Texas Instruments Corporation

Tokyo Electron Limited

International Rectifier Corporation

Douglas A Webb

Robert M Wallace

Joseph T Hillman

Michael S Ameen

Bruce E Gnade

Richard Lee Knipe

Gerrit J Leusink

Robert F Foster

Rene E LeBlanc

Stanislaw Kopacz

Robert Clark Rowan, Jr

Lee M Loewenstein

Rabah Mezenner

Steven A Henck

Michael G Ward

Andrew P Lane

Gene R Frederick

Semiconductor devices, e.g., heterojunction field effect transistors, fabricated with silicon-germnanium buffer layer and silicon-carbon channel layer structures. The invention provides a method of reducing threading defect density via reducing germanium content in a SiGe relaxed buffer layer on which a strained silicon channel layer is formed, by forming the strained silicon channel layer of a silicon-carbon alloy, e.g., containing less than about 1.5 atomic % C substitutionally incorporated in the Si lattice of the alloy.

Heterojunction field effect transistors using silicon-germanium and silicon-carbon alloys

A method and apparatus for depositing a film by chemical vapor deposition comprises a showerhead for dispersing reactant gases into the processing space wherein the showerhead has a first space therein operable for receiving and dispersing the first reacting gas, and has a second space therein, generally isolated from the first space, and operable for receiving and dispersing the second reactant gas separate from the first gas dispersion for maintaining segregation of reactant gases and generally preventing premature mixture of the gases prior to their introduction into the processing space to prevent premature deposition in the system.

Apparatus and method for preventing the premature mixture of reactant gases in CVD and PECVD reactions

A process for chemical vapor deposition of blanket tungsten thin films on titanium nitride proceeds by hydrogen reduction of tungsten hexafluoride at temperatures between 200&deg; C. and 500&deg; C. Tungsten film nucleation is preferably facilitated by a hydrogen plasma treatment of the titanium nitride surface of the substrate. The plasma treatment may be carried out in a separate etch chamber and transferred to a tungsten CVD chamber without intervening exposure to air, or, preferably, is carried out with a low energy etch performed with the substrate mounted on a susceptor in the chamber of the tungsten CVD reactor at which the tungsten film is to be applied.

Process for chemical vapor deposition of tungsten onto a titanium nitride substrate surface

Apparatus and method for preventing the premature mixture of reactant

An effective barrier layer to chemical attack of fluorine during chemical vapor deposition of tungsten from a tungsten fluoride source gas is fabricated by the present invention. A titanium nitride conformal barrier film can be formed by in-situ nitridation of a thin titanium film. The substrate is placed in a module wherein the pressure is reduced and the temperature raised to 350.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C. A titanium film is then deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of titanium tetrahalide and hydrogen. This is followed by formation of titanium nitride on the titanium film by subjecting the titanium film to an nitrogen containing plasma such as an ammonia, an N.sub.2 or an NH.sub.3 /N.sub.2 based plasma. Tungsten is then deposited on the film of titanium nitride by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. All the titanium deposition and nitridation steps may be conducted in the same processing module without removing the substrate from the module until the reaction steps are completed. The tungsten deposition step may be preformed in a separate processing module or in the module used to deposit and process the titanium.

Elimination of titanium nitride film deposition in tungsten plug

A process for chemical vapor deposition of blanket tungsten thin films on titanium nitride proceeds by hydrogen reduction of tungsten hexafluoride at temperatures of 200 to 500.degree. C. Tungsten film nucleation is preferably facilitated by partial removal of the oxidized surface of titanium nitride or titanium nitride coated substrates by a sputter cleaning process prior to the tungsten CVD. The process differs in part from other processes in that deposition proceeds rapidly on titanium nitride without a significant nucleation period without the addition of other chemical compounds such as silane. The sputter cleaning process preferably takes place in an inert vacuum environment that protects the substrate from atmosphere and oxygen until the tungsten CVD step occurs. The process is particularly advantageous where the substrate has a titanium nitride surface that had been created in a separate location such as by a reactive sputter coating process from which the substrate must be transferred through ambient atmosphere containing oxygen. The advantages of the invention can be partially attained or enhanced by isolating the substrates from an oxygen containing environment between the creation of the titanium nitride surface and the initiating of the tungsten CVD.

