| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7405453 |
Incorporation of nitrogen into high k dielectric film |
July 29, 2008 |
| A high k dielectric film and methods for forming the same are disclosed. The high k material includes two peaks of impurity concentration, particularly nitrogen, such as at a lower interface and upper interface, making the layer particularly suitable for transistor gate dielectric ap |
| 7404984 |
Method for growing thin films |
July 29, 2008 |
| The invention relates to a method and apparatus for growing a thin film onto a substrate, in which method a substrate placed in a reaction space (21) is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions of at least two vapor-phase reactants for the purpose of forming a thin film. A |
| 7402504 |
Epitaxial semiconductor deposition methods and structures |
July 22, 2008 |
| Methods for depositing epitaxial films such as epitaxial Ge and SiGe films. During cooling from high temperature processing to lower deposition temperatures for Ge-containing layers, Si or Ge compounds are provided to the substrate. Smooth, thin, relatively defect-free Ge or SiGe lay |
| 7396415 |
Apparatus and methods for isolating chemical vapor reactions at a substrate surface |
July 8, 2008 |
| An apparatus and method for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a reaction chamber, a substrate holder within the chamber, and first and second injector components. The reaction chamber has an upstream end and a downstream end, between which the substrate hold |
| 7370848 |
Bubbler for substrate processing |
May 13, 2008 |
| A vaporization chamber for a substrate processing system includes a main body, a cover member and a transition member. The main body is made of aluminum and defines a first inner surface, which defines, at least in part, a cavity. The cover member is also made of aluminum. The cover |
| 7329593 |
Germanium deposition |
February 12, 2008 |
| A method comprises, in a reaction chamber, depositing a seed layer of germanium over a silicon-containing surface at a first temperature. The seed layer has a thickness between about one monolayer and about 1000 .ANG.. The method further comprises, after depositing the seed layer, in |
| 7297641 |
Method to form ultra high quality silicon-containing compound layers |
November 20, 2007 |
| Multiple sequential processes are conducted in a reaction chamber to form ultra high quality silicon-containing compound layers, including silicon nitride layers. In a preferred embodiment, a silicon layer is deposited on a substrate using trisilane as the silicon precursor. A silicon |
| 7289865 |
Optimization algorithm to optimize within substrate uniformities |
October 30, 2007 |
| A method to optimize semiconductor processing equipment (hardware settings and process conditions) to minimize non-uniformities within a wafer based on linescan measurements and a calculation of or prediction for a polar map. Measurements of a metrology value are taken at a number of poi |
| 7285500 |
Thin films and methods of making them |
October 23, 2007 |
| Thin, smooth silicon-containing films are prepared by deposition methods that utilize a silicon containing precursor. In preferred embodiments, the methods result in Si-containing films that are continuous and have a thickness of about 150 .ANG. or less, a surface roughness of about 5 |
| 7273799 |
Deposition over mixed substrates |
September 25, 2007 |
| Chemical vapor deposition methods are used to deposit silicon-containing films over mixed substrates. Such methods are useful in semiconductor manufacturing to provide a variety of advantages, including uniform deposition over heterogeneous surfaces, high deposition rates, and higher |
| 7253084 |
Deposition from liquid sources |
August 7, 2007 |
| A liquid injector is used to vaporize and inject a silicon precursor into a process chamber to form silicon-containing layers during a semiconductor fabrication process. The injector is connected to a source of silicon precursor, which preferably comprises liquid trisilane in a mixtu |
| 7248931 |
Semiconductor wafer position shift measurement and correction |
July 24, 2007 |
| A method and apparatus is provided for determining substrate drift from its nominal or intended position. The apparatus includes at least two fixed reference points. The reference points can be fixed with respect to the processing tool, or with respect to the end effector. As a robotic |
| 7238595 |
Epitaxial semiconductor deposition methods and structures |
July 3, 2007 |
| Methods for depositing epitaxial films such as epitaxial Ge and SiGe films. During cooling from high temperature processing to lower deposition temperatures for Ge-containing layers, Si or Ge compounds are provided to the substrate. Smooth, thin, relatively defect-free Ge or SiGe lay |
| 7235806 |
Wafer edge with light sensor |
June 26, 2007 |
| An apparatus for detecting the presence of a substrate that is carried by an end effector of a substrate handling assembly positioned within a substrate processing system comprises a receiving member that is coupled to an end effector and a light sensor that is operatively coupled to the |
| 7231141 |
High temperature drop-off of a substrate |
June 12, 2007 |
| A substrate to be processed in a high temperature processing chamber is preheated to avoid the problems associated with thermal shock when the substrate is dropped onto a heated susceptor. Preheating is effected by holding the substrate over a susceptor maintained at or near the proc |
| 7208354 |
Deposition of silicon germanium on silicon-on-insulator structures and bulk substrates |
April 24, 2007 |
| Methods are provided for producing SiGe-on-insulator structures and for forming strain-relaxed SiGe layers on silicon while minimizing defects. Amorphous SiGe layers are deposited by CVD from trisilane and GeH.sub.4. The amorphous SiGe layers are recrystallized over silicon by melt or |
| 7202166 |
