fill the trench/via with a copper-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Sean X. Lin, Ming He, Xunyuan Zhang, Larry Zhao