Plasma (e.g., Glow Discharge, Etc.) Patents (Class 438/513)
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Patent number: 8871618Abstract: An in-situ fabrication method for a silicon solar cell includes the following steps: pretreating a silicon chip; placing the pretreated silicon chip in an implantation chamber of a plasma immersion ion implantation machine; completing the preparation of black silicon via a plasma immersion ion implantation process; making a PN junction and forming a passivation layer on the black silicon; after making the PN junction and forming the passivation layer, removing the black silicon from the plasma immersion ion implantation machine; preparing a metal back electrode on the back of the black silicon; preparing a metal grid on the passivation layer; obtaining a solar cell after encapsulation. Said method enables black silicon preparation, PN junction preparation, and passivation layer formation in-situ, greatly reducing the amount of equipment needed for the preparation of solar cells and the preparation cost. In addition, the method is simple and easy to control.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: The Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of SciencesInventors: Yang Xia, Bangwu Liu, Chaobo Li, Jie Liu, Minggang Wang, Yongtao Li
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Patent number: 8859331Abstract: Methods of forming an oxide material layer are provided. The method includes mixing a precursor material with a peroxide material to form a precursor solution, coating the precursor solution on a substrate, and baking the coated precursor solution.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei UniversityInventors: Hyun Jae Kim, Dong Lim Kim, Joohye Jung, You Seung Rim
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Publication number: 20140302666Abstract: A method and apparatus for doping a surface of a substrate with a dopant, with the dopant being for example phosphine or arsine. The doping is performed with a plasma formed primarily of an inert gas such as helium or argon, with a low concentration of the dopant. To provide conformal doping, preferably to form a monolayer of the dopant, the gas flow introduction location is switched during the doping process, with the gas mixture primarily introduced through a center top port in the process chamber during a first period of time followed by introduction of the gas mixture primarily through peripheral or edge injection ports for a second period of time, with the switching continuing in an alternating fashion as the plasma process.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Peter VENTZEK, Takenao NEMOTO, Hirokazu UEDA, Yuuki KOBAYASHI, Masahiro HORIGOME
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Patent number: 8853090Abstract: A method for fabricating a through-silicon via comprises the following steps. Provide a substrate. Form a through silicon hole in the substrate having a diameter of at least 1 ?m and a depth of at least 5 ?m. Perform a first chemical vapor deposition process with a first etching/deposition ratio to form a dielectric layer lining the bottom and sidewall of the through silicon hole and the top surface of the substrate. Perform a shape redressing treatment with a second etching/deposition ratio to change the profile of the dielectric layer. Repeat the first chemical vapor deposition process and the shape redressing treatment at least once until the thickness of the dielectric layer reaches to a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: IPEnval Consultant Inc.Inventors: Chao-Yuan Huang, Yueh-Feng Ho, Ming-Sheng Yang, Hwi-Huang Chen
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Patent number: 8855949Abstract: An object is to provide a plasma processing device capable of properly monitoring a state of plasma discharge and detecting a precursor to abnormal discharge, and a method of monitoring the state of discharge in the plasma processing device.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Masaru Nonomura
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Patent number: 8847280Abstract: An improved insulated gate field effect device is obtained by providing a substrate desirably comprising a III-V semiconductor, having a further semiconductor layer on the substrate adapted to contain the channel of the device between spaced apart source-drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor layer. A dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor layer. A sealing layer is formed on the dielectric layer and exposed to an oxygen plasma. A gate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer between the source-drain electrodes. The dielectric layer preferably comprises gallium-oxide and/or gadolinium-gallium oxide, and the oxygen plasma is preferably an inductively coupled plasma. A further sealing layer of, for example, silicon nitride is desirably provided above the sealing layer. Surface states and gate dielectric traps that otherwise adversely affect leakage and channel sheet resistance are much reduced.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan K. Abrokwah, Ravindranath Droopad, Matthias Passlack
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Patent number: 8846482Abstract: A method of forming a doped region in a III-nitride substrate includes providing the III-nitride substrate and forming a masking layer having a predetermined pattern and coupled to a portion of the III-nitride substrate. The III-nitride substrate is characterized by a first conductivity type and the predetermined pattern defines exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate. The method also includes heating the III-nitride substrate to a predetermined temperature and placing a dual-precursor gas adjacent the exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate. The dual-precursor gas includes a nitrogen source and a dopant source. The method further includes maintaining the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period, forming p-type III-nitride regions adjacent the exposed regions of the III-nitride substrate, and removing the masking layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Avogy, Inc.Inventors: David P. Bour, Richard J. Brown, Isik C. Kizilyalli, Thomas R. Prunty, Linda Romano, Andrew P. Edwards, Hui Nie, Mahdan Raj
