Nitrogen Containing Coating (e.g., Metal Nitride, Etc.) Patents (Class 427/255.394)
  • Publication number: 20060141155
    Abstract: Metal films are deposited with uniform thickness and excellent step coverage. Copper metal films were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of alternating doses of copper(I) NN?-diisopropylacetamidinate vapor and hydrogen gas. Cobalt metal films were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of alternating doses of cobalt(II) bis(N,N?-diisopropylacetamidinate) vapor and hydrogen gas. Nitrides and oxides of these metals can be formed by replacing the hydrogen with ammonia or water vapor, respectively. The films have very uniform thickness and excellent step coverage in narrow holes. Suitable applications include electrical interconnects in microelectronics and magnetoresistant layers in magnetic information storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Roy Gordon, Booyong Lim
  • Patent number: 7060322
    Abstract: A method of making a coated article (e.g., window unit), and corresponding coated article are provided. A layer of or including diamond-like carbon (DLC) is formed on a glass substrate, preferably over at least one barrier layer. Then, a protective layer is formed on the substrate over the DLC inclusive layer. During heat treatment (HT), the protective layer prevents the DLC inclusive layer from significantly burning off. Thereafter, the resulting coated glass substrate may be used as desired, it having been HT and including the protective DLC inclusive layer. The protective layer may be removed after HT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Vijayen S. Veerasamy
  • Patent number: 7041335
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus of forming titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layers are described. The titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer may be formed using a cyclical deposition process by alternately adsorbing a titanium-containing precursor, a tantalum-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing gas and a silicon-containing gas on a substrate. The titanium-containing precursor, the tantalum-containing precursor, the silicon-containing precursor and the nitrogen-containing precursor react to form the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer on the substrate. The formation of the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication process, the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer is used as a diffusion barrier for a copper metallization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Hua Chung
  • Patent number: 7022378
    Abstract: A nitrided oxide layer on a silicon carbide layer is processed by annealing the nitrided oxide layer in a substantially oxygen-free nitrogen containing ambient. The anneal may be carried out at a temperature of greater than about 900° C., for example, a temperature of about 1100° C., a temperature of about 1200° C. or a temperature of about 1300° C. Annealing the nitrided oxide layer may be carried out at a pressure of less than about 1 atmosphere, for example, at a pressure of from about 0.01 to about 1 atm or, in particular, at a pressure of about 0.2 atm. The nitrided oxide layer may be an oxide layer that is grown in a N2O and/or NO containing ambient, that is annealed in a N2O and/or NO containing ambient or that is grown and annealed in a N2O and/or NO containing ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Mrinal Kanti Das, Adam William Saxler
  • Patent number: 6986914
    Abstract: The present methods provide tools for growing conformal metal thin films, including metal nitride, metal carbide and metal nitride carbide thin films. In particular, methods are provided for growing such films from aggressive chemicals. The amount of corrosive chemical compounds, such as hydrogen halides, is reduced during the deposition of transition metal, transition metal carbide, transition metal nitride and transition metal nitride carbide thin films on various surfaces, such as metals and oxides. Getter compounds protect surfaces sensitive to hydrogen halides and ammonium halides, such as aluminum, copper, silicon oxide and the layers being deposited, against corrosion. Nanolaminate structures incorporating metallic thin films, and methods for forming the same, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Kai Elers, Wei-Min Li
  • Patent number: 6974781
    Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining stable and elevated deposition rates in a reaction chamber, following the cleaning of the chamber. The method involves cleaning of the chamber, pre-coating the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber with an inorganic composition, and then, using the pre-coated chamber to deposit an organic layer onto a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Eric A. H. Timmermans, Maarten J. Teepen, Raffaele Mucciato, Rudi Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 6969426
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for forming metal nitride (MN), wherein M is contacted with iodine vapor or hydrogen iodide (HI) vapor to form metal iodide (MI) and then contacting MI with ammonia to form the MN in a process of reduced or no toxicity. Such method is conducted in a reactor that is maintained at a pressure below one atmosphere for enhanced uniformity of gas flow and of MN product. The MN is then deposited on a substrate, on one or more seeds or it can self-nucleate on the walls of a growth chamber, to form high purity and uniform metal nitride material. The inventive MN material finds use in semiconductor materials, in nitride electronic devices, various color emitters, high power microwave sources and numerous other electronic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Inventors: David F. Bliss, Vladimir L. Tassev, Michael J. Suscavage, John S. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6967159
