Li Yan Miao, 43Hayward, CA

8084310, Dec 27, 2011

Oct 21, 2009

12/603371

Bencherki Mebarki - Santa Clara CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Christopher Dennis Bencher - San Jose CA, US
Jen Shu - Saratoga CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/00

438164, 438128, 438412, 438703, 257E21214, 257E21532, 257E21536

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of forming patterned features on a substrate having a reduced pitch in two dimensions as compared to what is possible using standard photolithography processing techniques using a single high-resolution photomask. A spacer layer is formed over a two-dimensional square grid of cores with a thickness chosen to leave a dimple at the center of four cores on the corners of a square. The spacer layer is etched back to reveal the substrate at the centers of the square. Removing the core material results in double the pattern density of the lithographically defined grid of cores. The regions of exposed substrate may be filled again with core material and the process repeated to quadruple the pattern density.

8148269, Apr 3, 2012

Mar 31, 2009

12/415759

Mihaela Balseanu - Sunnyvale CA, US
Christopher D. Bencher - San Jose CA, US
Yongmei Chen - San Jose CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Victor Nguyen - Novato CA, US
Isabelita Roflox - Union City CA, US
Li-Qun Xia - Cupertino CA, US
Derek R. Witty - Fremont CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/302
H01L 21/461

438706, 438707, 438708, 438709, 438710, 438714

A method and apparatus are provided to form spacer materials adjacent substrate structures. In one embodiment, a method is provided for processing a substrate including placing a substrate having a substrate structure adjacent a substrate surface in a deposition chamber, depositing a spacer layer on the substrate structure and substrate surface, and etching the spacer layer to expose the substrate structure and a portion of the substrate surface, wherein the spacer layer is disposed adjacent the substrate structure. The spacer layer may comprise a boron nitride material. The spacer layer may comprise a base spacer layer and a liner layer, and the spacer layer may be etched in a two-step etching process.

8227352, Jul 24, 2012

Apr 25, 2011

13/093679

Hang Yu - Woodland CA, US
Deenesh Padhi - Sunnyvale CA, US
Man-Ping Cai - Saratoga CA, US
Naomi Yoshida - Sunnyvale CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Siu F. Cheng - Los Angeles CA, US
Shahid Shaikh - Santa Clara CA, US
Sohyun Park - Fremont CA, US
Heung Lak Park - Santa Clara CA, US
Bok Hoen Kim - San Jose CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/308
H01L 21/32

438703, 438761, 257E21258, 257E21231

Embodiments described herein relate to materials and processes for patterning and etching features in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer for improved stack defectivity on a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a process chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into the process chamber, introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber, generating a plasma in the process chamber, forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein the hydrocarbon source gas has a volumetric flow rate to diluent source gas flow rate ratio of 1:12 or less; and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer has a volumetric flow rate to a diluent source gas flow rate of 1:6 or greater to form the composite amorphous carbon layer.

8349741, Jan 8, 2013

Apr 25, 2012

13/455916

Hang Yu - Woodland CA, US
Deenesh Padhi - Sunnyvale CA, US
Man-Ping Cai - Saratoga CA, US
Naomi Yoshida - Sunnyvale CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Siu F. Cheng - Los Angeles CA, US
Shahid Shaikh - Santa Clara CA, US
Sohyun Park - Fremont CA, US
Heung Lak Park - Santa Clara CA, US
Bok Hoen Kim - San Jose CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/308
H01L 21/32

438703, 438761, 257E21258, 257E21231

Embodiments described herein relate to materials and processes for patterning and etching features in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a process chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into the process chamber, introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber, generating a plasma in the process chamber, forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein the hydrocarbon source gas has a volumetric flow rate to diluent source gas flow rate ratio of 1:12 or less, and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer has a volumetric flow rate to a diluent source gas flow rate of 1:6 or greater.

8357618, Jan 22, 2013

Oct 24, 2008

12/257953

Christopher Dennis Bencher - San Jose CA, US
Huixiong Dai - San Jose CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Hao Chen - Santa Clara CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/31

438763, 438689, 438703, 257313, 257E2124

A method for doubling the frequency of a lithographic process using a photo-resist template mask is described. A device layer having a photo-resist layer formed thereon is first provided. The photo-resist layer is patterned to form a photo-resist template mask. A spacer-forming material layer is deposited over the photo-resist template mask. The spacer-forming material layer is etched to form a spacer mask and to expose the photo-resist template mask. The photo-resist template mask is then removed and an image of the spacer mask is finally transferred to the device layer.

2010013, Jun 3, 2010

Dec 1, 2008

12/326068

Bencherki Mebarki - Santa Clara CA, US
Li Yan Miao - San Francisco CA, US
Kenlin C. Huang - Fremont CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/44

438669, 257E21249, 257E21295

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of forming features on a substrate using a self-aligned double patterning (SADP) process. A conformal layer of non-sacrificial material is formed over features of sacrificial structural material patterned near the optical resolution of a photolithography system using a high-resolution photomask. An anisotropic etch of the non-sacrificial layer leaves non-sacrificial ribs above a substrate. A gapfill layer deposited thereon may be etched or polished back to form alternating fill and non-sacrificial features. No hard mask is needed to form the non-sacrificial ribs, reducing the number of processing steps involved.

2017027, Sep 28, 2017

May 23, 2017

15/602862

- Santa Clara CA, US
Pramit MANNA - Sunnyvale CA, US
Li Yan MIAO - Sunnyvale CA, US
Deenesh PADHI - Sunnyvale CA, US
Bok Hoen KIM - San Jose CA, US
Christopher Dennis BENCHER - Cupertino CA, US

H01L 21/033
H01L 21/311
H01L 21/027
H01L 21/02
H01L 21/3105

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to deposition of a conformal organic material over a feature formed in a photoresist or a hardmask, to decrease the critical dimensions and line edge roughness. In various embodiments, an ultra-conformal carbon-based material is deposited over features formed in a high-resolution photoresist. The conformal organic layer formed over the photoresist thus reduces both the critical dimensions and the line edge roughness of the features.

2016036, Dec 15, 2016

Apr 25, 2016

15/137486

- Santa Clara CA, US
Pramit MANNA - Sunnyvale CA, US
Li Yan MIAO - San Francisco CA, US
Deenesh PADHI - Sunnyvale CA, US
Bok Hoen KIM - San Jose CA, US
Christopher Dennis BENCHER - Cupertino CA, US

H01L 21/033
H01L 21/3105
H01L 21/311
H01L 21/027
H01L 21/02

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to deposition of a conformal organic material over a feature formed in a photoresist or a hardmask, to decrease the critical dimensions and line edge roughness. In various embodiments, an ultra-conformal carbon-based material is deposited over features formed in a high-resolution photoresist. The conformal organic layer formed over the photoresist thus reduces both the critical dimensions and the line edge roughness of the features.