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Publication number: 20140256121Abstract: An apparatus for hydrogen and helium implantation is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plasma source system to generate helium ions and hydrogen molecular ions comprising H3+ ions. The apparatus further includes a substrate chamber adjacent the plasma source system and in communication with the plasma source system via one or more apertures, an extraction system to extract the hydrogen molecular ions and helium ions from the plasma source system, and an acceleration system to accelerate extracted helium and hydrogen molecular ions to a predetermined energy and direct the extracted helium ions and hydrogen molecular ions to a substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2013Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventor: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
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Patent number: 8828854Abstract: A method of introducing dopants into a semiconductor wafer includes implanting the dopants into a region below a surface of the semiconductor wafer using an ion beam to form a first implanted layer. The dopants when activated causing a conductivity of the implanted layer to be either of N-type or P-type. The first implanted layer is characterized by a peak dopant concentration at a first depth below the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes removing a layer from the semiconductor wafer surface, wherein said layer includes a portion of said dopants.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Inventor: Tzu-Yin Chiu
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Patent number: 8830078Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing device component is provided. The bearing device includes a shaft and a sleeve that surrounds the shaft, and at least either one of the shaft and the sleeve is referred to as a work. The method includes: a process of forming a coating of an anti-sticking-lube polymer on the work; a process of applying a photoluminescence material to a range overlapping a range where the coating of the anti-sticking-lube polymer is formed; and a condition detecting process of causing the photoluminescence material to emit light by causing the work to be irradiated with excitation light that excites the photoluminescence material, and detecting an applied condition of the photoluminescence material based on the light emission of the photoluminescence material, thereby detecting a condition of the coating of the anti-sticking-lube polymer.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chenglin Chen, Kazuhiro Matsuo
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Publication number: 20140248759Abstract: A method of preventing toxic gas formation after an implantation process is disclosed. Certain dopants, when implanted into films disposed on a substrate, may react when exposed to moisture to form a toxic gas and/or a flammable gas. By in-situ exposing the doped film to an oxygen containing compound, dopant that is shallowly implanted into the layer stack reacts to form a dopant oxide, thereby reducing potential toxic gas and/or flammable gas formation. Alternatively, a capping layer may be formed in-situ over the implanted film to reduce the potential generation of toxic gas and/or flammable gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Majeed A. FOAD, Manoj VELLAIKAL, Kartik SANTHANAM
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Patent number: 8815719Abstract: A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters. The annealing may take place by melting the implanted regions or by a sub-melt annealing process.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jiping Li, Aaron Muir Hunter, Bruce E. Adams, Theodore Moffitt, Stephen Moffatt
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Patent number: 8809132Abstract: A capping layer may be deposited over the active channel of a thin film transistor (TFT) in order to protect the active channel from contamination. The capping layer may affect the performance of the TFT. If the capping layer contains too much hydrogen, nitrogen, or oxygen, the threshold voltage, sub threshold slope, and mobility of the TFT may be negatively impacted. By controlling the ratio of the flow rates of the nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen containing gases, the performance of the TFT may be optimized. Additionally, the power density, capping layer deposition pressure, and the temperature may also be controlled to optimize the TFT performance.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Yan Ye
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Patent number: 8809168Abstract: Compressively strained silicon is epitaxially grown directly onto a silicon substrate at low temperature using hydrogen to engineer the strain level. Hydrogen dilution may be varied during such growth to provide a strain gradient.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
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Patent number: 8796122Abstract: A method of fabricating a display device is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a pixel region and a circuit region located at the periphery of the pixel region. A first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer are formed on the pixel region and on the circuit region, respectively. The first semiconductor layer may be selectively surface treated to increase the density of lattice defects in a surface of the first semiconductor layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eui-Hoon Hwang, Deuk-Jong Kim
