公开(公告)号：US11362275B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16855122

申请日：2020-04-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nicolas Louis Gabriel Breil ,  Siddarth Krishnan ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Ria Someshwar ,  Kai Ng ,  Deepak Kamalanathan

IPC: H01L45/00 ,  H01L27/24

Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a memory structure may include forming a layer of a transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material overlying a substrate. The substrate may include a first electrode material. The methods may include annealing the transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material at a temperature greater than or about 500° C. The annealing may occur for a time period less than or about one second. The methods may also include, subsequent the annealing, forming a layer of a second electrode material over the transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material.

公开(公告)号：US10236207B2

公开(公告)日：2019-03-19

申请号：US15438490

申请日：2017-02-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Johanes S. Swenberg ,  Wei Liu ,  Houda Graoui ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Shankar Muthukrishnan ,  Rene George

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a sequential hydrogenation and nitridization process for reducing interfacial and bulk O atoms in a conductive structure in a semiconductor device. A hydrogenation and plasma nitridization process is performed on a metal nitride layer in a conductive structure prior to deposition of a second metal layer, thereby reducing interfacial oxygen atoms formed on a surface of the metal nitride and oxygen atoms present in the bulk metal layers of the conductive structure. As a result, adhesion of the second metal layer to the metal nitride layer is improved and the electrical resistance of the contact structure is reduced.

公开(公告)号：US20230146981A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：US18093648

申请日：2023-01-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Rui Cheng ,  Diwakar Kedlaya ,  Karthik Janakiraman ,  Gautam K. Hemani ,  Krishna Nittala ,  Alicia J. Lustgraaf ,  Zubin Huang ,  Brett Spaulding ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Kelvin Chan

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/50

CPC classification number: H01L21/0262 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  C23C16/24 ,  H01L21/02664 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01L21/02592

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region, and the substrate may be maintained at a temperature below or about 450° C. The methods may include striking a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a layer of amorphous silicon on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon as-deposited may be characterized by less than or about 3% hydrogen incorporation.

公开(公告)号：US11587789B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US17123386

申请日：2020-12-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xinming Zhang ,  Abhilash J. Mayur ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Norman L. Tam ,  Matthew Spuller ,  Zeqiong Zhao

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L21/30 ,  H01L27/11582

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume being in fluid communication with a plasma source. The substrate can include a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method can also include forming an oxide cap layer over a silicon-containing layer of the channel structure and exposing the oxide cap layer to a hydrogen-or-deuterium radical to nucleate the silicon-containing layer of the channel structures of the substrate. Forming the oxide cap layer and exposing the channel structure with the hydrogen radical occurs in the first processing chamber to form a nucleated substrate. The method can also include positioning the nucleated substrate in a second processing chamber with a second processing volume and heating the nucleated substrate in the second processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US11114320B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US16690988

申请日：2019-11-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Gaurav Thareja ,  Takashi Kuratomi ,  Avgerinos V. Gelatos ,  Xianmin Tang ,  Sanjay Natarajan ,  Keyvan Kashefizadeh ,  Zhebo Chen ,  Jianxin Lei ,  Shashank Sharma

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/10 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L29/08 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a processing system and a method of forming a contact. The processing system includes a plurality of process chambers configured to deposit, etch, and/or anneal a source/drain region of a substrate. The method includes depositing a doped semiconductor layer over a source/drain region, forming an anchor layer in a trench, and depositing a conductor in the trench. The method of forming a contact results in reduced contact resistance by using integrated processes, which allows various operations of the source/drain contact formation to be performed within the same processing system.

公开(公告)号：US20240401193A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-05

申请号：US18327738

申请日：2023-06-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shashank Sharma

IPC: C23C16/448 ,  C23C16/44

Abstract: Vapor deposition precursor recovery systems and methods are provided. Methods and systems include a precursor container housing a precursor material and a carrier gas container housing a carrier gas. Systems and methods include a condenser assembly having a condenser in fluid connection with an exhaust line, a recycled precursor container, and a cooling circuit. Systems and methods include a vaporizer having one or more inlets in fluid connection with the precursor container and the carrier gas container, and an outlet in fluid connection with a gas distributor and the condenser assembly. Systems and methods include where the condenser is maintained at an internal temperature of greater than or about 10° C. below a boiling point of the precursor material and greater than or about 10° C. above a boiling point of the carrier gas.

公开(公告)号：US20240234167A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-11

申请号：US18095262

申请日：2023-01-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shashank Sharma ,  Udit Suryakant Kotagi ,  Diwakar Kedlaya ,  Mayur Govind Kulkarni ,  Rupankar Choudhury

IPC: H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/67017 ,  H01L21/67103 ,  H01L21/67196

Abstract: Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a lid plate. The systems may include a plurality of processing regions. The systems may include at least one splitter. Each splitter may include a top surface and side surfaces. Each splitter may define an inlet and a plurality of outlets. Each inlet and outlet may extend through a side surface. Each splitter may define an inlet lumen that extends from the fluid inlet to a hub. Each splitter may define a plurality of outlet lumens that each extend from the hub to one of the outlets. Each of the outlet lumens may have a same length. The systems may include a plurality of output manifolds. Each of the output manifolds may be coupled with a respective processing region. The systems may include a plurality of valves. At least one valve may be coupled between each outlet and an output manifold.

公开(公告)号：US20230178375A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-08

申请号：US17541582

申请日：2021-12-03

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kunal Bhatnagar ,  Wei Liu ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Archana Kumar ,  Mohith Verghese ,  Jose Alexandro Romero

IPC: H01L21/28 ,  H01L29/49 ,  H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/3215

CPC classification number: H01L21/28088 ,  H01L21/3215 ,  H01L21/28556 ,  H01L29/401 ,  H01L29/4966

Abstract: Method of forming film stacks and film stacks for electronic devices are described herein. The methods comprise depositing a molybdenum nucleation layer on a gate oxide layer; depositing a molybdenum layer on the molybdenum nucleation layer; and performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms into the molybdenum layer to form a work function modulating layer having an effective work function ≤ 4.5 eV. The plasma nitridation process comprises exposing the molybdenum layer to a radical-rich plasma comprising one or more of N2 or NH3. Some methods further comprise one or more of annealing the work function modulating layer, depositing a conductive layer on the work function modulating layer, or performing an etch process.

公开(公告)号：US11615986B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-28

申请号：US17477741

申请日：2021-09-17

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Xuebin Li ,  Wei Liu ,  Gaurav Thareja ,  Shashank Sharma ,  Patricia M. Liu ,  Schubert Chu

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/40 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/321 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L21/8234 ,  H01L21/3205 ,  H01L29/417

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20230033058A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-02

申请号：US17389103

申请日：2021-07-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Khokan Chandra Paul ,  Truong Van Nguyen ,  Diwakar Kedlaya ,  Maziar Aghvami ,  Vijet Patil ,  Shashank Sharma

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include an inductively coupled plasma source. The systems may include an RF power source that is electrically coupled with the inductively coupled plasma source. The systems may include a first gas source fluidly coupled with the inductively coupled plasma source. The systems may include a second gas source. The systems may include a dual-channel showerhead assembly defining a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures. The first plurality of apertures may be fluidly coupled with the inductively coupled plasma source. The second plurality of apertures are fluidly coupled with the second gas source.