    Abstract: A method of forming (and apparatus for forming) refractory metal nitride layers (including silicon nitride layers), such as a tantalum nitride barrier layer, on a substrate by using an atomic layer deposition process (a vapor deposition process that includes a plurality of deposition cycles) with a refractory metal precursor compound, an organic amine, and an optional silicon precursor compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian A. Vaartstra
  • Patent number: 6962728
    Abstract: A method for making a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide structure includes forming a tunnel oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer over a substrate; annealing the silicon nitride layer; forming a silicon oxide layer over the annealed silicon nitride layer by high temperature low pressure chemical vapor deposition; depositing a first gate layer over the silicon oxide layer; patterning to form a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide (ONO) structure; forming bit lines in the substrate adjacent the ONO structure; and annealing to form a thermal oxide over the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsian Lan Lung, Ching Tang Wang
  • Patent number: 6949273
    Abstract: Integrated circuits are built layer by layer on a substrate. One technique for forming layers is chemical vapor deposition (CVD.). This technique injects gases through a gas-dispersion fixture into a chamber. The gases react and blanket a substrate in the chamber with a material layer. One way to promote uniform layer thickness is to coat the gas-dispersion fixture with a uniform layer of the material before using it for deposition on the substrate. However, known fixture-coating techniques yield uneven or poorly adherent coatings. Accordingly, the inventor devised new methods for coating these fixtures. One exemplary method heats a fixture to a temperature greater than its temperature during normal deposition and then passes one or more gases through the fixture to form a coating on it. The greater conditioning temperature improves evenness and adhesion of the fixture coating, which, in turn, produces higher quality layers in integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Sujit Sharan
  • Patent number: 6946158
    Abstract: The present invention is a process for enhancing the chemical vapor deposition of titanium nitride from a titanium containing precursor selected from the group consisting of tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium, tetrakis(diethylamino)titanium and mixtures thereof, reacted with ammonia to produce the titanium nitride on a semiconductor substrate by the addition of organic amines, such as dipropylamine, in a range of approximately 10 parts per million by weight to 10% by weight, preferably 50 parts per million by weight to 1.0 percent by weight, most preferably 100 parts per million by weight to 5000 parts per million by weight to the titanium containing precursor wherein prior to the reaction, said titanium containing precursor is subjected to a purification process to remove hydrocarbon impurities from the titanium containing precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias J. Jahl, Douglas W. Carson, Shantia Riahi, Raymond Nicholas Vrtis
  • Patent number: 6933021
    Abstract: A method of forming a titanium silicide nitride (TiSiN) layer on a substrate id described. The titanium silicide nitride (TiSiN) layer is formed by providing a substrate to a process chamber and treating the substrate with a silicon-containing gas. A titanium nitride layer is formed on the treated substrate and exposed to a silicon-containing gas. The titanium nitride (TiN) layer reacts with the silicon-containing gas to form the titanium silicide nitride (TiSiN) layer. The formation of the titanium silicide nitride (TiSiN) layer is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication process, the titanium silicide nitride (TiSiN) layer may be used as a diffusion barrier for a tungsten (W) metallization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jing-Pei Chou, Chien-Teh Kao, Chiukin Lai, Roderick C. Mosely, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 6929831
    Abstract: A silicon nitride film, for example, is deposited by introducing into a plasma region of a chamber a silicon containing gas, molecular nitrogen and sufficient hydrogen to dissociate the nitrogen to allow the silicon and nitrogen to react to form a silicon nitride film on a surface adjacent the plasma region. The thus deposited film may then be subjected to an activation anneal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Trikon Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Jashu Patel, Knut Beekman
  • Patent number: 6919102
