Applied Materials, Inc.

Shreyas Kher

Craig Metzner

Shixue Han

Pravin K Narwankar

Khaled Ahmed

Yi Ma

Kenric T Choi

Shankarram Athreya

Vidyut Gopal

Christopher Sean Olsen

Son Truong Nguyen

Maitreyee Mahajani

Nyi O Myo

Yi-Chiau Huang

Jallepally Ravi

Paul L Deaton

Shankar Muthukrishnan

Steve Poppe

Tejal Goyani

Paul Deaten

Randhir P Thakur

Philip Allan Kraus

Kartik Bhupendra Shah

Thai Cheng Chua

Sanjay Krupakar Bhat

Steven McClellan George

Johanes F Swenberg

Ala Moradian

Umesh M Kelkar

Alan Hiroshi Ouye

Kedarnath Sangam

Yuri S Uritsky

Elizabeth Neville

Chikuang Charles Wang

Miriam Schwartz

Orlando Trejo

Lucien Date

Sergey Meirovich

Khai Ngo

Giuseppina Conti

Paul Chhabra

Dien-Yeh (Daniel) Wu

Shankar Muthukrisnan

Yeong Kwan Kim

M Noel Rocklein

Kenric Cho

Rahul Sharangapani

Technologies directed to an eco-efficiency monitoring and exploration platform for semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes receiving, by a processing device, first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system having a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating to one or more process procedures. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, using the first data with a digital replica, environmental resource data. The digital replica includes a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system. The environmental resource usage data indicates an environment resource consumption that corresponds to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update. The method further includes providing, by the processing device, the environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

Eco-efficiency monitoring and exploration platform for semiconductor manufacturing

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for depositing materials on substrates during vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). In one embodiment, a chamber contains a substrate support with a receiving surface and a chamber lid containing an expanding channel formed within a thermally insulating material. The chamber further includes at least one conduit coupled to a gas inlet within the expanding channel and positioned to provide a gas flow through the expanding channel in a circular direction, such as a vortex, a helix, a spiral or derivatives thereof. The expanding channel may be formed directly within the chamber lid or formed within a funnel liner attached thereon. The chamber may contain a retaining ring, an upper process liner, a lower process liner or a slip valve liner. Liners usually have a polished surface finish and contain a thermally insulating material such as fused quartz or ceramic. In an alternative embodiment, a deposition system contains a catalytic water vapor generator connected to an ALD chamber.

Apparatuses for atomic layer deposition

In one embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric stack on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a first layer of a dielectric material on a substrate surface, exposing the first layer to a nitridation process, depositing a second layer of the dielectric material on the first layer, exposing the second layer to the nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process. In another embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a metal oxide layer substantially free of silicon on a substrate surface, exposing the metal oxide layer to a nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process.

Stabilization of high-k dielectric materials

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for depositing materials on substrates during vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). In one embodiment, a chamber contains a substrate support with a receiving surface and a chamber lid containing an expanding channel formed within a thermally insulating material. The chamber further includes at least one conduit coupled to a gas inlet within the expanding channel and positioned to provide a gas flow through the expanding channel in a circular direction, such as a vortex, a helix, a spiral, or derivatives thereof. The expanding channel may be formed directly within the chamber lid or formed within a funnel liner attached thereon. The chamber may contain a retaining ring, an upper process liner, a lower process liner or a slip valve liner. Liners usually have a polished surface finish and contain a thermally insulating material such as fused quartz or ceramic. In an alternative embodiment, a deposition system contains a catalytic water vapor generator connected to an ALD chamber.

Methods for atomic layer deposition of hafnium-containing high-K dielectric materials

Methods of forming aluminum oxide layers on substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes depositing an aluminum oxide seed layer on the substrate using a first process having a first deposition rate. The method further includes depositing a bulk aluminum oxide layer atop the seed layer using a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process having a second deposition rate greater than the first deposition rate.