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Patent number: 8785286Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor wafer including a semiconductor fin dispatched on a surface of the semiconductor wafer; forming a dopant-rich layer having an impurity on a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin, wherein the impurity is of n-type or p-type; performing a knock-on implantation to drive the impurity into the semiconductor fin; and removing the dopant-rich layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Chien-Tai Chan, Mao-Rong Yeh, Da-Wen Lin
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Patent number: 8779395Abstract: An ion implantation system for improving performance and extending lifetime of an ion source is disclosed whereby the selection, delivery, optimization and control of the flow rate of a co-gas into an ion source chamber is automatically controlled.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Neil K. Colvin, Tseh-Jen Hsieh
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Patent number: 8772130Abstract: In order to keep the crystallinity of the semiconductor thin film layer high, a temperature of a semiconductor substrate during hydrogen ion addition treatment is suppressed to lower than or equal to 200° C. In addition, the semiconductor substrate is subjected to plasma treatment while the semiconductor substrate is kept at a temperature of higher than or equal to 100° C. and lower than or equal to 400° C. after the hydrogen ion addition treatment, whereby Si—H bonds which have low contribution to separation of the semiconductor thin film layer can be reduced while Si—H bonds which have high contribution to separation of the semiconductor thin film layer, which are generated by the hydrogen ion addition treatment, are kept.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroshi Ohki
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Patent number: 8749053Abstract: A method of ion implantation comprising: providing a plasma within a plasma region of a chamber; positively biasing a first grid plate, wherein the first grid plate comprises a plurality of apertures; negatively biasing a second grid plate, wherein the second grid plate comprises a plurality of apertures; flowing ions from the plasma in the plasma region through the apertures in the positively-biased first grid plate; flowing at least a portion of the ions that flowed through the apertures in the positively-biased first grid plate through the apertures in the negatively-biased second grid plate; and implanting a substrate with at least a portion of the ions that flowed through the apertures in the negatively-biased second grid plate.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Intevac, Inc.Inventors: Babak Adibi, Moon Chun
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Publication number: 20140151853Abstract: In the plasma-based ion implantation for accelerating positive ions of a plasma and implanting the positive ions into a substrate to be processed on a holding stage in a processing chamber where the plasma has been excited, ion implantation is achieved in the following manner: an RF power having a frequency of 4 MHz or greater is applied to the holding stage to cause a self-bias voltage to generate on the surface of the substrate. The RF power is applied a plurality of times in the form of pulses.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2014Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: National University Corporation Tohoku UniversityInventors: Tadahiro OHMI, Tetsuya GOTO
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Patent number: 8741773Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming nickel-silicide. The method may include depositing first and second metal layers over at least one of a gate, a source, and a drain region of a field-effect-transistor (FET) through a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, wherein the first metal layer is deposited using a first nickel target material containing platinum (Pt), and the second metal layer is deposited on top of the first metal layer using a second nickel target material containing no or less platinum than that in the first nickel target material; and annealing the first and second metal layers covering the FET to form a platinum-containing nickel-silicide layer at a top surface of the gate, source, and drain regions.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2010Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Asa Frye, Andrew Simon
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Patent number: 8741702Abstract: An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor at low cost with high productivity in such a manner that a photolithography process is simplified by reducing the number of light-exposure masks. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a channel-etched inverted-staggered thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film and a conductive film are etched using a mask layer formed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted so as to have a plurality of intensities. In etching steps, a first etching step is performed by dry etching in which an etching gas is used, and a second etching step is performed by wet etching in which an etchant is used.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2009Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunichi Ito, Miyuki Hosoba, Hideomi Suzawa, Shinya Sasagawa, Taiga Muraoka