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing the properties of a material layer is disclosed. A plurality of wafers are stored in a FOUP and in sequence the wafers are transferred to a chamber to proceed with deposition of a material layer and to the FOUP filled with a specific gas after deposition until all the wafers in the FOUP are treated. In the process of deposition, the wafers deposited with material layers on their surfaces are stored in the FOUP filled with specific gas. Therefore, the surface properties of all the wafers in the FOUP are stablilized and contamination due to outgassing is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Ching-hua Chen
  • Patent number: 6919101
    Abstract: A method for improving the adhesion of an impermeable film on a porous low-k dielectric film in an interconnect structure is disclosed. The method provides an in-situ annealing step before the deposition of the impermeable film to release the volatile trapped molecules such as water, alcohol, HCl, and HF vapor, inside the pores of the porous low-k dielectric film. The method also provides an in-situ deposition step of the impermeable film right after the deposition of the porous low dielectric film without exposure to an atmosphere containing trappable molecules. The method further provides an in-situ deposition step of the impermeable film right after the removal a portion of the porous low-k dielectric film without exposure to an atmosphere containing trappable molecules. By the removal of all trapped molecules inside the porous low-k dielectric film, the adhesion between the deposited impermeable film and the low-k dielectric film is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Tegal Corporation
    Inventors: Zhihong Zhang, Tai Dung Nguyen, Tue Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6905737
    Abstract: A method for providing activated species for a cyclical deposition process is provided. In one aspect, the method includes delivering a gas to be activated into a plasma generator, activating the gas to create a volume of reactive species, delivering a fraction of the reactive species into a processing region to react within a substrate therein, and maintaining at least a portion of the the gas remaining in the plasma generator in an activated state after delivering the fraction of the gas into the process region. The plasma generator may include a high density plasma (HDP) generator, a microwave generator, a radio-frequency (RF) generator, an inductive-coupled plasma (ICP) generator, a capacitively coupled generator, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Verplancken, Ashok K. Sinha
  • Publication number: 20050118336
    Abstract: A process is described for depositing silicon nitride, in which the temperature in a furnace is set to from 600° C. to 645° C. The silicon nitride formed in this way is permeable to small molecules, such as in particular hydrogen molecules, yet nevertheless retains its etching selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventors: Henry Bernhardt, Michael Stadtmueller, Dietmar Ottenwaelder, Anja Morgenschweis
  • Patent number: 6900129
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing high quality conformal tantalum (Ta) and tantalum nitride (TaNx) films from inorganic tantalum pentahalide (TaX5) precursors is described. The inorganic tantalum halide precursors are tantalum pentafluoride (TaF5), tantalum pentachloride (TaCl5) and tantalum pentabromide (TaBr5). A TaX5 vapor is delivered into a heated chamber. The vapor is combined with a process gas to deposit a Ta or TaNx film on a substrate that is heated to 300° C.-500° C. The deposited film is useful for integrated circuits containing copper films, especially in small high aspect ratio features. The high conformality of these films is superior to films deposited by PVD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: John J. Hautala, Johannes F. M. Westendorp
  • Publication number: 20050098109
    Abstract: The precoat film forming method has the deposition step of feeding processing gas into the film forming device having the loading table structure 18 internally which has the loading table 16 for loading the article W to be processed and depositing the precoat film 22 composed of a TiN film on the surface of the loading table and the stabilization step of exposing and stabilizing the precoat film in NH3 (ammonia) containing gas by keeping the loading table at a temperature higher than the temperature at the deposition step. By doing this, the precoat film is stabilized, thereby even during a period of idling, there is no need to lower the temperature of the loading table and the throughput can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Satoshi Wakabayashi, Toshio Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20050100670
    Abstract: Silicon nitride film is formed on substrate (112) by feeding trisilylamine and ammonia into a CVD reaction chamber (11) that contains a substrate (112). The ammonia gas/trisilylamine gas flow rate ratio is set to a value of at least about 10 and/or the thermal CVD reaction is run at a temperature no greater than about 600° C. Silicon oxynitride is obtained by introducing an oxygen source gas into the CVD reaction chamber (11). This method avoids the production of ammonium chloride and/or the incorporation of carbonaceous contaminants which are detrimental to the quality of the deposited film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Christian Dussarrat, Jean-Marc Girard, Takako Kimura, Naoki Tamaoki, Yuusuke Sato
  • Publication number: 20050095443
