Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130202515 | ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY OF EXTENDED PERIODIC II-ELECTRON SYSTEMS - A method of modifying a carbon material is disclosed. The method comprises: bonding a metal to a carbon material to form a metal-carbon complex comprising the metal and a benzene unit, wherein the carbon material comprises extended sp | 08-08-2013 |
20130236632 | Graphene Combinatorial Processing - A method for optimizing graphene synthesis is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a plurality of site isolated regions defined thereon and depositing a metal layer within each region of the plurality of site isolated regions. The metal layer is combinatorially deposited among the plurality of site isolated regions. The method includes synthesizing a graphene layer over each metal layer within each region of the plurality of site isolated regions and evaluating grain boundary profiles in the synthesized graphene layer over each metal layer within each region of the plurality of site isolated regions. | 09-12-2013 |
20130323863 | Method for Generating Graphene Structures - A method for depositing graphene is provided. The method includes depositing a layer of non-conducting amorphous carbon over a surface of a substrate and depositing a transition metal in a pattern over the amorphous carbon. The substrate is annealed at a temperature below 500° C., where the annealing converts the non-conducting amorphous carbon disposed under the transition metal to conducting amorphous carbon. A portion of the pattern of the transition metal is removed from the surface of the substrate to expose the conducting amorphous carbon. | 12-05-2013 |
20140106561 | Graphene Barrier Layers for Interconnects and Methods for Forming the Same - Embodiments described herein provide interconnect barrier layers and methods for forming such barriers. A dielectric body having a trench formed in a surface thereof is provided. A first layer is formed above the dielectric body within the trench. The first layer includes amorphous carbon. A second layer is formed above the first layer. The second layer includes a metal. The dielectric body, the first layer, and the second layer are heated to convert at least some of the amorphous carbon to graphene. | 04-17-2014 |
20140110764 | Method to control amorphous oxide layer formation at interfaces of thin film stacks for memory and logic components - Methods and apparatuses for combinatorial processing are disclosed. Methods of the present disclosure providing a substrate, the substrate comprising a plurality of site-isolated regions. Methods include forming a first capping layer on the surface of a first site-isolated region of the substrate. The methods further include forming a second capping layer on the surface of a second site-isolated region of the substrate. In some embodiments, forming the first and second capping layers include exposing the first and second site-isolated regions to a plasma induced with H | 04-24-2014 |
20140127422 | Method and Apparatus for High-K Gate Performance Improvement and Combinatorial Processing - Methods and apparatuses for combinatorial processing are disclosed. Methods include introducing a substrate into a processing chamber. Methods further include forming a first film on a surface of a first site-isolated region on the substrate and forming a second film on a surface of a second site-isolated region on the substrate. The methods further include exposing the first film to a plasma having a first source gas to form a first treated film on the substrate and exposing the second film to a plasma having a second source gas to form a second treated film on the substrate without etching the first treated film in the processing chamber. In addition, methods include evaluating results of the treated films post processing. | 05-08-2014 |
20140134849 | Combinatorial Site Isolated Plasma Assisted Deposition - An apparatus that includes a base, a sidewall extending from the base, and a lid disposed over a top of the sidewall is provided. A plasma generating source extends through a surface of the lid. A rotatable substrate support is disposed within the chamber above a surface of the base, the rotatable substrate support operable to vertically translate from the base to the lid. A first fluid inlet extends into a first surface of the sidewall and a second fluid inlet extends into a second surface of the sidewall. The plasma generating source provides a plasma activated species to a region of a surface of a substrate supported on the rotatable substrate support and a fluid delivered proximate to the region from one of the first or the second fluid inlet interacts with the plasma activated species to deposit a layer of material over the region. | 05-15-2014 |
20140166616 | Combinatorial Processing Using a Remote Plasma Source - Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. Inert gas ports within the showerhead assembly can be used to alter the concentration and energy of reactive radical or reactive neutral species generated by the remote plasma source in different regions of the showerhead. This allows the showerhead to be used to apply a surface treatment to different regions of the surface of a substrate. Varying parameters such as the remote plasma parameters, the inert gas flows, pressure, and the like allow different regions of the substrate to be treated in a combinatorial manner. | 06-19-2014 |
20140179095 | Methods and Systems for Controlling Gate Dielectric Interfaces of MOSFETs - Embodiments provided herein describe methods and systems for forming gate dielectrics for field effect transistors. A substrate including a germanium channel and a germanium oxide layer on a surface of the germanium channel is provided. A metallic layer is deposited on the germanium oxide layer. The metallic layer may be nanocrystalline or amorphous. The deposition of the metallic layer causes the germanium oxide layer to be reduced such that a metal oxide layer is formed adjacent to the germanium channel. | 06-26-2014 |
20140179100 | Method to Control Depth Profiles of Dopants Using a Remote Plasma Source - Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. The remote plasma source may be used to provide a plasma surface treatment or as a source to incorporate dopants into a pre-deposited layer. | 06-26-2014 |
20140179113 | Surface Treatment Methods and Systems for Substrate Processing - Embodiments provided herein describe methods and systems for processing substrates. A plasma including radical species and charged species is generated. The charged species of the plasma are collected. A substrate is exposed to the radical species of the plasma. A layer is formed on the substrate after exposing the substrate to the radical species. | 06-26-2014 |