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Patent number: 8735266Abstract: A fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) includes a substrate and a fin structure over the substrate. The fin structure comprises a lightly doped source and drain (LDD) region uniformly beneath a top surface and sidewall surfaces of the fin structure, the LDD region having a depth less than about 25 nm. Another FinFET includes a substrate and a fin structure over the substrate. The fin structure comprises a lightly doped source and drain (LDD) region, and a top surface of the fin structure has a different crystal structure from a sidewall surface of the fin structure. A method of making a FinFET includes forming a fin structure on a substrate. The method further includes performing a pulsed plasma doping on the fin structure to form lightly doped drain (LDD) regions in the fin structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2013Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Chii-Ming Wu, Yu Lien Huang, Chun Hsiung Tsai
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Patent number: 8729561Abstract: In one implementation, a method of forming a P type III-nitride material includes forming a getter material over a III-nitride material, the III-nitride material having residual complexes formed from P type dopants and carrier gas impurities. The method further includes gettering at least some of the carrier gas impurities, from at least some of the residual complexes, into the getter material to form the P type III-nitride material. In some implementations, the carrier gas impurities include hydrogen and the getter material includes at least partially titanium. An overlying material can be formed on the getter material prior to gettering at least some of the carrier gas impurities.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventor: Michael A. Briere
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Patent number: 8716149Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a gate structure. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is performed to deposit a spacer around the gate structure. The ALD process includes alternating flowing ionized radicals of a first precursor across the semiconductor substrate and flowing a chlorosilane precursor across the semiconductor substrate to deposit the spacer.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.Inventors: Fabian Koehler, Sergej Mutas, Dina Triyoso, Itasham Hussain
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Patent number: 8716114Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes exciting plasma, applying RF power onto a target substrate to generate substrate bias and performing an ion implantation plural times by applying the RF power in the form of pulses.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2013Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Tetsuya Goto, Akinobu Teramoto, Takaaki Matsuoka
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Publication number: 20140120681Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a gate electrode structure on a substrate, forming a first spacer material layer covering the gate electrode structure, forming a second spacer material layer covering the first spacer material layer, and etching the first and second spacer material layers using an etch-back process to form first and second spacers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Inventors: Chong-Kwang CHANG, Se-Young LEE, Seung-Ho CHAE
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Patent number: 8709926Abstract: In order to realize a plasma doping method capable of carrying out a stable low-density doping, exhaustion is carried out with a pump while introducing a predetermined gas into a vacuum chamber from a gas supplying apparatus, the pressure of the vacuum chamber is held at a predetermined pressure and a high frequency power is supplied to a coil from a high frequency power source. After the generation of plasma in the vacuum chamber, the pressure of the vacuum chamber is lowered, and the low-density plasma doping is performed to a substrate placed on a substrate electrode. Moreover, the pressure of the vacuum chamber is gradually lowered, and the high frequency power is gradually increased, thereby the low-density plasma doping is carried out to the substrate placed on the substrate electrode.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Tomohiro Okumura, Ichiro Nakayama, Bunji Mizuno, Yuichiro Sasaki
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Patent number: 8709957Abstract: A method for spalling local areas of a base substrate utilizing at least one stressor layer portion which is located on a portion, but not all, of an uppermost surface of a base substrate. The method includes providing a base substrate having a uniform thickness and a planar uppermost surface spanning across an entirety of the base substrate. At least one stressor layer portion having a shape is formed on at least a portion, but not all, of the uppermost surface of the base substrate. Spalling is performed which removes a material layer portion from the base substrate and provides a remaining base substrate portion. The material layer portion has the shape of the at least one stressor layer portion, while the remaining base substrate portion has at least one opening located therein which correlates to the shape of the at least one stressor layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2012Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Keith E. Fogel, Paul A. Lauro, Ning Li, Devendra K. Sadana, Ibrahim Alhomoudi