    Abstract: A method to deposit TaN by plasma enhanced layer with various nitrogen content. Using a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen plasma, the nitrogen content in the film can be controlled from 0 to N/Ta=1.7. By turning off the nitrogen flow during deposition of TaN, a TaN/Ta bilayer is easily grown, which has copper diffusion barrier properties superior to those of a single Ta layer or a single TaN layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Hyungjun Kim, Andrew Kellock, Stephen Rossnagel
  • Publication number: 20050089634
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for depositing a metallic nitride series thin film, typically a TiN-series thin film. The TiN-series thin film according to the present invention is formed by a CVD, and contains Ti, O and N to have a higher barrier characteristic than those of conventional TiN thin films, so that TiN-series thin film can suitably used as a barrier layer. In addition, a TiN-series thin film according to the present invention is formed by a CVD, and contains Ti, N and P to have a lower resistance than those of conventional TiN films, so that TiN-series thin film can suitably used as a barrier layer or a capacitor top electrode. Moreover, if a TiN-series thin film containing Ti, O, N and P is formed by a CVD, the TiN-series thin film can have both of a high barrier characteristic and a low resistance characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventor: Hayashi Otsuki
  • Patent number: 6884466
    Abstract: Processes for producing tungsten nitride and tungsten nitride films are provided in which a tungsten carbonyl compound and a nitrogen-containing reactant gas are reacted at a temperature below about 600° C. Tungsten nitride precursors are also included which comprise a tungsten carbonyl compound capable of forming a tungsten nitride film in the presence of a nitrogen-containing reactant gas at a temperature of less than about 600° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignees: Gelest, Inc., The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Alain E. Kaloyeros, Barry C. Arkles
  • Publication number: 20050079290
    Abstract: Tantalum precursors useful in depositing tantalum nitride or tantalum oxides materials on substrates, by processes such as chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition. The precursors are useful in forming tantalum-based diffusion barrier layers on microelectronic device structures featuring copper metallization and/or ferroelectric thin films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Tianniu Chen, ChongYing Xu, Thomas Baum
  • Patent number: 6878406
    Abstract: A process for reacting a gaseous species with a substrate includes placing the substrate in a space, heating the space, introducing the gaseous species into the space, and cooling the space. Introducing the gaseous species into the space includes introducing the gaseous species into the space before the substrate reaches a steady state temperature and/or reacting the gaseous species with the substrate includes reacting the gaseous species with the substrate while cooling the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Alfred A. Badowski
  • Patent number: 6878415
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a thin film layer of a substrate. The method includes the steps of forming a thin surface layer containing a dopant material on the substrate, and short-time thermal processing of the doped surface layer with processing parameters selected to produce a reaction between the surface layer and the dopant material to form a dielectric film, a metal film or a silicide film. In one embodiment, short-time thermal processing is implemented by flash rapid thermal processing of the doped surface layer. In another embodiment, short-time thermal processing is implemented by sub-melt laser processing of the doped surface layer. The process may be used for forming dielectric layers having a thickness of 50 angstroms or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel F. Downey
  • Publication number: 20050053722
    Abstract: A method for forming a titanium nitride layer. A pre-heating step is performed, wherein a substrate is placed in a chamber comprising inert gas with a pre-heating pressure between 0.1˜3 torr. A TiN deposition step is then performed, wherein the substrate is placed in a reactive gas at least comprising NH3 and TiCl4, and the first TiN deposition step has a reactive pressure of more than 5 torr and a reactive temperature of more than 500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventor: Ching-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 6861104
    Abstract: A method of enhancing adhesion strength of a boro-silicate glass (BSG) film to a silicon nitride film is provided. A semiconductor substrate with a silicon nitride film formed thereon is provided. The silicon nitride film is then exposed to oxygen-containing plasma such as ozone plasma. A thick BSG film is then deposited onto the treated surface of the silicon nitride film. By pre-treating the silicon nitride film with ozone plasma for about 60 seconds, an increase of near 50% of Kapp of the BSG film is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chang Wu, Cheng-Yuan Tsai, Yu-Wen Fang, Neng-Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 6858251
    Abstract: A lanthanum complex of formula (I) having a low evaporation temperature can be used as a useful precursor for MOCVD of a BLT thin layer on semiconductor devices. wherein A is pentamethyldiethylenetriamine(PMDT) or triethoxytriethyleneamine(TETEA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Postech Foundation
