Patents by Inventor Xianyuan ZHAO

Xianyuan ZHAO 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: 12272659
    Abstract: Methods for reducing resistivity of metal gapfill include depositing a conformal layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate with a first thickness of the conformal layer of approximately 10 microns or less, depositing a non-conformal metal layer directly on the conformal layer at a bottom of the opening and directly on the field using an anisotropic deposition process. A second thickness of the non-conformal metal layer on the field and on the bottom of the feature is approximately 30 microns or greater. And depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening of the feature and on the field where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening without any voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Zhimin Qi, Aixi Zhang, Xianyuan Zhao, Wei Lei, Xingyao Gao, Shirish A. Pethe, Tao Huang, Xiang Chang, Patrick Po-Chun Li, Geraldine Vasquez, Dien-yeh Wu, Rongjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20240222192
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods of removing metal oxide from a substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface to a hydrogen (H2) plasma and pulses of RF. In some embodiments, the substrate surface has at least one feature thereon, the at least one feature defining a trench having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two opposed sidewalls. The hydrogen (H2) plasma and pulses of RF remove substantially all of the metal oxide, e.g., tungsten oxide (WOx), molybdenum oxide (MoOx), or ruthenium oxide (RuOx), from the substrate surface, without damaging the dielectric and/or critical dimension (CD)/profile of the structure. A metal fill can then be selectively deposited in the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Zhimin Qi, Aixi Zhang, Xianyuan Zhao
  • Publication number: 20240194527
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes depositing an amorphous interlayer atop a first layer on a substrate, wherein the first layer is a metal-containing layer, and depositing a metal layer atop the amorphous interlayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Sahil Jaykumar PATEL, Xianyuan ZHAO, Wei LEI, Aixi ZHANG, Yi XU, Yu LEI
  • Publication number: 20240088071
    Abstract: Methods for reducing resistivity of metal gapfill include depositing a conformal layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate with a first thickness of the conformal layer of approximately 10 microns or less, depositing a non-conformal metal layer directly on the conformal layer at a bottom of the opening and directly on the field using an anisotropic deposition process. A second thickness of the non-conformal metal layer on the field and on the bottom of the feature is approximately 30 microns or greater. And depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening of the feature and on the field where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening without any voids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Yi XU, Yu LEI, Zhimin QI, Aixi ZHANG, Xianyuan ZHAO, Wei LEI, Xingyao GAO, Shirish A. PETHE, Tao HUANG, Xiang CHANG, Patrick Po-Chun LI, Geraldine VASQUEZ, Dien-yeh WU, Rongjun WANG
  • Publication number: 20240087955
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming tungsten features in semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes exposing a top opening of a feature formed in a substrate to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to deposit a tungsten liner layer within the feature. The PVD process is performed in a first processing region of a first processing chamber and the tungsten liner layer forms an overhang portion, which partially obstructs the top opening of the feature. The substrate is transferred from the first processing region of the first processing chamber to a second processing region of a second processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The overhang portion is exposed to nitrogen-containing radicals in the second processing region to inhibit subsequent growth of tungsten along the overhang portion. The feature is exposed to a tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten liner layer within the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Yi XU, Xianyuan ZHAO, Zhimin QI, Aixi ZHANG, Geraldine VASQUEZ, Dien-Yeh WU, Wei LEI, Xingyao GAO, Shirish PETHE, Wenting HOU, Chao DU, Tsung-Han YANG, Kyoung-Ho BU, Chen-Han LIN, Jallepally RAVI, Yu LEI, Rongjun WANG, Xianmin TANG
  • Publication number: 20230420295
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for tungsten gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes performing a gradient oxidation process to oxidize exposed portions of a liner layer, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes an overhang portion of the liner layer, which obstructs or blocks top openings of one or more features formed within a field region of a substrate. The method further includes performing an etchback process to remove or reduce the oxidized overhang portion of the liner layer, exposing the liner layer to a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove metal oxide remaining from the gradient oxidation process and the etchback process, and performing a tungsten gap-fill process to fill or partially fill the one or more features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Tsung-Han YANG, Xingyao GAO, Shiyu YUE, Chih-Hsun HSU, Shirish PETHE, Rongjun WANG, Yi XU, Wei LEI, Yu LEI, Aixi ZHANG, Xianyuan ZHAO, Zhimin QI, Jiang LU, Xianmin TANG