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Patent number: 8703591Abstract: A method for fabricating black silicon by using plasma immersion ion implantation is provided, which includes: putting a silicon wafer into a chamber of a black silicon fabrication apparatus; adjusting processing parameters of the black silicon fabrication apparatus to preset scales; generating plasmas in the chamber of the black silicon fabrication apparatus; implanting reactive ions among the plasmas into the silicon wafer, and forming the black silicon by means of the reaction of the reactive ions and the silicon wafer. The method can form the black silicon which has a strong light absorption property and is sensitive to light, and has advantages of high productivity, low cost and simple production process.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2010Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: The Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of SciencesInventors: Yang Xia, Bangwu Liu, Chaobo Li, Jie Liu, Minggang Wang, Yongtao Li
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Publication number: 20140097487Abstract: In plasma doping a non-planar semiconductor device, a substrate having a non-planar semiconductor body formed thereon is obtained. The substrate having the non-planar semiconductor body may be placed into a chamber. A plasma may be formed in the chamber and the plasma may contain dopant ions. A first bias voltage may be generated to implant dopant ions into a region of the non-planar semiconductor body. A second bias voltage may be generated to implant dopant ions into the same region. In one example, the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage may be different.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED ION BEAM TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Tzu-Shih YEN, Daniel TANG, Tsungnan CHENG
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Publication number: 20140094024Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma doping apparatus including a processing chamber, a substrate holding unit, a plasma generating mechanism, a pressure control mechanism, a bias power supply mechanism, and a control unit. The control unit controls the pressure within the processing chamber to be a first pressure and controls the bias power to be supplied to the holding unit is to be a first bias power for a first plasma process. The control unit also controls the pressure within the processing chamber to be a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure, and controls the bias power to be supplied to the holding unit to be a second bias power which is lower than the first bias power for a second plasma process.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masahiro OKA, Yuuki KOBAYASHI, Hirokazu UEDA, Masahiro HORIGOME
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Publication number: 20140084351Abstract: A replacement channel and a method for forming the same in a semiconductor device are provided. A channel area is defined in a substrate which is a surface of a semiconductor wafer or a structure such as a fin formed over the wafer. Portions of the channel region are removed and are replaced with a replacement channel material formed by an epitaxial growth/deposition process to include a first dopant concentration level less than a first dopant concentration level. A subsequent doping operation or operations is then used to boost the average dopant concentration to a level greater than the first dopant concentration level. The replacement channel material is formed to include a gradient in which the upper portion of the replacement channel material has a greater dopant concentration than the lower portion of replacement channel material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yu-Lien HUANG, Ming-Huan TSAI, Clement Hsingjen WANN
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Patent number: 8679958Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the deposition of dopant films, such as doped silicon oxide films, by atomic layer deposition processes. In some embodiments, a substrate in a reaction space is contacted with pulses of a silicon precursor and a dopant precursor, such that the silicon precursor and dopant precursor adsorb on the substrate surface. Oxygen plasma is used to convert the adsorbed silicon precursor and dopant precursor to doped silicon oxide.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2012Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: ASM International N.V.Inventors: Noboru Takamure, Atsuki Fukazawa, Hideaki Fukuda, Antti Niskanen, Suvi Haukka, Ryu Nakano, Kunitoshi Namba
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Patent number: 8664098Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber, a platen for supporting a workpiece, a source configured to generate a plasma in the process chamber, and an insulating modifier. The insulating modifier has a gap, and a gap plane, where the gap plane is defined by portions of the insulating modifier closest to the sheath and proximate the gap. A gap angle is defined as the angle between the gap plane and a plane defined by the front surface of the workpiece. Additionally, a method of having ions strike a workpiece is disclosed, where the range of incident angles of the ions striking the workpiece includes a center angle and an angular distribution, and where the use of the insulating modifier creates a center angle that is not perpendicular to the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2012Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Ludovic Godet, Timothy J. Miller, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Anthony Renau, Vikram Singh
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Patent number: 8658522Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) preconditioning a process chamber with an aggressive plasma; (2) loading a substrate into the process chamber; and (3) performing plasma nitridation on the substrate within the process chamber. The process chamber is preconditioned using a plasma power that is at least 150% higher than a plasma power used during plasma nitridation of the substrate. Numerous other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tatsuya Sato, Patricia M. Liu, Fanos Christodoulou
