公开(公告)号：US20240379768A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-14

申请号：US18196833

申请日：2023-05-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shumao ZHANG ,  Le ZHANG ,  Weifeng YE ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  David T. OR ,  Gary HOW ,  Yiyang WAN ,  Liqi WU ,  Jiang LU

IPC: H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/768

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a method of forming contact structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes treating a native oxide layer formed on a contact junction, wherein treating the native oxide layer forms a silica salt layer on the contact junction disposed within a contact feature that includes one or more surfaces that comprise silicon nitride. Then exposing the silica salt layer and the one or more surfaces to a plasma comprising oxygen, wherein the plasma forms a silicon oxynitride material on the one or more surfaces. Then removing the second silica salt layer, selectively forming a metal silicide layer on the contact junction, and then filling the contact feature with a metal, wherein filling the feature comprises selectively depositing a metal layer over the selectively formed metal silicide layer.

公开(公告)号：US20230343644A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US18070383

申请日：2022-11-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Shiyu YUE ,  Jiang LU ,  Rongjun WANG ,  Xianmin TANG ,  Zhenjiang CUI ,  Chi Hong CHING ,  Meng-Shan WU ,  Chun-chieh WANG ,  Wei LEI ,  Yu LEI

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L23/532

CPC classification number: H01L21/76877 ,  H01L21/67063 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L21/76871 ,  H01L23/53266

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in a top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed in a first process chamber to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process is performed in the first process chamber removes or reduces the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.

公开(公告)号：US20230343643A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US17868475

申请日：2022-07-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Shiyu YUE ,  Wei LEI ,  Yi XU ,  Jiang LU ,  Yu LEI ,  Ziye XIONG ,  Tsung-Han YANG ,  Zhimin QI ,  Aixi ZHANG ,  Jie ZHANG ,  Liqi WU ,  Rongjun WANG ,  Shihchung CHEN ,  Meng-Shan WU ,  Chun-Chieh WANG ,  Annamalai LAKSHMANAN ,  Yixiong YANG ,  Xianmin TANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522

CPC classification number: H01L21/76877 ,  H01L21/76876 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L21/76865 ,  H01L23/5226 ,  H01L21/76826

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in a top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process removes or reduces the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.

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：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.

公开(公告)号：US20250157824A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-15

申请号：US18947949

申请日：2024-11-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shumao ZHANG ,  Qihao ZHU ,  Liqi WU ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Jiang LU ,  Rongjun WANG

IPC: H01L21/285 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and processes for selectively depositing a metal fill layer into a feature on the surface of a semiconductor structure. In some embodiments, a method of forming a contact structure includes performing a preclean operation on a contact structure to form a precleaned contact structure. The contact structure includes a silicon-based portion exposed in a cavity of a substrate. The method further includes depositing a metal layer over the precleaned contact structure to form a deposited contact structure. The method further includes introducing a metal halide precursor to the deposited contact structure to at least partially remove the second layer from the deposited contact structure to form an etched contact structure. The method further includes depositing a metal fill layer onto the first layer to form a filled contact structure. The deposited metal fill layer comprises a super conformal profile.

公开(公告)号：US20230343645A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US18128389

申请日：2023-03-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Meng-Shan WU ,  Chih-Hsun HSU ,  Jiang LU ,  Shiyu YUE ,  Chun-chieh WANG ,  Annamalai LAKSHMANAN ,  Yixiong YANG

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/532

CPC classification number: H01L21/76879 ,  H01L21/76871 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L23/53266 ,  H01L21/76865 ,  H01L21/76831

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on exposed top surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in the top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process removes the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A second etch process removes portions of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.