Process for chemical vapor deposition of tungsten onto a titanium

A method of resetting the mirrors (11, 21) of the mirror elements of a digital micro-mechanical device (DMD) (10, 20). A bias voltage is applied to the mirror elements and the surface upon which they land, but is removed after the address voltage has been switched. (FIG. 4). Immediately before the bias is removed, a reset voltage is added to the bias voltage. The reset voltage signal is comprised of a number of pulses at a frequency that matches the resonant frequency of the mirrors. The magnitude of the reset voltage results in a total applied voltage that permits vibrational energy to build but that is insufficient to cause the mirrors to become unstuck until the end of the reset signal. In other words, the magnitude of the reset voltage is small relative to that of the bias voltage.

Phase matched reset for digital micro-mirror device

A non-linear torsion hinge (12, 22) for a micro-mechanical device (10, 20) having a hinged movable element (11, 21). Each hinge (22) is comprised of two hinge strips (22a) spaced apart in the same plane, such that the axis of rotation of at least one of the hinge strips (22a) is different from the axis of rotation of the movable element (21). As a result, the hinge strip (22a) must elongate as it twists, thereby providing a greater restoring torque.

Non-linear hinge for micro-mechanical device

The present invention relates to micro-mechanical devices including actuators, motors and sensors with improved operating characteristics. A micro-mechanical device (10) comprising a DMD-type spatial light modulator with a getter (100) located within the package (52). The getter (100) is preferably specific to water, larger organic molecules, various gases, or other high surface energy substances. The getter is a non-evaporable getter (NEG) to permit the use of active metal getter systems without their evaporation on package surfaces.

Micro-mechanical device with non-evaporable getter

A method of forming of a monomolecular coating (19) for surfaces of contacting elements (11, 17) of micro-mechanical devices (10), specifically, devices that have moving elements that contact other elements and that tend to stick as a result of the contact. The method uses liquid deposition, with the device being placed in a solution that contains a precursor to the formation of the coating. The precursor is chosen based on coordination chemistry between the precursor and the surface to be coated.

Self-assembled monolayer coating for micro-mechanical devices

A micro-mechanical device (10) includes relatively movable elements (11, 17) which contact or engage and which thereafter stick or adhere. A perfluoropolyether (PFPE) film (31) is applied to the contacting or engaging portions of the elements (11,17) to ameliorate or eliminate such sticking or adhesion.

PFPE coatings for micro-mechanical devices

A method of fabricating a digital micromirror device (DMD) (10) spatial light modulator (SLM) with a hardened superstructure hinge (16). The invention comprises strengthening a hinge layer material (36) by ion implantation before etching the hinge layer material (36) to form the hinge (16), but could be implanted after etching the hinge (16). The ion implantation is applied with a predetermined energy to concentrate the implanted material (62) at the center of the hinge layer material (36). The entire process is performed using conventional robust semiconductor processes, at low temperatures. Through ion implantation, the DMD hinge (16) is strengthened to minimize or eliminate the possibility of creep. A combination of ions could be implanted if desired. The ion chosen is based on the solubility of the hinge material.

Method for fabricating a DMD spatial light modulator with a hardened

A method for reducing sticking between contacting elements in a micromechanical device is disclosed. In addition, a micromechanical device is disclosed wherein the elements of the device are less likely to stick. The method for reducing sticking in a micromechanical device (10) comprises forming a protective layer (26) on a first contact element (14) to reduce the likelihood of a first contacting element (14) sticking to another contacting element (20). The protective layer (26) may be formed of a fluoro-polymer such as Teflon-AF.

Polymeric coatings for micromechanical devices

An apparatus and method for the etching of semiconductor materials (14) is disclosed. The apparatus (10) includes a process chamber (12) having a remote generator (16) in fluid communication with the process chamber (12) for converting a noble gas (34) to a metastable gas (36). An etchant gas (40) is subsequently brought into the chamber (12) adjacent to the material (14), to mix and react with the metastable gas (36) at activation zone (38). The metastable gas (36) collides with the etchant gas (40) to cause the mixture to selectively etch the material 14.

Method and apparatus for etching semiconductor materials

In a low-pressure reactor, the addition of nitrogen trifluoride to a gaseous organosilicon compound such as tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or tetramethylcyclotetroxysilane (TMCTS) results in surprisingly enhanced silicon dioxide deposition rates. The oxide deposited using this process also has the capability of filling features having aspects ratios up to at least 1.0, and may exhibit low mobile ion concentrations. The process is also applicable for depositing other silicon-containing films such as polysilicon and silicon nitride.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Douglas A Webb