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Patent number: 8652953Abstract: In a plasma doping device according to the invention, a vacuum chamber is evacuated with a turbo-molecular pump as an exhaust device via a exhaust port while a predetermined gas is being introduced from a gas supply device in order to maintain the inside of the vacuum chamber to a predetermined pressure with a pressure regulating valve. A high-frequency power of 13.56 MHz is supplied by a high-frequency power source to a coil provided in the vicinity of a dielectric window opposed to a sample electrode to generate inductive-coupling plasma in the vacuum chamber. A high-frequency power source for supplying a high-frequency power to the sample electrode is provided. Uniformity of processing is enhanced by driving a gate shutter and covering a through gate.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Tomohiro Okumura, Yuichiro Sasaki, Katsumi Okashita, Bunji Mizuno, Hiroyuki Ito, Ichiro Nakayama, Cheng-Guo Jin
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Patent number: 8652952Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: a first source of plasma, wherein the plasma includes a first species of ions; a second source of plasma, wherein the plasma includes a second species of ions; selection of the plasma from the first and second sources; and acceleration the first species of ions or the second species of ions toward a semiconductor wafer.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventor: Sarko Cherekdjian
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Patent number: 8652893Abstract: A semiconductor device and its manufacturing method, wherein the NMOS device is covered by a layer of silicon nitride film having a high ultraviolet light absorption coefficient through PECVD, said silicon nitride film can well absorb ultraviolet light when being subject to the stimulated laser surface anneal so as to achieve a good dehydrogenization effect, and after dehydrogenization, the silicon nitride film will have a high tensile stress; since the silicon nitride film has a high ultraviolet light absorption coefficient, there is no need to heat the substrate, thus avoiding the adverse influences to the device caused by heating the substrate to dehydrogenize, and maintaining the heat budget brought about by the PECVD process.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2011Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInventors: Huaxiang Yin, Qiuxia Xu, Dapeng Chen
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Patent number: 8647968Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor layer is disclosed. One embodiment provides for a semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate containing oxygen. Crystal defects are produced at least in a near-surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A thermal process is carried out wherein the oxygen is taken up at the crystal defects. The semiconductor layer is deposited epitaxially over the near-surface region of the semiconductor substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2009Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Helmut Strack, Hans-Joerg Timme, Rainer Winkler
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Patent number: 8642135Abstract: Systems and methods for plasma doping microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of implanting boron ions into a region of a workpiece includes generating a plasma in a chamber, selectively applying a pulsed electrical potential to the workpiece with a duty cycle of between approximately 20 percent and approximately 50 percent, and implanting an ion specie into the region of the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2005Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shu Qin, Allen McTeer
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Patent number: 8642380Abstract: An object is to provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a high field effect mobility and including an oxide semiconductor layer in a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. Another object is to provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device capable of high speed operation. An oxide semiconductor layer is terminated by a halogen element, and thus an increase in the contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and a conductive layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer is suppressed. Therefore, the contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and the conductive layer becomes favorable and a transistor having a high field effect mobility can be manufactured.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kosei Noda
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Publication number: 20130337641Abstract: A plasma doping method and an apparatus which have excellent reproducibility of the concentration of impurities implanted into the surfaces of samples. In a vacuum container, in a state where gas is ejected toward a substrate on a sample electrode through gas ejection holes provided in a counter electrode, gas is exhausted from the vacuum container through a turbo molecular pump as an exhaust device, and the inside of the vacuum container is maintained at a predetermined pressure through a pressure adjustment valve, the distance between the counter electrode and the sample electrode is set sufficiently small with respect to the area of the counter electrode to prevent plasma from being diffused outward, and capacitive-coupled plasma is generated between the counter electrode and the sample electrode to perform plasma doping. The gas used herein is a gas with a low concentration which contains impurities such as diborane or phosphine.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2013Publication date: December 19, 2013Inventor: Panasonic Corporation
