Patents by Inventor Steven C. H. Hung

Steven C. H. Hung 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).

  • Publication number: 20220157654
    Abstract: A method of forming an electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises forming depositing a metal on a substrate, the metal comprising one or more of copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), or tantalum (Ta). A metal cap is deposited on the metal. The metal cap comprises one or more of molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), osmium (Os), platinum (Pt), or gold (Au). The substrate is then exposed to an anneal process, e.g., a hydrogen high-pressure anneal. The formation of the metal cap on the metal minimizes parasitic adsorption of hydrogen by the underlying metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas D. Nemani, Yixiong Yang, Susmit Singha Roy, Nikolaos Bekiaris
  • Publication number: 20220115516
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-? dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium lanthanum nitride (TiLaN), titanium yttrium nitride (TiYN), titanium strontium nitride (TiSrN), titanium magnesium nitride (TiMgN, titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), hafnium carbide (HfC), hafnium nitride (HfN), hafnium oxynitride (HfON), hafnium oxycarbide (HfOC), hafnium carbide aluminum (HfCAl), hafnium aluminum nitride (HfAlN), or hafnium carbonitride (HfCN).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M. Bernal Ramos, Luping Li, Shih Chung Chen, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota, Naomi Yoshida, Lin Dong
  • Patent number: 11289579
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-? dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), titanium oxide (TiO), tantalum oxide (TaO), and titanium aluminum carbide (TiAlC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M Bernal Ramos, Shih Chung Chen, Yixiong Yang, Lin Dong, Steven C. H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220077298
    Abstract: Metal gate stacks and integrated methods of forming metal gate stacks are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise NbN as a PMOS work function material at a thickness in a range of greater than or equal to 5 ? to less than or equal to 50 ?. The PMOS work function material comprising NbN has an effective work function of greater than or equal to 4.75 eV. Some embodiments comprise HfO2 as a high-? metal oxide layer. Some embodiments provide improved PMOS bandedge performance evidenced by improved flatband voltage. Some embodiments exclude transition metal niobium nitride materials as work function materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Material, Inc.
    Inventors: SRINIVAS GANDIKOTA, Steven C. H. Hung, Mandyam Sriram, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Yong Yang
  • Patent number: 11245022
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-? dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium lanthanum nitride (TiLaN), titanium yttrium nitride (TiYN), titanium strontium nitride (TiSrN), titanium magnesium nitride (TiMgN, titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), hafnium carbide (HfC), hafnium nitride (HfN), hafnium oxynitride (HfON), hafnium oxycarbide (HfOC), hafnium carbide aluminum (HfCAl), hafnium aluminum nitride (HfAlN), or hafnium carbonitride (HfCN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M. Bernal Ramos, Luping Li, Shih Chung Chen, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Steven C. H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota, Naomi Yoshida, Lin Dong
  • Publication number: 20210398814
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to produce semiconductor structures. The methods may include forming a silicon layer over a semiconductor substrate. The forming may include forming a silicon layer incorporating a dopant. The methods may include oxidizing a portion of the silicon layer while maintaining a portion of the silicon layer in contact with the semiconductor substrate. The oxidizing may drive a portion of the dopant through the silicon layer and into the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Benjamin Colombeau, Abhishek Dube, Sheng-Chin Kung, Patricia M. Liu, Malcolm J. Bevan, Johanes F. Swenberg
  • Patent number: 11189479
    Abstract: A method of forming an electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises forming a barrier layer on a silicon layer, and depositing a silicon oxide layer on the barrier layer. The formation of the barrier layer on the silicon layer minimizes parasitic oxidation of the underlying silicon layer and minimizes defects in the silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Colombeau, Johanes F. Swenberg, Steven C. H. Hung
  • Patent number: 11171047
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device with fluorine-incorporated metal nitride films are described. A substrate surface is exposed to a metal fluoride precursor to form a metal-fluorine species on the substrate surface. The substrate surface is exposed to a nitriding agent to react with the metal-fluorine species to form a fluorine-incorporated metal nitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Yixiong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C. H. Hung, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yongjing Lin, Susmit Singha Roy, Wei V. Tang, Shih Chung Chen
  • Publication number: 20210193468
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes annealing a surface of a substrate in an ambient of hydrogen to smooth the surface, pre-cleaning the surface of the substrate, depositing a high-? dielectric layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the substrate, performing a re-oxidation process to thermally oxidize the surface of the substrate; performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms in the deposited high-? dielectric layer, and performing a post-nitridation anneal process to passivate chemical bonds in the plasma nitridated high-? dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C.H. Hung, Lin Dong, Benjamin Colombeau, Johanes F. Swenberg, Linlin Wang
  • Publication number: 20210134972