Surface preparation prior to deposition on germanium |
April 10, 2007 |
| Methods are provided for treating germanium surfaces in preparation for subsequent deposition, particularly gate dielectric deposition by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Prior to depositing, the germanium surface is treated with plasma products or thermally reacted with vapor reactants. |
| 7186630 |
Deposition of amorphous silicon-containing films |
March 6, 2007 |
| Chemical vapor deposition methods are used to deposit amorphous silicon-containing films over various substrates. Such methods are useful in semiconductor manufacturing to provide a variety of advantages, including uniform deposition over heterogeneous surfaces, high deposition rates |
| 7186582 |
Process for deposition of semiconductor films |
March 6, 2007 |
| Chemical vapor deposition processes utilize higher order silanes and germanium precursors as chemical precursors. The processes have high deposition rates yet produce more uniform films, both compositionally and in thickness, than films prepared using conventional chemical precursors. |
| 7186298 |
Wafer support system |
March 6, 2007 |
| A wafer support system comprising a segmented susceptor having top and bottom sections and gas flow passages therethrough. A plurality of spacers projecting from a recess formed in the top section of the susceptor support a wafer in spaced relationship with respect to the recess. A s |
| 7173216 |
LED heat lamp arrays for CVD heating |
February 6, 2007 |
| A reactor chamber is positioned between a top array of LED heat lamps and a bottom array of LED heat lamps. The LED heat lamps forming the top and bottom arrays are individually or controllable in groups such that power output along each array of LED heat lamps can dynamically differ. Th |
| 7169234 |
Apparatus and methods for preventing rotational slippage between a vertical shaft and a support |
January 30, 2007 |
| A substrate support assembly positively secures a substrate holder support to a rotation shaft with respect to rotationally applied forces. A substrate holder support is configured to have an opening in a socket into which, when aligned with an indentation in the rotational shaft to |
| 7169233 |
Reactor chamber |
January 30, 2007 |
| A semiconductor processing chamber having an upper wall, a lower wall, and two side walls. The upper and lower walls each comprise two thin, flat plates that are slightly out of parallel so that the wall has a pitch. The pitches point away from the interior chamber space to enable the |
| 7168911 |
Semiconductor handling robot with improved paddle-type end effector |
January 30, 2007 |
| A robotic semiconductor handling system includes two robot arms for transferring substrates between processing, cooling, and storage stations. The first robot arm has a paddle-type end effector adapted such that it can support one substrate at a primary location as well as a second s |
| 7166165 |
Barrier coating for vitreous materials |
January 23, 2007 |
| A chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprises a reaction chamber and one or more vitreous components having an outer surface that is covered at least in part by a devitrification barrier layer. In some arrangements, the one or more vitrious components can include a thermocouple. In a |
| 7159846 |
Slit valve for a semiconductor processing system |
January 9, 2007 |
| A slit valve for a semiconductor processing apparatus, for fluidly sealing a passage connecting two chambers of the apparatus, such as a substrate reaction chamber and a region outside the reaction chamber. The slit valve comprises an actuator plate movable within a slot in one wall of |
| 7147720 |
Non-contact cool-down station for wafers |
December 12, 2006 |
| A stationary cooling station for cooling wafers after the wafers have been subjected to semiconductor processing supports the wafer by flowing gas in accordance with the Bernoulli principle. An upper wall of the cooling station contains a plurality of gas outlets that direct gas to flow |
| 7141499 |
Apparatus and method for growth of a thin film |
November 28, 2006 |
| An improved apparatus and method for substrate layer deposition in which substrate layers are grown by carrier gas delivery of sequential pulses of reactants to the substrate surface. At least one of the reactants comprises excited species, e.g., radicals. In a specific embodiment, the |
| 7122085 |
Sublimation bed employing carrier gas guidance structures |
October 17, 2006 |
| Preferred embodiments of the present invention provides a sublimation system employing guidance structures including certain preferred embodiments having a high surface area support medium onto which a solid source material for vapor reactant is coated. Preferably, a guidance structu |
| 7118779 |
Reactor surface passivation through chemical deactivation |
October 10, 2006 |
| Protective layers are formed on a surface of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor. Parts defining a reaction space for an ALD or CVD reactor can be treated, in situ or ex situ, with chemicals that deactivate reactive sites on the reaction space |
| 7115521 |
Epitaxial semiconductor deposition methods and structures |
October 3, 2006 |
| Methods for depositing epitaxial films such as epitaxial Ge and SiGe films. During cooling from high temperature processing to lower deposition temperatures for Ge-containing layers, Si or Ge compounds are provided to the substrate. Smooth, thin, relatively defect-free Ge or SiGe lay |
| 7112538 |
In situ growth of oxide and silicon layers |
September 26, 2006 |
| A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. |
| 7108753 |
Staggered ribs on process chamber to reduce thermal effects |
September 19, 2006 |
| A semiconductor processing chamber having a plurality of ribs on an exterior surface of the chamber is provided. The ribs are positioned relative to the chamber such that shadows cast into the chamber by the ribs are offset from one another, thus more uniformly distributing radiant e |