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Patent number: 8603591Abstract: A plasma processing tool is used to deposit material on a workpiece. For example, a method for conformal deposition of material is disclosed. In this embodiment, the plasma sheath shape is modified to allow material to impact the workpiece at a range of incident angles. By varying this range of incident angles over time, a variety of different features can be deposited onto. In another embodiment, a plasma processing tool is used to etch a workpiece. In this embodiment, the plasma sheath shape is altered to allow ions to impact the workpiece at a range of incident angles. By varying this range of incident angles over time, a variety of differently shaped features can be created.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Ewuipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Ludovic Godet, Timothy Miller, George Papasouliotis, Vikram Singh
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Publication number: 20130323916Abstract: A plasma doping apparatus which introduces a predetermined mass flow of gas from a gas supply device into a vacuum chamber while discharging the gas through an exhaust port by a turbo-molecular pump, which is an exhaust device in order to maintain the vacuum chamber under a predetermined pressure by a pressure adjusting valve. A high-frequency power source supplies high-frequency power of 13.56 MHz to a coil disposed in the vicinity of a dielectric window opposite a sample electrode in order to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the vacuum chamber. A sum of an area of an opening of a gas flow-off port opposed to a center portion of the sample electrode is configured to be smaller than that of an area of an opening of the gas flow-off port opposed to a peripheral portion of the sample electrode in order to improve the uniformity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Tomohiro OKUMURA, Yuichiro SASAKI, Katsumi OKASHITA, Bunji MIZUNO, Hiroyuki ITO, Ichiro NAKAYAMA, Cheng-Guo JIN
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Publication number: 20130320512Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a trench in a semiconductor body. The method further includes doping a part of the semiconductor body via sidewalls of the trench by plasma doping.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGInventors: Peter Irsigler, Hans-Joachim Schulze
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Patent number: 8586460Abstract: Methods of enabling the use of high wavelength lasers to create shallow melt junctions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the substrate may be preamorphized to change its absorption characteristics prior to the implantation of a dopant. In other embodiments, a single implant may serve to amorphize the substrate and provide dopant. Once the substrate is sufficiently amorphized, a laser melt anneal may be performed. Due to the changes in the absorption characteristics of the substrate, longer wavelength lasers may be used for the anneal, thereby reducing cost.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventor: Deepak Ramappa
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Patent number: 8586459Abstract: An ion implantation device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is described, wherein ionized phosphorus-containing molecular clusters are implanted to form N-type transistor structures. The clusters are implanted to provide N-type doping for Source and Drain structures and Pocket or Halo formation, and for counter-doping Poly gates. These doping steps are critical to the formation of NMOS transistors. The molecular cluster ions have the chemical form AnHx+, or AnRHx+, where n and x are integers with 4<n and x?0, and A is either As or P, and R is a molecule not containing phosphorus or arsenic, which is not injurious to the implantation process.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: SemEquip, Inc.Inventors: Thomas N. Horsky, Erin Dyker, Brian Bernstein, Dennis Manning
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Publication number: 20130288466Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming one or more doped regions in a semiconductor substrate. Plasma doping may be used to form a first dopant to a first depth within the substrate. The first dopant may then be impacted with a second dopant to knock the first dopant to a second depth within the substrate. In some embodiments the first dopant is p-type (such as boron) and the second dopant is neutral type (such as germanium). In some embodiments the second dopant is heavier than the first dopant.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2013Publication date: October 31, 2013Inventors: Lequn Jennifer Liu, Shu Qin, Allen McTeer, Yongjun Jeff Hu
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Publication number: 20130288465Abstract: Methods for filling high aspect ratio features are provided herein. In some embodiments, method of filling a high aspect ratio feature formed in a substrate includes implanting a first species using a first plasma into first surfaces of a first layer formed along the surfaces of the high aspect ratio feature to form implanted first surfaces such that a second species subsequently deposited atop the first layer has an increased mobility along the implanted first surfaces relative to the first surfaces, wherein the first layer substantially prevents the second species from diffusing completely through the first layer; and subsequently filling the high aspect ratio feature with the second species.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2013Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: IGOR PEIDOUS, MICHAEL G. WARD