    Inventors: Shi-Woo Rhee, Sang-Woo Kang
  • Patent number: 6849298
    Abstract: A method for forming a diffusion barrier layer of a semiconductor device by using an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is disclosed, which, in a method for forming a diffusion barrier layer on an entire surface of a semiconductor substrate before forming a metal pipe connected with the semiconductor substrate through a contact hole, the contact hole being formed to expose one region of the semiconductor substrate by selectively removing an insulating interlayer on the semiconductor substrate, the method includes the steps of forming Ti/TiN layers without being exposed to the air by alternately providing a precursor set by using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) and many kinds of reacting gases, performing a silane treatment on the TiN layer, and forming a Ti thin layer by the ALD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Gyu Pyo
  • Patent number: 6838125
    Abstract: A method for depositing a film on a substrate is provided. In one aspect, the method includes providing a metal-containing precursor to an activation zone, and activating the metal-containing precursor to form an activated precursor. The activated precursor gas is transported to a reaction chamber, and a film is deposited on the substrate using a cyclical deposition process, wherein the activated precursor gas and a reducing gas are alternately adsorbed on the substrate. Also provided is a method of depositing a film on a substrate using an activated reducing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua Chung, Ling Chen, Vincent W. Ku
  • Patent number: 6838179
    Abstract: The invention concerns glass panels comprising thin layers in particular for providing them with solar protective or low-emissive properties, and also comprising other thin layers for correcting rainbow effects induced by the former. The invention is characterized in that said glass panels comprise a glass substrate coated with an aluminum oxynitride layer, deposited by gas phase pyrolysis, and whereof the characteristics of thickness and refractive index are selected so as to attenuate colors reflected by the layer providing the glass panel with low-emissive and/or solar protective properties, layer which is deposited on the aluminum oxynitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventor: Philippe Legrand
  • Patent number: 6835417
    Abstract: The ALD process chamber has heating radiation sources and the process sequence includes rapid temperature changes on a substrate surface of a substrate arranged in the ALD process chamber. The temperature changes are controlled and the ALD and CVD processes are optimized by in situ temperature steps, for example in order to produce nanolaminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Annette Saenger, Bernhard Sell, Harald Seidl, Thomas Hecht, Martin Gutsche
  • Publication number: 20040258840
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing the properties of a material layer is disclosed. A plurality of wafers are stored in a FOUP and in sequence the wafers are transferred to a chamber to proceed with deposition of a material layer and to the FOUP filled with a specific gas after deposition until all the wafers in the FOUP are treated. In the process of deposition, the wafers deposited with material layers on their surfaces are stored in the FOUP filled with specific gas. Therefore, the surface properties of all the wafers in the FOUP are stablilized and contamination due to outgassing is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Ching-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 6833161
    Abstract: A method for depositing a tungsten nitride layer is provided. The method includes a cyclical process of alternately adsorbing a tungsten-containing compound and a nitrogen-containing compound on a substrate. The barrier layer has a reduced resistivity, lower concentration of fluorine, and can be deposited at any desired thickness, such as less than 100 angstroms, to minimize the amount of barrier layer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shulin Wang, Ulrich Kroemer, Lee Luo, Aihua Chen, Ming Li
  • Patent number: 6827975
    Abstract: Methods of coating cutting tool inserts including a hard substrate and a plurality of coatings are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying a first coating of at least 2 microns to at least a portion of the hard substrate and applying a second coating. The first coating can comprise at least one of a metal carbide, a metal nitride, and a metal carbonitride of at least one metal selected from zirconium and hafnium. The second coating can comprise at least one of a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal nitride, and a metal oxide of a metal selected from groups IIIA, IVB, VB, and VIB of the periodic table. Optionally, third and fourth coatings are also applied to the cutting tool inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: TDY Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy V. Leverenz, John Bost, James J. Oakes
  • Patent number: 6827978
