Patents by Inventor Shao Tzu Lien

Shao Tzu Lien 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: 10872815
    Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. A dielectric layer and openings therein are formed over a substrate. A conductive seed layer is formed over the top surface and along a bottom and sidewalls of the openings. A conductive fill layer is formed over the seed layer. Metal oxide on the surface of the seed layer may be reduced/removed by a surface pre-treatment. The cleaned surface is covered by depositing fill material over the seed layer without exposing the surface to oxygen. The surface treatment may include a reactive remote plasma clean using hydrogen radicals. If electroplating is used to deposit the fill layer, then the surface treatment may include soaking the substrate in the electrolyte before turning on the electroplating current. Other surface treatments may include active pre-clean (APC) using hydrogen radicals; or Ar sputtering using a metal clean version xT (MCxT) tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Tang Wu, Shao Tzu Lien, Chi-Hung Liao, Szu-Hua Wu, Liang-Yueh Ou Yang, Chin-Szu Lee
  • Publication number: 20200258777
    Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. A dielectric layer and openings therein are formed over a substrate. A conductive seed layer is formed over the top surface and along a bottom and sidewalls of the openings. A conductive fill layer is formed over the seed layer. Metal oxide on the surface of the seed layer may be reduced/removed by a surface pre-treatment. The cleaned surface is covered by depositing fill material over the seed layer without exposing the surface to oxygen. The surface treatment may include a reactive remote plasma clean using hydrogen radicals. If electroplating is used to deposit the fill layer, then the surface treatment may include soaking the substrate in the electrolyte before turning on the electroplating current. Other surface treatments may include active pre-clean (APC) using hydrogen radicals; or Ar sputtering using a metal clean version xT (MCxT) tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Jung-Tang Wu, Shao Tzu Lien, Chi-Hung Liao, Szu-Hua Wu, Liang-Yueh Ou Yang, Chin-Szu Lee
  • Patent number: 10636702
    Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. A dielectric layer and openings therein are formed over a substrate. A conductive seed layer is formed over the top surface and along a bottom and sidewalls of the openings. A conductive fill layer is formed over the seed layer. Metal oxide on the surface of the seed layer may be reduced/removed by a surface pre-treatment. The cleaned surface is covered by depositing fill material over the seed layer without exposing the surface to oxygen. The surface treatment may include a reactive remote plasma clean using hydrogen radicals. If electroplating is used to deposit the fill layer, then the surface treatment may include soaking the substrate in the electrolyte before turning on the electroplating current. Other surface treatments may include active pre-clean (APC) using hydrogen radicals; or Ar sputtering using a metal clean version xT (MCxT) tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Tang Wu, Shao Tzu Lien, Chi-Hung Liao, Szu-Hua Wu, Liang-Yueh Ou Yang, Chin-Szu Lee
  • Publication number: 20200105593
    Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. A dielectric layer and openings therein are formed over a substrate. A conductive seed layer is formed over the top surface and along a bottom and sidewalls of the openings. A conductive fill layer is formed over the seed layer. Metal oxide on the surface of the seed layer may be reduced/removed by a surface pre-treatment. The cleaned surface is covered by depositing fill material over the seed layer without exposing the surface to oxygen. The surface treatment may include a reactive remote plasma clean using hydrogen radicals. If electroplating is used to deposit the fill layer, then the surface treatment may include soaking the substrate in the electrolyte before turning on the electroplating current. Other surface treatments may include active pre-clean (APC) using hydrogen radicals; or Ar sputtering using a metal clean version xT (MCxT) tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jung-Tang Wu, Shao Tzu Lien, Chi-Hung Liao, Szu-Hua Wu, Liang-Yueh Ou Yang, Chin-Szu Lee