Patents by Inventor Vijayakumar S

Vijayakumar S 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: 20040097388
    Abstract: Supercritical carbon dioxide may be utilized to remove resistant residues such as those residues left when etching dielectrics in fluorine-based plasma gases. The supercritical carbon dioxide may include an ionic liquid in one embodiment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Justin K. Brask, Robert B. Turkot, Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao
  • Publication number: 20040079388
    Abstract: Supercritical carbon dioxide may be utilized to remove fluorine-based etch residues such as those residues left when etching dielectrics in fluorine-based plasma gases. The supercritical carbon dioxide may have dissolved in it various reagents and fluorocarbon materials that, together, cause the residue to swell and to be exposed for reactions with the reagents, the supercritical carbon dioxide, and the fluorocarbons. As a result, relatively hard to penetrate fluorine-based residues may be entered and removed using aggressive chemistries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao, Shan C. Clark, Justin K. Brask, Robert B. Turkot
  • Publication number: 20040072436
    Abstract: Processing problems associated with porous low-k dielectric materials are often severe. Exposure of low-k materials to plasma during feature etching, ashing, and priming steps has deleterious consequences. For porous, silicon-based low-k dielectric materials, the plasma depletes a surface organic group, raising the dielectric constant of the material. In the worst case, the damaged dielectric is destroyed during the wet etch removal of the antireflective coating in the via-first copper dual-damascene integration scheme. This issue is addressed by exposing the dielectric to silane coupling agents at various stages of etching and cleaning. Chemical reactions with the silane coupling agent both replenish the dielectric surface organic group and passivate the dielectric surface relative to the surface of the antireflective coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Vijayakumar S. RamachandraRao, David H. Gracias
  • Publication number: 20040072448
    Abstract: A wet etching solution may be utilized to remove insulator material between delicate structures. Surface tension effects of the wet etching solution may tend to collapse or deform delicate features. By applying sonic energy during the wet etch process and/or the removal of the wafer from a wet etching bath, the adverse effects of surface tension may be counteracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Justin K. Brask, Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao, Kevin P. O'Brien, Patrick M. Paluda
  • Publication number: 20040023515
    Abstract: A method of silanizing the surface of a low-k interlayer dielectric oxides (carbon doped oxides or organo-silicate glasses) to improve surface adhesion to adjacent thin film layers in damascene integration of microelectronic devices. A low-k interlayer dielectric oxide may be exposed to the vapor of a silane-coupling agent in order to modify its surface energy to improve adhesion with adjacent thin film layers. A low-k interlayer dielectric oxide can also be silanized by dipping the low-k interlayer dielectric oxide in a solution of silane-coupling agent. The silane-coupling agent will cause covalent bonds between the low-k interlayer dielectric oxide and the adjacent thin film thereby improving adhesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: David H. Gracias, Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao
  • Patent number: 6624127
    Abstract: Supercritical carbon dioxide may be utilized to remove resistant residues such as those residues left when etching dielectrics in fluorine-based plasma gases. The Supercritical carbon dioxide may include an ionic liquid in one embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Justin K. Brask, Robert B. Turkot, Jr., Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao
  • Patent number: 6620741
    Abstract: A method for controlling etch bias of carbon doped oxide films comprising performing the etch in a cyclic two step process i.e., a carbon doped oxide (CDO) removal process, said CDO removal process comprises a first gas to etch a trench in the CDO layer. The CDO removal process is followed by a polymer deposition process. The polymer deposition process comprises introducing a second gas in the reactor to deposit a polymer in the trench of the CDO layer. The first gas comprises a first molecule having a first ratio of carbon atoms to fluorine atoms, and the second gas comprises a second molecule having a second ratio of carbon atoms to fluorine atoms, such that the second ratio of carbon atoms to fluorine atoms is greater than the first ratio of carbon atoms to fluorine atoms. The above process may be repeated to etch the final structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David H. Gracias, Hyun-Mog Park, Vijayakumar S. Ramachandrarao