    Abstract: A method of forming a composite tungsten film on a substrate is described. The composite tungsten film comprises sequentially deposited tungsten nucleation layers and tungsten bulk layers. Each of the tungsten nucleation layers and the tungsten bulk layers have a thickness less than about 300 Å. The tungsten nucleation layers and the tungsten bulk layers are formed one over the other until a desired thickness for the composite tungsten film is achieved. The resulting composite tungsten film exhibits good film morphology. The tungsten nucleation layers may be formed using a cyclical deposition process by alternately adsorbing a tungsten-containing precursor and a reducing gas on the substrate. The tungsten bulk layers may be formed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process by thermally decomposing a tungsten-containing precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyungsuk A. Yoon, Hongbin Fang, Michael X. Yang
  • Patent number: 6827976
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tool or machine component increases wear resistance by providing a base body made of a metal or of a hard metal and having a surface. At least a portion of the surface is vacuum coated with a hard solid layer system having at least one layer of a material selected from the group consisting of nitrides, carbides, oxides, carbonitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbonitrides of at least one metal. A metallic intermediate layer having the at least one metal is vacuum deposited on the hard solid layer system, and a sliding layer system is vacuum deposited on the metallic intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Unaxis Trading AG
    Inventors: Volker Derflinger, Hans Braendle, Christian Wohlrab
  • Patent number: 6824825
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for depositing a metallic nitride series thin film, typically a TiN-series thin film. The TiN-series thin film according to the present invention is formed by a CVD, and contains Ti, O and N to have a higher barrier characteristic than those of conventional TiN thin films, so that TiN-series thin film can suitably used as a barrier layer. In addition, a TiN-series thin film according to the present invention is formed by a CVD, and contains Ti, N and P to have a lower resistance than those of conventional TiN films, so that TiN-series thin film can suitably used as a barrier layer or a capacitor top electrode. Moreover, if a TiN-series thin film containing Ti, O, N and P is formed by a CVD, the TiN-series thin film can have both of a high barrier characteristic and a low resistance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hayashi Otsuki
  • Patent number: 6821825
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes utilize chemical precursors that allow for the deposition of thin films to be conducted at or near the mass transport limited regime. The processes have high deposition rates yet produce more uniform films, both compositionally and in thickness, than films prepared using conventional chemical precursors. In preferred embodiments, a higher order silane is employed to deposit thin films containing silicon that are useful in the semiconductor industry in various applications such as transistor gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Todd, Mark Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20040228969
    Abstract: A method for making a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide structure includes forming a tunnel oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer over a substrate; annealing the silicon nitride layer; forming a silicon oxide layer over the annealed silicon nitride layer by high temperature low pressure chemical vapor deposition; depositing a first gate layer over the silicon oxide layer; patterning to form a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide (ONO) structure; forming bit lines in the substrate adjacent the ONO structure; and annealing to form a thermal oxide over the bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsian Lan Lung, Ching Tang Wang
  • Patent number: 6815007
    Abstract: A method for reducing contaminants in a processing chamber having an inner wall by seasoning the walls. The method comprising the following steps. A first USG film is formed over the processing chamber inner wall. An FSG film is formed over the first USG film. A second USG film is formed over the FSG film. A nitrogen-containing film is formed over the second USG film wherein the first USG film, the FSG film, the second USG film and the nitrogen-containing film comprise a UFUN season film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ming-Hwa Yoo, Shih-Chi Lin, Yi-Lung Cheng, Szu-An Wu, Ying-Lang Wang
  • Patent number: 6815014
    Abstract: A process for creating plasma polymerized deposition on a substrate by a corona discharge is described. The corona discharge is created between an electrode and a counterelectrode supporting a substrate. A mixture of a balance gas and a working gas is flowed rapidly through the electrode, plasma polymerized by corona discharge, and deposited onto the substrate as an optically clear coating or to create surface modification. The process, which is preferably carried out at or near atmospheric pressure, can be designed to create an optically clear powder-free or virtually powder free deposit of polymerized plasma that provides a substrate with properties such as surface modification, chemical resistance, and barrier to gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Gabelnick, Richard T. Fox, Ing-Feng Hu, Dmitry P. Dinega
  • Patent number: 6812146
