Patents by Inventor Theo J. Frot
Theo J. Frot 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: 9214335Abstract: The present invention describes a process to modify a top portion of a porous ultra low-k (ULK) material in order to maximize porosity filling with a filling material that initially displayed low compatibility with the ULK material. Surface modification is achieved by a plasma treatment, enhancing the compatibility between the ULK surface and the filling material. The invention obtains high filling levels with minimum modification to the ULK material, as only a thin top portion is modified without significant pore sealing.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Krystelle Lionti, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Publication number: 20150311066Abstract: The present invention describes a process to modify a top portion of a porous ultra low-k (ULK) material in order to maximize porosity filling with a filling material that initially displayed low compatibility with the ULK material. Surface modification is achieved by a plasma treatment, enhancing the compatibility between the ULK surface and the filling material. The invention obtains high filling levels with minimum modification to the ULK material, as only a thin top portion is modified without significant pore sealing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2014Publication date: October 29, 2015Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud J. Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Krystelle Lionti, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 9058983Abstract: In some examples, a process to generate an in-situ hardmask layer on porous dielectric materials using the densifying action of a plasma in conjunction with a sacrificial polymeric filler, the latter which enables control of the hardmask thickness as well as a well-defined interface with the underlying ILD.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8927430Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to a surface of the first layer; after applying the filling material, heating the structure to enable the filling material to at least partially fill the plurality of pores, where heating the structure results in residual filling material being left on the surface of the first layer; and after heating the structure, removing the residual filling material by applying a solvent wash.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Willi Volksen
-
Publication number: 20140367356Abstract: In some examples, a process to generate an in-situ hardmask layer on porous dielectric materials using the densifying action of a plasma in conjunction with a sacrificial polymeric filler, the latter which enables control of the hardmask thickness as well as a well-defined interface with the underlying ILD.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2013Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8871632Abstract: In one embodiment, a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, includes operations comprising: providing a structure comprising a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer comprises a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to a surface of the first layer, where the filling material comprises a polymer and at least one additive, where the at least one additive comprises at least one of a surfactant, a high molecular weight polymer and a solvent (e.g., a high boiling point solvent); and after applying the filling material, heating the structure to enable the filling material to at least partially fill the plurality of pores uniformly across an area of the first layer, where heating the structure results in residual filling material being uniformly left on the surface of the first layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8828489Abstract: Porous films are homogeneously and partially (but not completely) filled. A composition (that includes a polymer) is brought into contact with a planar film that has interconnected pores throughout the film. The polymer then partially fills the pores within the film, e.g., in response to being heated. An additional treatment such as heating the polymer and/or applying radiation to the polymer increases the Young's modulus of the film.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2011Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8623741Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one process on the structure; and after performing the at least one process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2012Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sampath Purushothaman, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen, Theo J. Frot
-
Patent number: 8541301Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to a surface of the first layer, where the filling material includes a polymer and at least one additive, where the at least one additive includes at least one of a surfactant, a high molecular weight polymer and a solvent; and after applying the filling material, heating the structure to enable the filling material to at least partially fill the plurality of pores uniformly across an area of the first layer, where heating the structure results in residual filling material being uniformly left on the surface of the first layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2011Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8492239Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one first process on the structure; after performing the at least one first process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material; and after removing the filling material from the plurality of pores, performing at least one second process on the structure, where the at least one second process is performed at a third temperature that is greater than the second temperature.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2012Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Sampath Purushothaman, David L. Rath, Willi Volksen
-
Publication number: 20130045337Abstract: Porous films are homogeneously and partially (but not completely) filled. A composition (that includes a polymer) is brought into contact with a planar film that has interconnected pores throughout the film. The polymer then partially fills the pores within the film, e.g., in response to being heated. An additional treatment such as heating the polymer and/or applying radiation to the polymer increases the Young's modulus of the film.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2011Publication date: February 21, 2013Inventors: GERAUD JEAN-MICHEL DUBOIS, THEO J. FROT, WILLI VOLKSEN
-
Publication number: 20130017682Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to a surface of the first layer; after applying the filling material, heating the structure to enable the filling material to at least partially fill the plurality of pores, where heating the structure results in residual filling material being left on the surface of the first layer; and after heating the structure, removing the residual filling material by applying a solvent wash.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Willi Volksen
-
Publication number: 20130017688Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to a surface of the first layer, where the filling material includes a polymer and at least one additive, where the at least one additive includes at least one of a surfactant, a high molecular weight polymer and a solvent; and after applying the filling material, heating the structure to enable the filling material to at least partially fill the plurality of pores uniformly across an area of the first layer, where heating the structure results in residual filling material being uniformly left on the surface of the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen
-
Publication number: 20120329273Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one first process on the structure; after performing the at least one first process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material; and after removing the filling material from the plurality of pores, performing at least one second process on the structure, where the at least one second process is performed at a third temperature that is greater than the second temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert L. Bruce, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Theo J. Frot, Teddie P. Magbitang, Sampath Purushothaman, David L. Rath, Willi Volksen
-
Patent number: 8314005Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one process on the structure; and after performing the at least one process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2011Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sampath Purushothaman, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen, Theo J. Frot
-
Publication number: 20120282784Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one process on the structure; and after performing the at least one process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sampath Purushothaman, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen, Theo J. Frot
-
Publication number: 20110183525Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having a first layer overlying a substrate, where the first layer includes a dielectric material having a plurality of pores; applying a filling material to an exposed surface of the first layer; heating the structure to a first temperature to enable the filling material to homogeneously fill the plurality of pores; after filling the plurality of pores, performing at least one process on the structure; and after performing the at least one process, removing the filling material from the plurality of pores by heating the structure to a second temperature to decompose the filling material.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sampath Purushothaman, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, Teddie P. Magbitang, Willi Volksen, Theo J. Frot