Patents by Inventor Srinivas Gandikota

Srinivas Gandikota 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).

  • Metal and metal-derived films
    Patent number: 10510547
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and materials for fabricating semiconductor device structures. In one example, a metal film stack includes a plurality of metal containing films and a plurality of metal derived films arranged in an alternating manner. In another example, a metal film stack includes a plurality of metal containing films which are modified into metal derived films. In certain embodiments, the metal film stacks are used in oxide/metal/oxide/metal (OMOM) structures for memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Yingli Rao, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Nucleation-Free Gap Fill ALD Process
    Publication number: 20190371662
    Abstract: Processing methods comprise forming a gap fill layer comprising tungsten or molybdenum by exposing a substrate surface having at least one feature thereon sequentially to a metal precursor and a reducing agent comprising hydrogen to form the gap fill layer in the feature, wherein there is not a nucleation layer between the substrate surface and the gap fill layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Yihong Chen, Kelvin Chan, Xinliang Lu, Srinivas Gandikota, Yong Wu, Susmit Singha Roy, Chia Cheng Chin
  • Metal deposition methods
    Patent number: 10480066
    Abstract: A method of forming conformal amorphous metal films is disclosed. A method of forming crystalline metal films with a predetermined orientation is also disclosed. An amorphous nucleation layer is formed on a substrate surface. An amorphous metal layer is formed from the nucleation layer by atomic substitution. A crystalline metal layer is deposited on the amorphous metal layer by atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Wu, Srinivas Gandikota, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Doped and undoped vanadium oxides for low-k spacer applications
    Patent number: 10475642
    Abstract: A microelectronic device on a semiconductor substrate comprises: a gate electrode; and a spacer adjacent to the gate electrode, the spacer comprising: a the low-k dielectric film comprising one or more species of vanadium oxide, which is optionally doped, and an optional silicon nitride or oxide film. Methods comprise depositing a low-k dielectric film optionally sandwiched by a silicon nitride or oxide film to form a spacer adjacent to a gate electrode of a microelectronic device on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the low-k dielectric film comprises a vanadium-containing film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Srinivas Gandikota, Kelvin Chan, Atashi Basu, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Tungsten deposition without barrier layer
    Patent number: 10468263
    Abstract: Methods for depositing a metal film without the use of a barrier layer are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise forming an amorphous nucleation layer comprising one or more of silicon or boron and forming a metal layer on the nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yihong Chen, Yong Wu, Chia Cheng Chin, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Methods Of Forming Metal Chalcogenide Pillars
    Publication number: 20190279900
    Abstract: Methods of producing a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide are described. Some methods comprise forming a metal-containing film in a substrate feature and exposing the metal-containing film to a chalogen precursor to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Some methods comprise forming a metal-containing film in a substrate feature, expanding the metal-containing film to form a pillar and exposing the pillar to a chalogen precursor to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Some methods comprise directly forming a metal chalcogenide pillar in a substrate feature to form a self-aligned structure comprising a metal chalcogenide. Methods of forming self-aligned vias are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Amrita B. Mullick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Atomic layer deposition chamber with thermal lid
    Patent number: 10407771
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cleaning an atomic layer deposition chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a chamber lid assembly includes: a housing enclosing a central channel that extends along a central axis and has an upper portion and a lower portion; a lid plate coupled to the housing and having a contoured bottom surface that extends downwardly and outwardly from a central opening coupled to the lower portion of the central channel to a peripheral portion of the lid plate; a first heating element to heat the central channel; a second heating element to heat the bottom surface of the lid plate; a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the central channel; and an isolation collar coupled between the remote plasma source and the housing, wherein the isolation collar has an inner channel extending through the isolation collar to fluidly couple the remote plasma source and the central channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anqing Cui, Faruk Gungor, Dien-Yeh Wu, Vikas Jangra, Muhammad M. Rasheed, Wei V. Tang, Yixiong Yang, Xiaoxiong Yuan, Kyoung-Ho Bu, Srinivas Gandikota, Yu Chang, William W. Kuang
  • Methods of forming self-aligned vias
    Patent number: 10410865
    Abstract: Processing methods comprising selectively orthogonally growing a first material through a mask to provide an expanded first material are described. The mask can be removed leaving the expanded first material extending orthogonally from the surface of the first material. Further processing can create a self-aligned via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Thompson, Benjamin Schmiege, Jeffrey W. Anthis, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Susmit Singha Roy, Ziqing Duan, Yihong Chen, Kelvin Chan, Srinivas Gandikota
  • CVD based oxide-metal multi structure for 3D NAND memory devices
    Patent number: 10410869