    Abstract: A process for depositing titanium nitride films containing less than 5% carbon impurities and less than 10% oxygen impurities by weight via chemical vapor deposition is disclosed. Sheet resistance of the deposited films is generally within a range of about 1 to 10 ohms per square. The deposition process takes place in a deposition chamber that has been evacuated to less than atmospheric pressure and utilizes the organo-metallic compound tertiary-butyltris-dimethylamido-titanium and a nitrogen source as precursors. The deposition temperature, which is dependent on the nitrogen source, is within a range of 350° C. to 700° C. The low end of the temperature range utilizes nitrogen-containing gases such as diatomic nitrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, amides and amines which have been converted to a plasma. The higher end of the temperature range relies on thermal decomposition of the nitrogen source for the production of reaction-sustaining radicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Salman Akram
  • Publication number: 20040213891
    Abstract: This invention is a method of forming a nitride layer on at least one metal or metal alloy biomedical device, comprising: providing a vacuum chamber with at least one biomedical device positioned thereon on a worktable within the vacuum chamber; reducing the pressure in the vacuum chamber; introducing nitrogen into the vacuum chamber so that the pressure in the vacuum chamber is about 0.01 to about 10 milli-Torr; generating electrons within the vacuum chamber to form positively charged nitrogen ions; providing a negative bias to the worktable so that the positively charged nitrogen ions contact the biomedical devices under conditions such that a nitride layer forms on the at least one prosthetic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Ronghua Wei, Thomas L. Booker, Christopher Rincon, James H. Arps
  • Publication number: 20040206008
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a superabrasive composite material having the general formula SixCyNz, and tools containing such a material. In one aspect, vapor forms of Si, C, and N atoms are deposited onto a molten metal catalyst and solid SixCyNz is precipitated therefrom. The composite SixCyNz materials have an interatomic structure substantially like that of silicon nitride. Such SixCyNz materials can be used to form superabrasive particles, fibers, or coatings for various tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: Chien-Min Sung
  • Publication number: 20040194706
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon nitride layer is described. According to the present invention, a silicon nitride layer is deposited by thermally decomposing a silicon/nitrogen containing source gas or a silicon containing source gas and a nitrogen containing source gas at low deposition temperatures (e.g., less than 550° C.) to form a silicon nitride layer. The thermally deposited silicon nitride layer is then treated with hydrogen radicals to form a treated silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Shulin Wang, Errol Antonio C. Sanchez, Aihua Chen
  • Publication number: 20040197492
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a titanium silicon nitride barrier layer on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of depositing a titanium nitride layer on the semiconductor wafer; plasma-treating the titanium nitride layer in a N2/H2 plasma; and exposing the plasma-treated titanium nitride layer to a silane ambient, wherein silicon is incorporated into the titanium nitride layer as silicon nitride thereby forming a titanium silicon nitride barrier layer. Additionally, there is provided a method of improving the barrier performance of a titanium nitride layer comprising the step of introducing silicon into the titanium nitride layer such that the silicon is incorporated into the titanium nitride layer as silicon nitride. Also provided is a method of integrating copper into a semiconductor device and a method of improving copper wettability at a copper/titanium nitride interface in a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Chen, Christophe Marcadal, Hyungsuk Alexander Yoon
  • Patent number: 6797340
    Abstract: A method for forming a tungsten layer on a substrate surface is provided. In one aspect, the method includes positioning the substrate surface in a processing chamber and exposing the substrate surface to a boride. A nucleation layer is then deposited on the substrate surface in the same processing chamber by alternately pulsing a tungsten-containing compound and a reducing gas selected from a group consisting of silane (SiH4), disilane (Si2H6), dichlorosilane (SiCl2H2), derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. A tungsten bulk fill may then be deposited on the nucleation layer using cyclical deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongbin Fang, Hyung-Suk A. Yoon, Ken Kaung Lai, Chi Chung Young, James Horng, Ming XI, Michael X. Yang, Hua Chung
  • Patent number: 6793969
    Abstract: A CVD process of forming a conductive film containing Ti, Si and N includes a first step of supplying gaseous sources of Ti, Si and N simultaneously to grow a conductive film and a second step of supplying the gaseous sources of Ti, Si and N in a state that a flow rate of the gaseous source of Ti is reduced, to grow the conductive film further, wherein the first step and the second step are conducted alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shimogaki, Yumiko Kawano