Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090044753 | METHODS TO IMPROVE THE IN-FILM DEFECTIVITY OF PECVD AMORPHOUS CARBON FILMS - An article having a protective coating for use in semiconductor applications and methods for making the same are provided. In certain embodiments, a method of coating an aluminum surface of an article utilized in a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The method comprises providing a processing chamber; placing the article into the processing chamber; flowing a first gas comprising a carbon source into the processing chamber; flowing a second gas comprising a nitrogen source into the processing chamber; forming a plasma in the chamber; and depositing a coating material on the aluminum surface. In certain embodiments, the coating material comprises an amorphous carbon nitrogen containing layer. In certain embodiments, the article comprises a showerhead configured to deliver a gas to the processing chamber. | 02-19-2009 |
20090104541 | PLASMA SURFACE TREATMENT TO PREVENT PATTERN COLLAPSE IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY - The present invention comprises a method of reducing photoresist mask collapse when the photoresist mask is dried after immersion development. As feature sizes continue to shrink, the capillary force of water used to rinse a photoresist mask approaches the point of being greater than adhesion force of the photoresist to the ARC. When the capillary force exceeds the adhesion force, the features of the mask may collapse because the water pulls adjacent features together as the water dries. By depositing a hermetic oxide layer over the ARC before depositing the photoresist, the adhesion force may exceed the capillary force and the features of the photoresist mask may not collapse. | 04-23-2009 |
20090269512 | NONPLANAR FACEPLATE FOR A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - A method and apparatus for adjust local plasma density during a plasma process. One embodiment provides an electrode assembly comprising a conductive faceplate having a nonplanar surface. The nonplanar surface is configured to face a substrate during processing and the conductive faceplate is disposed so that the nonplanar surface is opposing a substrate support having an electrode. The conductive faceplate and the substrate support form a plasma volume. The nonplanar surface is configured to adjust electric field between the conductive plate and the electrode by varying a distance between the conductive plate and the electrode. | 10-29-2009 |
20100093187 | Method for Depositing Conformal Amorphous Carbon Film by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) - Methods and apparatus for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a deposition process includes positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source having a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of greater than 1:2 into the processing chamber, introducing a plasma initiating gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, argon, nitrogen, and combinations thereof into the processing chamber, with the hydrocarbon source having a volumetric flow rate to plasma initiating gas volumetric flow rate ratio of 1:2 or greater, generating a plasma in the processing chamber, and forming a conformal amorphous carbon layer on the substrate. | 04-15-2010 |
20110076826 | PASSIVATING GLUE LAYER TO IMPROVE AMORPHOUS CARBON TO METAL ADHESION - A method and apparatus is provided for forming a resistive memory device having good adhesion among the components thereof. A first conductive layer is formed on a substrate, and the surface of the first conductive layer is treated to add adhesion promoting materials to the surface. The adhesion promoting materials may form a layer on the surface, or they may incorporate into the surface or merely passivate the surface of the first conductive layer. A variable resistance layer is formed on the treated surface, and a second conductive layer is formed on the variable resistance layer. Adhesion promoting materials may also be included at the interface between the variable resistance layer and the second conductive layer. | 03-31-2011 |
20110090613 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUBSTRATE CLAMPING IN A PLASMA CHAMBER - The present invention generally provides methods and apparatus for monitoring and maintaining flatness of a substrate in a plasma reactor. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for processing a substrate comprising positioning the substrate on an electrostatic chuck, applying an RF power between the an electrode in the electrostatic chuck and a counter electrode positioned parallel to the electrostatic chuck, applying a DC bias to the electrode in the electrostatic chuck to clamp the substrate on the electrostatic chuck, and measuring an imaginary impedance of the electrostatic chuck. | 04-21-2011 |
20110104400 | METHOD FOR DEPOSITING AN AMORPHOUS CARBON FILM WITH IMPROVED DENSITY AND STEP COVERAGE - A method for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate includes the steps of positioning a substrate in a chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a heavy noble gas into the processing chamber, and generating a plasma in the processing chamber. The heavy noble gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, krypton, xenon, and combinations thereof and the molar flow rate of the noble gas is greater than the molar flow rate of the hydrocarbon source. A post-deposition termination step may be included, wherein the flow of the hydrocarbon source and the noble gas is stopped and a plasma is maintained in the chamber for a period of time to remove particles therefrom. | 05-05-2011 |
20110111604 | PLASMA SURFACE TREATMENT TO PREVENT PATTERN COLLAPSE IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY - The present invention comprises a method of reducing photoresist mask collapse when the photoresist mask is dried after immersion development. As feature sizes continue to shrink, the capillary force of water used to rinse a photoresist mask approaches the point of being greater than adhesion force of the photoresist to the ARC. When the capillary force exceeds the adhesion force, the features of the mask may collapse because the water pulls adjacent features together as the water dries. By depositing a hermetic oxide layer over the ARC before depositing the photoresist, the adhesion force may exceed the capillary force and the features of the photoresist mask may not collapse. | 05-12-2011 |