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a method for forming a metal layer and to a method for forming an oxide layer on the metal layer. In one implementation, the metal layer is formed on a seed layer, and the seed layer helps the metal in the metal layer nucleate with small grain size without affecting the conductivity of the metal layer. The metal layer may be formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and nitrogen gas may be flowed into the processing chamber along with the precursor gases. In another implementation, a barrier layer is formed on the metal layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized during subsequent oxide layer deposition process. In another implementation, the metal layer is treated prior to the deposition of the oxide layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Kelvin Chan, Hien Minh Le, Sanjay Kamath, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota, Karthik Janakiraman
  • Metal Deposition Methods
    Publication number: 20190271071
    Abstract: A method of forming conformal amorphous metal films is disclosed. A method of forming crystalline metal films with a predetermined orientation is also disclosed. An amorphous nucleation layer is formed on a substrate surface. An amorphous metal layer is formed from the nucleation layer by atomic substitution. A crystalline metal layer is deposited on the amorphous metal layer by atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Yong Wu, Srinivas Gandikota, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Oxidative Volumetric Expansion Of Metals And Metal Containing Compounds
    Publication number: 20190259652
    Abstract: Methods comprising forming a film on at least one feature of a substrate surface are described. The film is expanded to fill the at least one feature and cause growth of the film from the at least one feature. Methods of forming self-aligned vias are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Yihong Chen, Kelvin Chan, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota, Pramit Manna
  • Deposition And Treatment Of Films For Patterning
    Publication number: 20190252252
    Abstract: Methods comprising depositing a film material to form an initial film in a trench in a substrate surface are described. The film is treated to expand the film to grow beyond the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Atashi Basu, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Ziqing Duan, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Methods For Self-Aligned Patterning
    Publication number: 20190252206
    Abstract: Processing methods comprising depositing a film on a substrate surface and in a surface feature with chemical planarization to remove the film from the substrate surface, leaving the film in the feature. A pillar is grown from the film so that the pillar grows orthogonally to the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Ziqing Duan, Yihong Chen, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • SEAM HEALING USING HIGH PRESSURE ANNEAL
    Publication number: 20190228982
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include methods of processing a substrate. The method includes depositing a conformal layer on a substrate which contains seams. The substrate is treated using a high pressure anneal in the presence of an oxidizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Yihong Chen, Rui Cheng, Pramit Manna, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Shishi Jiang, Yong Wu, Kurtis Leschkies, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Titanium compound based hard mask films
    Patent number: 10347488
    Abstract: Methods for forming a titanium-containing hard mask film on a substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface to a titanium-containing precursor. The titanium-containing hard mask comprises one or more of silicon, oxygen or carbon atoms and, optionally, nitrogen atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Rui Cheng, Wei Tang, Pramit Manna, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • ULTRA-THIN DIFFUSION BARRIERS
    Publication number: 20190189506
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming a barrier layer is provided. The method includes positioning a substrate in a processing chamber, forming a barrier layer over the substrate and in contact with the underlayer, and annealing the substrate. The substrate comprises at least one underlayer having cobalt, tungsten, or copper. The barrier layer has a thickness of less than 70 angstroms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Yihong Chen, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Methods Of Etching Metal Oxides With Less Etch Residue
    Publication number: 20190189456
    Abstract: Processing methods to etch metal oxide films with less etch residue are described. The methods comprise etching a metal oxide film with a metal halide etchant, and exposing the etch residue to a reductant to remove the etch residue. Some embodiments relate to etching tungsten oxide films. Some embodiments utilize tungsten halides to etch metal oxide films. Some embodiments utilize hydrogen gas as a reductant to remove etch residues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Amrita B. Mullick, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota, Susmit Singha Roy, Yingli Rao, Regina Freed, Uday Mitra
  • Selective Atomic Layer Deposition Of Ruthenium
    Publication number: 20190185993
    Abstract: Methods of selectively depositing ruthenium are described. The preferred deposition surface changes based on the substrate temperature during processing. At high temperatures, ruthenium is deposited on a first surface of a conductive material over a second surface of an insulating material. At lower temperatures, ruthenium is deposited on an insulating surface over a conducting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Yihong Chen, Yong Wu, Srinivas Gandikota, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Oxidative volumetric expansion of metals and metal containing compounds
    Patent number: 10319624
    Abstract: Methods comprising forming a film on at least one feature of a substrate surface are described. The film is expanded to fill the at least one feature and cause growth of the film from the at least one feature. Methods of forming self-aligned vias are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Susmit Singha Roy, Yihong Chen, Kelvin Chan, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota, Pramit Manna
  • Deposition and treatment of films for patterning
    Patent number: 10319636
    Abstract: Methods comprising depositing a film material to form an initial film in a trench in a substrate surface are described. The film is treated to expand the film to grow beyond the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Atashi Basu, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Ziqing Duan, Srinivas Gandikota