    Abstract: Metal gate stacks and integrated methods of forming metal gate stacks are disclosed. Some embodiment comprise MoN as a PMOS work function material. Some embodiments comprise TiSiN as a high-? capping layer. Some embodiments provide improved PMOS bandedge performance. Some embodiments provide improved PMOS bandedge performance with reduced EOT penalty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Yixiong Yang, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Srinivas Gandikota, Yongjing Lin, Steven C.H. Hung, Shih Chung Chen, Haoyan Sha, Chi-Chou Lin
  • Publication number: 20210111020
    Abstract: A method of forming a high-K dielectric cap layer on a semiconductor structure formed on a substrate includes depositing the high-K dielectric cap layer on the semiconductor structure, depositing a sacrificial silicon cap layer on the high-K dielectric cap layer, performing a post cap anneal process to harden and densify the as-deposited high-K dielectric cap layer, and removing the sacrificial silicon cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Srinivas GANDIKOTA, Yixiong YANG, Jacqueline Samantha WRENCH, Yong YANG, Steven C. H. HUNG
  • Publication number: 20210104617
    Abstract: Described is a method of manufacturing a gate-all-around electronic device. The method includes forming a thermal oxide layer though an enhanced in situ steam generation process in combination with atomic layer deposition of a low-? layer. The thin thermal oxide layer passivates the interface between the silicon layer and the dielectric layer of the GAA. A passivation process after the deposition of the low-? layer reduces the bulk trap and enhances the breakdown performance of the GAA transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C.H. Hung, Benjamin Colombeau, Andy Lo, Byeong Chan Lee, Johanes F. Swenberg, Theresa Kramer Guarini, Malcolm J. Bevan
  • Publication number: 20210098581
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-K dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), titanium oxide (TiO), tantalum oxide (TaO), and titanium aluminum carbide (TiAlC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M. Bernal Ramos, Shih Chung Chen, Yixiong Yang, Lin Dong, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20210057215
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate, forming an interfacial layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the substrate, depositing a high-? dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms in the deposited high-? dielectric layer, and performing a post-nitridation anneal process to passivate chemical bonds in the plasma nitridated high-? dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: Steven C. H. HUNG
  • Publication number: 20200411373
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device with fluorine-incorporated metal nitride films are described. A substrate surface is exposed to a metal fluoride precursor to form a metal-fluorine species on the substrate surface. The substrate surface is exposed to a nitriding agent to react with the metal-fluorine species to form a fluorine-incorporated metal nitride film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yixiong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C.H. Hung, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yongjing Lin, Susmit Singha Roy, Wei V. Tang, Shih Chung Chen
  • Publication number: 20200373200
    Abstract: A method of forming an electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises forming depositing a metal on a substrate, the metal comprising one or more of copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), or tantalum (Ta). A metal cap is deposited on the metal, the metal cap comprising one or more of molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), osmium (Os), platinum (Pt), or gold (Au). The substrate is then exposed to a hydrogen high-pressure anneal. The formation of the metal cap on the metal minimizes parasitic adsorption of hydrogen by the underlying metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas D. Nemani, Yixiong Yang, Susmit Singha Roy, Nikolaos Bekiaris
  • Publication number: 20200373404
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-? dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium lanthanum nitride (TiLaN), titanium yttrium nitride (TiYN), titanium strontium nitride (TiSrN), titanium magnesium nitriride (TiMgN, titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), hafnium carbide (HfC), hafnium nitride (HfN), hafnium oxynitride (HfON), hafnium oxycarbide (HfOC), hafnium carbide aluminum (HfCAl), hafnium aluminum nitride (HfAlN), or hafnium carbonitride (HfCN).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M. Bernal Ramos, Luping Li, Shih Chung Chen, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota, Naomi Yoshida, Lin Dong
  • Publication number: 20200357629
    Abstract: A method of forming an electronic device is disclosed. The method comprises forming a barrier layer on a silicon layer, and depositing a silicon oxide layer on the barrier layer. The formation of the barrier layer on the silicon layer minimizes parasitic oxidation of the underlying silicon layer and minimizes defects in the silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Colombeau, Johanes F. Swenberg, Steven C.H. Hung
  • Publication number: 20200075332
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon cap which comprises substantially no germanium atoms nor oxygen atoms is disclosed. Methods for controlling the oxidation of a silicon cap layer are also disclosed. Methods of forming a metal gate replacement which utilize the disclosed silicon cap and controlled oxidation are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Johanes F. Swenberg, Abhishek Dube, Steven C.H. Hung, Benjamin Colombeau
  • Patent number: 10510545
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to enable the formation of a metal gate structure with a reduced effective oxide thickness over a similar structure formed via conventional methods. A plasma hydrogenation process followed by a plasma nitridization process, or a single-step plasma hydrogenation and nitridization process, is performed on a metal nitride layer in a film stack, thereby, according to some embodiments, removing oxygen atoms disposed within layers of the film stack and, in some embodiments, adding nitrogen atoms to the layers of the film stack. As a result, an effective oxide thickness of the metal gate structure is reduced with little or no accompanying flatband voltage shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Houda Graoui, Johanes S. Swenberg, Wei Liu, Steven C. H. Hung