20110159211 | SHADOW RING FOR MODIFYING WAFER EDGE AND BEVEL DEPOSITION - Embodiments of the invention contemplate a shadow ring that provides increased or decreased and more uniform deposition on the edge of a wafer. By removing material from the top and/or bottom surfaces of the shadow ring, increased edge deposition and bevel coverage can be realized. In one embodiment, the material on the bottom surface is reduced by providing a recessed slot on the bottom surface. By increasing the amount of material of the shadow ring, the edge deposition and bevel coverage is reduced. Another approach to adjusting the deposition at the edge of the wafer includes increasing or decreasing the inner diameter of the shadow ring. The material forming the shadow ring may also be varied to change the amount of deposition at the edge of the wafer. | 06-30-2011 |
20110244142 | NITROGEN DOPED AMORPHOUS CARBON HARDMASK - Embodiments described herein generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and more particularly to nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layers and processes for depositing nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layers on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, introducing a nitrogen containing hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the processing chamber, generating a plasma in the processing chamber, and forming a nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layer on the substrate. | 10-06-2011 |
20110294303 | CONFINED PROCESS VOLUME PECVD CHAMBER - An apparatus for plasma processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber, a shield member disposed in the processing chamber below the substrate support, and a lid assembly coupled to the processing chamber. The lid assembly comprises a conductive gas distributor coupled to a power source, and an electrode separated from the conductive gas distributor and the chamber body by electrical insulators. The electrode is also coupled to a source of electric power. The substrate support is formed with a stiffness that permits very little departure from parallelism. The shield member thermally shields a substrate transfer opening in the lower portion of the chamber body. A pumping plenum is located below the substrate support processing position, and is spaced apart therefrom. | 12-01-2011 |
20110303899 | GRAPHENE DEPOSITION - Embodiments of the invention are directed toward the deposition of Graphene on a semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, these processes can occur at low temperature levels during a back end of the line process. For example, Graphene can be deposited in a CVD reactor at a processing temperature that is below 600° C. to protect previously deposited layers that may be susceptible to sustained higher temperatures. Graphene deposition can include the deposition of an underlayer (e.g., cobalt) followed by the flow of a carbon precursor (e.g., acetylene) at the processing temperature. Graphene can then be synthesized with during cooling, an RTP cure, and/or a UV cure. | 12-15-2011 |
20120015521 | AMORPHOUS CARBON DEPOSITION METHOD FOR IMPROVED STACK DEFECTIVITY - Embodiments described herein relate to materials and processes for patterning and etching features in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer for improved stack defectivity on a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a process chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into the process chamber, introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber, generating a plasma in the process chamber, forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein the hydrocarbon source gas has a volumetric flow rate to diluent source gas flow rate ratio of 1:12 or less; and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer has a volumetric flow rate to a diluent source gas flow rate of 1:6 or greater to form the composite amorphous carbon layer. | 01-19-2012 |
20120043518 | VARIABLE RESISTANCE MEMORY ELEMENT AND FABRICATION METHODS - An electronic device comprises a variable resistance memory element on a substrate. The variable resistance memory element comprises (i) an amorphous carbon layer comprising a hydrogen content of at least about 30 atomic percent, and a maximum leakage current of less than about 1×10 | 02-23-2012 |
20120080779 | ULTRA HIGH SELECTIVITY DOPED AMORPHOUS CARBON STRIPPABLE HARDMASK DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and particularly to the deposition of a boron containing amorphous carbon layer on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method comprises providing a substrate in a processing volume, flowing a hydrocarbon containing gas mixture into the processing volume, generating a plasma of the hydrocarbon containing gas mixture by applying power from an RF source, flowing a boron containing gas mixture into the processing volume, and depositing a boron containing amorphous carbon film on the substrate in the presence of the plasma, wherein the boron containing amorphous carbon film contains from about 30 to about 60 atomic percentage of boron. | 04-05-2012 |
20120129351 | COMPOSITE REMOVABLE HARDMASK - A method and apparatus for forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate is provided. A first portion of the amorphous carbon layer having a high stress level is formed from a hydrocarbon precursor having high dilution ratio, with optional amine precursor included to add stress-elevating nitrogen. A second portion of the amorphous carbon layer having a low stress level is formed on the first portion by reducing the dilution ratio of the hydrocarbon precursor and lowering or eliminating the amine gas. Pressure, temperature, and RF power input may be adjusted instead of, or in addition to, precursor flow rates, and different precursors may be used for different stress levels. | 05-24-2012 |
20120204795 | METHODS TO IMPROVE THE IN-FILM DEFECTIVITY OF PECVD AMORPHOUS CARBON FILMS - An article having a protective coating for use in semiconductor applications and methods for making the same are provided. In certain embodiments, a method of coating an aluminum surface of an article utilized in a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The method comprises providing a processing chamber; placing the article into the processing chamber; flowing a first gas comprising a carbon source into the processing chamber; flowing a second gas comprising a nitrogen source into the processing chamber; forming a plasma in the chamber; and depositing a coating material on the aluminum surface. In certain embodiments, the coating material comprises an amorphous carbon nitrogen containing layer. In certain embodiments, the article comprises a showerhead configured to deliver a gas to the processing chamber. | 08-16-2012 |