20140183161 | Methods and Systems for Site-Isolated Combinatorial Substrate Processing Using a Mask - Embodiments provided herein describe methods and systems for processing substrates. A substrate processing tool includes a housing having a sidewall and a lid. The housing defines a processing chamber. A substrate support is configured to support a substrate within the processing chamber. A plasma generation source is coupled to the housing and in fluid communication with the processing chamber through the lid of the housing. The plasma generation source is configured to provide a plasma activated species into the processing chamber. A mask is positioned within the processing chamber to at least partially shield the substrate from the plasma activated species. The mask includes a plurality of openings configured such that when the mask is in first and second positions, the plasma activated species passes through a respective first and second of the plurality of openings and causes first and second regions on the substrate to be processed. | 07-03-2014 |
20140252565 | Nucleation Interface for High-K Layer on Germanium - A germanium-containing semiconductor surface is prepared for formation of a dielectric overlayer (e.g., a thin layer of high-k gate dielectric) by (1) removal of native oxide, for example by wet cleaning, (2) additional cleaning with hydrogen species, (3) in-situ formation of a controlled monolayer of GeO | 09-11-2014 |
20140264281 | Channel-Last Methods for Making FETS - Semiconductor devices and methods of making thereof are disclosed. A field effect transistor (FET) is provided comprising a substrate, a first layer disposed above the substrate, the first layer being operable as a gate electrode, a second layer disposed above the first layer, the second layer comprising a dielectric material, a third layer disposed above the second layer, the third layer comprising a semiconductor, and a fourth layer comprising one or more conductive materials and operable as source and drain electrodes disposed above the third layer. In some embodiments, the dielectric material comprises a high-κ dielectric. In some embodiments, the source and drain electrodes comprise one or more metals. The source and drain electrodes are each in ohmic contact with an area of the top surface of the third layer, and substantially all of the current through the transistor flows through the ohmic contacts. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273309 | Controlling Radical Lifetimes in a Remote Plasma Chamber - Remote-plasma treatments of surfaces, for example in semiconductor manufacture, can be improved by preferentially exposing the surface to only a selected subset of the plasma species generated by the plasma source. The probability that a selected species reaches the surface, or that an unselected species is quenched or otherwise converted or diverted before reaching the surface, can be manipulated by introducing additional gases with selected properties either at the plasma source or in the process chamber, varying chamber pressure or flow rate to increase or decrease collisions, or changing the dimensions or geometry of the injection ports, conduits and other passages traversed by the species. Some example processes treat surfaces preferentially with relatively low-energy radicals, vary the concentration of radicals at the surface in real time, or clean and passivate in the same unit process. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273493 | Hydrogen Plasma Cleaning of Germanium Oxide Surfaces - Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. The plasma system may be used to generate activated hydrogen species. The activated hydrogen species can be used to etch/clean semiconductor oxide surfaces such as silicon oxide or germanium oxide. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273525 | Atomic Layer Deposition of Reduced-Leakage Post-Transition Metal Oxide Films - Metal-oxide films (e.g., aluminum oxide) with low leakage current suitable for high-k gate dielectrics are deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The purge time after the metal-deposition phase is 5-15 seconds, and the purge time after the oxidation phase is prolonged beyond 60 seconds. Prolonging the post-oxidation purge produced an order-of-magnitude reduction of leakage current in 30 Å-thick Al | 09-18-2014 |
20140315331 | Screening of Surface Passivation Processes for Germanium Channels - Candidate wet processes for native oxide removal from, and passivation of, germanium surfaces can be screened by high-productivity combinatorial variation of different process parameters on different site-isolated regions of a single substrate. Variable process parameters include the choice of hydrohalic acid used to remove the native oxide, the concentration of the acid in the solution, the exposure time, and the use of an optional sulfur passivation step. Measurements to compare the results of the process variations include attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). A sample screening experiment indicated somewhat less native oxide regrowth using HCl or HBr without sulfur passivation, compared to using HF with sulfur passivation. | 10-23-2014 |
20150021772 | Mixed-metal barrier films optimized by high-productivity combinatorial PVD - A barrier film including at least one ferromagnetic metal (e.g., nickel) and at least one refractory metal (e.g., tantalum) effectively blocks copper diffusion and facilitates uniform contiguous (non-agglomerating) deposition of copper layers less than 100 Å thick. Methods of forming the metal barrier include co-sputtering the component metals from separate targets. Using high-productivity combinatorial (HPC) apparatus and methods, the proportions of the component metals can be optimized. Gradient compositions can be deposited by varying the plasma power or throw distance of the separate targets. | 01-22-2015 |
20150140836 | Methods to Control SiO2 Etching During Fluorine Doping of Si/SiO2 Interface - Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. Methods are disclosed that discuss the use of blocking species that bind to the surface of the dielectric and retard the etching of the dielectric surface by a doping/passivating species. The surface of the dielectric may be exposed to the blocking species a plurality of times during the process to ensure that the surface is well protected. | 05-21-2015 |
20150179743 | Graphene as a Ge Surface Passivation Layer to Control Metal-Semiconductor Junction Resistivity - In some embodiments, a “channel last” device architecture is implemented wherein an amorphous carbon layer is formed between the channel and the source and drain layers. Subsequent heating of the structure allows the metal materials in the source and drain layers to convert the amorphous carbon materials into graphene. This forms an ohmic contact between the source and drain layers and the channel layers and lowers the contact resistance. | 06-25-2015 |
20150179757 | Methods to Characterize an Embedded Interface of a CMOS Gate Stack - Metal gate high-k capacitor structures with lithography patterning are used to extract gate work function using a combinatorial workflow. Oxide terracing, together with high productivity combinatorial process flow for metal deposition can provide optimum high-k gate dielectric and metal gate solutions for high performance logic transistors. Surface treatments can be inserted at three possible steps during the formation of the MOSCAP structures. The high productivity combinatorial technique can provide an evaluation of effective work function for given high-k dielectric metal gate stacks for PMOS and NMOS transistors, which is critical in identifying and selecting the right materials. | 06-25-2015 |