公开(公告)号：US20240006236A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-04

申请号：US18133065

申请日：2023-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tsung-Han YANG ,  Junyeong YUN ,  Rongjun WANG ,  Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Wenting HOU ,  Xianmin TANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/76876 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L21/76895 ,  H01J2237/338 ,  H01J37/32899

Abstract: A method of forming a structure on a substrate includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer within at least one feature. The method includes forming the nucleation layer via a cyclic vapor deposition process. The cyclic vapor deposition process includes forming a portion of the nucleation layer and then exposing the exposing the nucleation layer a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove impurities from the portion of the nucleation layer. The CVT process may be performed at a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius or less and comprises forming a plasma from a processing gas comprising greater than or equal to 90% of hydrogen gas of a total flow of hydrogen gas and oxygen.

公开(公告)号：US20210320034A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：US16845749

申请日：2020-04-10

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Wei LEI ,  Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Tae Hong HA ,  Raymond HUNG ,  Shirish A. PETHE

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/3213

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selectively depositing a tungsten layer atop a dielectric surface. In embodiments the method includes: depositing a tungsten layer via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process atop a substrate field and atop a sidewall and a dielectric bottom surface of a feature disposed in a substrate to form a first tungsten portion having a first thickness atop the substrate field, a second tungsten portion having a second thickness atop the sidewall, and a third tungsten portion having a third thickness atop the dielectric bottom surface, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness and third thickness; oxidizing a top surface of the tungsten layer to form a first oxidized tungsten portion atop the substrate field, a second oxidized tungsten portion atop the side wall, and a third oxidized tungsten portion atop the dielectric bottom surface; removing the first oxidized tungsten portion, the second oxidized tungsten portion and the third oxidized tungsten portion, wherein the second tungsten portion is completely removed from the sidewall; and passivating or completely removing the first tungsten portion from the substrate field.

公开(公告)号：US20250079199A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-06

申请号：US18458146

申请日：2023-08-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shiyu YUE ,  Sahil Jaykumar PATEL ,  Yu LEI ,  Wei LEI ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Yi XU ,  Abulaiti HAIRISHA ,  Cong TRINH ,  Yixiong YANG ,  Ju Hyun OH ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Xingyao GAO ,  Rongjun WANG

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3213

Abstract: A method of selective metal removal via gradient oxidation for a gap-fill includes performing process cycles, each process cycle including placing a wafer having a semiconductor structure thereon into a first processing station, the semiconductor structure including a dielectric layer patterned with a feature formed therein and a seed layer formed on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the feature and a top surface of the dielectric layer, performing a reduction process on the wafer in the first processing station, performing a gradient oxidation process on the wafer in the second processing station, performing a gradient etch process on the wafer in the third processing station, and performing the gradient etch process on the wafer in the fourth processing station, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth processing stations are located in an interior volume of a processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20240420947A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18210651

申请日：2023-06-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shiyu YUE ,  Jiajie CEN ,  Sahil Jaykumar PATEL ,  Zhimin QI ,  Ju Hyun OH ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Xingyao GAO ,  Wei LEI ,  Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Tsung-Han YANG ,  Xiaodong WANG ,  Xiangjin XIE ,  Yixiong YANG ,  Kevin KASHEFI ,  Rongjun WANG

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: A method of pre-cleaning in a semiconductor structure includes performing a plasma pre-treatment process to remove impurities from a surface of a semiconductor structure comprising a metal layer and a dielectric layer, performing a selective etch process to remove molybdenum oxide from a surface of the metal layer, the selective etch process comprising soaking the semiconductor structure in a precursor including molybdenum chloride (MoCl5, MoCl6) at a temperature of between 250° C. and 350° C., and performing a post-treatment process to remove chlorine residues and by-products of the selective etch process on the surface of the semiconductor structure.

公开(公告)号：US20240178062A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-30

申请号：US18083075

申请日：2022-12-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Rongjun WANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285

CPC classification number: H01L21/76877 ,  H01L21/28556

Abstract: A method of gap fill may include depositing a sacrificial Si layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate. In addition, the method may include depositing a metal layer in the opening and on the field, where at least a portion of the sacrificial Si layer is replaced with the metal layer. The method may also include depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening and on the field directly over the metal layer, where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening.

公开(公告)号：US20240088071A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-14

申请号：US17944596

申请日：2022-09-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Zhimin QI ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Xianyuan ZHAO ,  Wei LEI ,  Xingyao GAO ,  Shirish A. PETHE ,  Tao HUANG ,  Xiang CHANG ,  Patrick Po-Chun LI ,  Geraldine VASQUEZ ,  Dien-yeh WU ,  Rongjun WANG

IPC: H01L23/00

CPC classification number: H01L24/03 ,  H01L24/05 ,  H01L2224/03452 ,  H01L2224/03845 ,  H01L2224/05026 ,  H01L2224/05082 ,  H01L2224/05157 ,  H01L2224/05184 ,  H01L2924/01027 ,  H01L2924/01074 ,  H01L2924/04941 ,  H01L2924/0496 ,  H01L2924/059 ,  H01L2924/35121

Abstract: Methods for reducing resistivity of metal gapfill include depositing a conformal layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate with a first thickness of the conformal layer of approximately 10 microns or less, depositing a non-conformal metal layer directly on the conformal layer at a bottom of the opening and directly on the field using an anisotropic deposition process. A second thickness of the non-conformal metal layer on the field and on the bottom of the feature is approximately 30 microns or greater. And depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening of the feature and on the field where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening without any voids.

公开(公告)号：US20240014072A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18212352

申请日：2023-06-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tsung-Han YANG ,  Zhimin QI ,  Yongqian GAO ,  Rongjun WANG ,  Yi XU ,  Yu LEI ,  Xingyao GAO ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Xi CEN ,  Wei LEI ,  Shiyu YUE ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Kai WU ,  Xianmin TANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/76879 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32816 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J2237/332

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure includes forming a nucleation layer within at least one feature. The method includes exposing the nucleation layer to a nitrogen plasma treatment. The nitrogen plasma treatment preferentially treats the top field and sidewalls while leaving the bottom surface substantially untreated to encourage bottom up metal growth.

公开(公告)号：US20230420295A1

公开(公告)日：2023-12-28

申请号：US18133102

申请日：2023-04-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Tsung-Han YANG ,  Xingyao GAO ,  Shiyu YUE ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Shirish PETHE ,  Rongjun WANG ,  Yi XU ,  Wei LEI ,  Yu LEI ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Xianyuan ZHAO ,  Zhimin QI ,  Jiang LU ,  Xianmin TANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/76877 ,  H01L21/76876 ,  H01L21/76865 ,  H01L21/2855 ,  H01J2237/338 ,  H01L21/76856 ,  H01L21/76861 ,  H01J37/32899 ,  H01L21/76843

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tungsten gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes performing a gradient oxidation process to oxidize exposed portions of a liner layer, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes an overhang portion of the liner layer, which obstructs or blocks top openings of one or more features formed within a field region of a substrate. The method further includes performing an etchback process to remove or reduce the oxidized overhang portion of the liner layer, exposing the liner layer to a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove metal oxide remaining from the gradient oxidation process and the etchback process, and performing a tungsten gap-fill process to fill or partially fill the one or more features.