公开(公告)号：US20220081756A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-17

申请号：US17021661

申请日：2020-09-15

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Wenting HOU ,  Jianxin LEI ,  Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  Prashanth KOTHNUR ,  William R. JOHANSON

IPC: C23C14/18 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/35

Abstract: Method and apparatus that forms low resistivity tungsten film on substrates. In some embodiments, a method of reducing resistivity of tungsten includes generating a plasma in a processing volume of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber with a process gas of krypton and using an RF power with a frequency of approximately 60 MHz and a magnetron, applying bias power at frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz to a substrate, and sputtering a tungsten target to deposit a tungsten thin film on the substrate. At least approximately 90% of the deposited tungsten thin film has a crystalline orientation plane approximately parallel to a top surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20210033974A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-04

申请号：US16890867

申请日：2020-06-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tejinder SINGH ,  Lifan YAN ,  Abhijit B. MALLICK ,  Daniel Lee DIEHL ,  Ho-yung HWANG ,  Jothilingam RAMALINGAM

IPC: G03F7/09 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/308

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a multilayer stack used as a mask in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and methods for forming a multilayer stack. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a carbon layer over a film stack, forming a metal rich oxide layer on the carbon layer by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, forming a metal oxide photoresist layer on the metal rich oxide layer, and patterning the metal oxide photoresist layer. The metal oxide photoresist layer is different from the metal rich oxide layer and is formed by a process different from the PVD process. The metal rich oxide layer formed by the PVD process improves adhesion of the metal oxide photoresist layer and increases the secondary electrons during EUV lithography, which leads to decreased EUV dose energies.

公开(公告)号：US20240105433A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-28

申请号：US18536612

申请日：2023-12-12

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  William FRUCHTERMAN

IPC: H01J37/34 ,  C23C14/34

CPC classification number: H01J37/3441 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/3447

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing burn-in time of a physical vapor deposition shield, including: sputtering a dielectric target having a first dielectric constant to form a dielectric layer upon an inner surface of a shield, wherein the shield includes an aluminum oxide coating having a second dielectric constant in an amount sufficient to reduce the burn-in time, and wherein the first dielectric constant and second dielectric constant are substantially similar.

公开(公告)号：US20220341025A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-27

申请号：US17857370

申请日：2022-07-05

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Wenting HOU ,  Jianxin LEI ,  Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  Prashanth KOTHNUR ,  William R. JOHANSON

IPC: C23C14/18 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/14 ,  C23C14/16

Abstract: Apparatus that forms low resistivity tungsten film on substrates. In some embodiments, the apparatus may provide reduced resistivity of tungsten by being configured to generate a plasma in a processing volume of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber with a process gas of krypton and using an RF power with a frequency of approximately 60 MHz, apply bias power at frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz to a substrate, and sputter a tungsten target to deposit a tungsten thin film on the substrate. At least approximately 90% of the deposited tungsten thin film has a crystalline orientation plane approximately parallel to a top surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20210317568A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：US16846505

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Chao DU ,  Xing CHEN ,  Keith A. MILLER ,  Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  Jianxin LEI

IPC: C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for passivating a target are provided herein. For example, a method includes a) supplying an oxidizing gas into an inner volume of the process chamber; b) igniting the oxidizing gas to form a plasma and oxidize at least one of a target or target material deposited on a process kit disposed in the inner volume of the process chamber; and c) performing a cycle purge comprising: c1) providing air into the process chamber to react with the at least one of the target or target material deposited on the process kit; c2) maintaining a predetermined pressure for a predetermined time within the process chamber to generate a toxic by-product caused by the air reacting with the at least one of the target or target material deposited on the process kit; and c3) exhausting the process chamber to remove the toxic by-product.

公开(公告)号：US20200350160A1

公开(公告)日：2020-11-05

申请号：US16847455

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chunming ZHOU ,  Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  Yong CAO ,  Kevin Vincent MORAES ,  Shane LAVAN

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20180337052A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-22

申请号：US16052135

申请日：2018-08-01

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Jothilingam RAMALINGAM ,  Thanh X. NGUYEN ,  Zhiyong WANG ,  Jianxin LEI ,  Xianmin TANG

IPC: H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/326 ,  H01J37/34 ,  C23C14/18 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  C23C14/56

CPC classification number: H01L21/2855 ,  C23C14/185 ,  C23C14/3407 ,  C23C14/345 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/568 ,  H01J37/3408 ,  H01J37/3426 ,  H01J37/3435 ,  H01L21/326

Abstract: Systems and methods for sputtering a layer of refractory metal layer onto a barrier layer disposed on a substrate are disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, a method of sputter depositing a tungsten structure includes: moving a substrate into a plasma processing chamber and onto a substrate support in opposition to a sputter target assembly comprising a tungsten target having no more than ten parts per million of carbon and no more than ten parts per million of oxygen present as impurities; and generating a plasma within the plasma processing chamber to deposit, by sputtering, a tungsten film layer on a material layer of a substrate supported by the substrate support. In some embodiments, the target assembly further includes a titanium backing plate and an aluminum bonding layer disposed between the titanium backing plate and the tungsten target.