| 7108748 |
Low temperature load and bake |
September 19, 2006 |
| Methods are provided for low temperature, rapid baking to remove impurities from a semiconductor surface prior to in-situ deposition. Advantageously, a short, low temperature process consumes very little of the thermal budget, such that the process is suitable for advanced, high dens |
| 7105055 |
In situ growth of oxide and silicon layers |
September 12, 2006 |
| A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. |
| 7077388 |
Bubbler for substrate processing |
July 18, 2006 |
| A vaporization chamber for a substrate processing system includes a main body, a cover member and a transition member. The main body is made of aluminum and defines a first inner surface, which defines, at least in part, a cavity. The cover member is also made of aluminum. The cover |
| 7070660 |
Wafer holder with stiffening rib |
July 4, 2006 |
| A wafer holder comprises a circular, disc-shaped main portion and a rib extending generally downward from a lower surface of the main portion. The rib encircles the vertical center axis of the wafer holder. The upper surface of the main portion has a wafer-receiving pocket defined by an |
| 7056835 |
Surface preparation prior to deposition |
June 6, 2006 |
| Methods are provided herein for treating substrate surfaces in preparation for subsequent nucleation-sensitive depositions (e.g., polysilicon or poly-SiGe) and adsorption-driven deposition (e.g. atomic layer deposition or ALD). Prior to depositing, the surface is treated with non-deposit |
| 7033445 |
Gridded susceptor |
April 25, 2006 |
| Susceptor designs are provided for controlling damage to wafers, particularly during cold wafer drops-off on a hot susceptor. The designs include axisymmetric grid designs, such that thermal gradients are symmetrical in the circumferential (.theta.) direction and the same traversing |
| 7029995 |
Methods for depositing amorphous materials and using them as templates for epitaxial films by so |
April 18, 2006 |
| Methods for forming epitaxial films involve forming a buffer layer on a single crystal substrate, depositing an amorphous layer on the buffer layer, then forming an epitaxial film from the amorphous layer by solid phase epitaxy. |
| 7026219 |
Integration of high k gate dielectric |
April 11, 2006 |
| Methods are provided herein for forming electrode layers over high dielectric constant ("high k") materials. In the illustrated embodiments, a high k gate dielectric, such as zirconium oxide, is protected from reduction during a subsequent deposition of silicon-containing gate electr |
| 7022613 |
Reduced cross-contamination between chambers in a semiconductor processing tool |
April 4, 2006 |
| In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for transporting a workpiece in a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a transfer chamber, a process chamber, and a gate valve between the transfer chamber and the process chamber. The method compri |
| 7022593 |
SiGe rectification process |
April 4, 2006 |
| A method for forming strain-relaxed SiGe films comprises depositing a graded strained SiGe layer on a substrate in which the concentration of Ge is greater at the interface with the substrate than at the top of the layer. The strained SiGe film is subsequently oxidized, producing a s |
| 7020981 |
Reaction system for growing a thin film |
April 4, 2006 |
| A reactor defines a reaction chamber for processing a substrate. The reactor comprises a first inlet for providing a first reactant and to the reaction chamber and a second inlet for a second reactant to the reaction chamber. A first exhaust outlet removes gases from the reaction chamber |
| 7018504 |
Loadlock with integrated pre-clean chamber |
March 28, 2006 |
| A wafer carrier adapted to hold a plurality of wafers and is positioned on an elevator plate in a load lock. The elevator plate is adapted to move between a first position with the carrier in a first chamber of the load lock and a second position with the carrier in the auxiliary chamber |
| 7018479 |
Rotating semiconductor processing apparatus |
March 28, 2006 |
| A reactor for processing semiconductor wafers and the like is provided. The reactor employs one or more rotating components to more evenly distribute temperature or gases within the chamber. In one embodiment, the reactor is provided with rotating reflectors, which reflect the heat g |
| 7008802 |
Method and apparatus to correct water drift |
March 7, 2006 |
| A method and apparatus is provided for determining workpiece drift from its nominal or intended position. The apparatus includes two proportionate sensors, each of which gives an output reading that depends upon how much of the sensor beam is blocked by an edge of the workpiece. A co |
| 7005160 |
Methods for depositing polycrystalline films with engineered grain structures |
February 28, 2006 |
| Methods for controlling the grain structure of a polycrystalline Si-containing film involve depositing the film in stages so that the morphology of a first film layer deposited in an initial stage favorably influences the morphology of a second film layer deposited in a later stage. |
| 6998305 |
Enhanced selectivity for epitaxial deposition |
February 14, 2006 |
| A method of forming an electronic component having elevated active areas is disclosed. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber. The semiconductor substrate has disposed thereon a polycrystalline silicon gate and exposed active areas. The method fu |
| 6980734 |
Lamp filament design |
December 27, 2005 |
| An improved support is provided for locating a lamp filament axially within a lamp sleeve. The illustrated support is a spiral coil that includes a small diameter center portion that makes contact with the filament. On either side of the filament-contacting portion, the coil opens up to |