20120208339 | PASSIVATING GLUE LAYER TO IMPROVE AMORPHOUS CARBON TO METAL ADHESION - A method and apparatus is provided for forming a resistive memory device having good adhesion among the components thereof. A first conductive layer is formed on a substrate, and the surface of the first conductive layer is treated to add adhesion promoting materials to the surface. The adhesion promoting materials may form a layer on the surface, or they may incorporate into the surface or merely passivate the surface of the first conductive layer. A variable resistance layer is formed on the treated surface, and a second conductive layer is formed on the variable resistance layer. Adhesion promoting materials may also be included at the interface between the variable resistance layer and the second conductive layer. | 08-16-2012 |
20120208373 | METHOD FOR DEPOSITING AN AMORPHOUS CARBON FILM WITH IMPROVED DENSITY AND STEP COVERAGE - A method for depositing an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate includes the steps of positioning a substrate in a chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a heavy noble gas into the processing chamber, and generating a plasma in the processing chamber. The heavy noble gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, krypton, xenon, and combinations thereof and the molar flow rate of the noble gas is greater than the molar flow rate of the hydrocarbon source. A post-deposition termination step may be included, wherein the flow of the hydrocarbon source and the noble gas is stopped and a plasma is maintained in the chamber for a period of time to remove particles therefrom. | 08-16-2012 |
20120208374 | AMORPHOUS CARBON DEPOSITION METHOD FOR IMPROVED STACK DEFECTIVITY - Embodiments described herein relate to materials and processes for patterning and etching features in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a process chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into the process chamber, introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber, generating a plasma in the process chamber, forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein the hydrocarbon source gas has a volumetric flow rate to diluent source gas flow rate ratio of 1:12 or less, and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer has a volumetric flow rate to a diluent source gas flow rate of 1:6 or greater. | 08-16-2012 |
20130189845 | CONFORMAL AMORPHOUS CARBON FOR SPACER AND SPACER PROTECTION APPLICATIONS - A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate. | 07-25-2013 |
20130302996 | DEPOSITION OF AN AMORPHOUS CARBON LAYER WITH HIGH FILM DENSITY AND HIGH ETCH SELECTIVITY - Embodiments described herein relate to a method for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes introducing a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon source and a diluent gas into a deposition chamber located within a processing system, generating a plasma from the gas mixture in the deposition chamber at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 700° C. to form a low-hydrogen content amorphous carbon layer on the substrate, transferring the substrate into a curing chamber located within the processing system without breaking vacuum, and exposing the substrate to UV radiation within the curing chamber at a curing temperature above about 200° C. | 11-14-2013 |
20140017897 | ULTRA HIGH SELECTIVITY DOPED AMORPHOUS CARBON STRIPPABLE HARDMASK DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and particularly to the deposition of a boron containing amorphous carbon layer on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a boron-containing amorphous carbon film is disclosed. The boron-containing amorphous carbon film comprises from about 10 to 60 atomic percentage of boron, from about 20 to about 50 atomic percentage of carbon, and from about 10 to about 30 atomic percentage of hydrogen. | 01-16-2014 |
20140162194 | CONFORMAL SACRIFICIAL FILM BY LOW TEMPERATURE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION TECHNIQUE - Methods and apparatus for forming a sacrificial during a novel process sequence of lithography and photoresist patterning are provided. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate having a resist material and an anti-reflective coating material thereon includes depositing an organic polymer layer over the surface of the substrate inside a process chamber using a CVD technique. The CVD technique includes flowing a monomer into a processing region of the process chamber, flowing an initiator into the processing region through one or more filament wires heated to a temperature between about 200° C. and about 450° C., and forming the organic polymer layer. In addition, the organic polymer layer is ashable and can be removed from the surface of the substrate when the resist material is removed from the surface of the substrate. | 06-12-2014 |
20140349490 | CONFORMAL AMORPHOUS CARBON FOR SPACER AND SPACER PROTECTION APPLICATIONS - A method of forming a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate, forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, depositing conformally a predetermined thickness of a nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate, selectively removing the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon layer, and removing the patterned features from the substrate. | 11-27-2014 |
20140370711 | NITROGEN DOPED AMORPHOUS CARBON HARDMASK - Embodiments described herein generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits and more particularly to nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layers and processes for depositing nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layers on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layer on a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, introducing a nitrogen containing hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source into the processing chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the processing chamber, generating a plasma in the processing chamber, and forming a nitrogen doped amorphous carbon layer on the substrate. | 12-18-2014 |