Method of forming an aluminum oxide layer

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a surface preparation treatment for the formation of thin films of high k dielectric materials over substrates. One embodiment of a method of forming a high k dielectric layer over a substrate includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate to remove native oxides, pre-treating the surface of the substrate with a hydroxylating agent, and forming a high k dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate. One embodiment of a method of forming a hafnium containing layer over a substrate includes introducing an acid solution to a surface of a substrate, introducing a hydrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas to the surface of the substrate, and forming a hafnium containing layer over the substrate.

Surface pre-treatment for enhancement of nucleation of high dielectric constant materials

Embodiments of the invention provide memory devices and methods for forming such memory devices. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a non-volatile memory device on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a first polysilicon layer on a substrate surface, depositing a silicon oxide layer on the first polysilicon layer, depositing a first silicon oxynitride layer on the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the first silicon oxynitride layer, depositing a second silicon oxynitride layer on the silicon nitride layer, and depositing a second polysilicon layer on the second silicon oxynitride layer. In some examples, the first polysilicon layer is a floating gate and the second polysilicon layer is a control gate.

Atomic layer deposition processes for non-volatile memory devices

Electronic devices and methods for forming electronic devices that allow for a reduction in device dimensions while also maintaining or reducing leakage current for non-volatile memory devices are provided. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device is provided. The method comprises depositing a floating gate polysilicon layer on a substrate, forming a silicon oxide layer on the floating gate polysilicon layer, depositing a first silicon oxynitride layer on the silicon oxide layer, depositing a high-k dielectric material layer on the first silicon oxynitride layer, depositing a second silicon oxynitride on the high-k dielectric material, and forming a control gate polysilicon layer on the second silicon oxynitride layer. In one embodiment, the high-k dielectric material layer comprises hafnium silicon oxynitride.

Integrated scheme for forming inter-poly dielectrics for non-volatile memory devices

Processes for making a high K (dielectric constant) film using an ultra-high purity hafnium containing organometallic compound are disclosed. Also described are devices incorporating high K films made with high purity hafnium containing organometallic compounds.

Methods for manufacturing high dielectric constant film

The present invention generally includes a method and an apparatus for depositing both a high k layer and a capping layer within the same processing chamber by coupling gas precursors, liquid precursors, and solid precursors to the same processing chamber. By coupling gas precursors, liquid precursors, and solid precursors to the same processing chamber, a high k dielectric layer, a capping layer for a PMOS section, and a different capping layer for a NMOS may be deposited within the same processing chamber. The capping layer prevents the metal containing electrode from reacting with the high k dielectric layer. Thus, the threshold voltage for the PMOS and NMOS may be substantially identical.

Hardware set for growth of high k and capping material films

The embodiments of the invention describe a process chamber, such as an ALD chamber, that has gas delivery conduits with gradually increasing diameters to reduce Joule-Thompson effect during gas delivery, a ring-shaped gas liner leveled with the substrate support to sustain gas temperature and to reduce gas flow to the substrate support backside, and a gas reservoir to allow controlled delivery of process gas. The gas conduits with gradually increasing diameters, the ring-shaped gas liner, and the gas reservoir help keep the gas temperature stable and reduce the creation of particles.

Control of gas flow and delivery to suppress the formation of particles in an MOCVD/ALD system

A method and apparatus for providing a precursor to a process chamber is described. The apparatus comprises an ampoule capable of receiving either a liquid precursor source material or a solid precursor source material. The ampoule is capable of delivering either a liquid precursor material to a vaporizer coupled to the process chamber, or a vaporized or gaseous precursor material to the process chamber. The ampoule also includes a continuous level sensor to accurately monitor the level of precursor source material within the ampoule.

Ampoule for liquid draw and vapor draw with a continuous level sensor

Embodiments of the invention provide memory devices and methods for forming memory devices. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided which includes a floating gate polysilicon layer disposed over source/drain regions of a substrate, a silicon oxynitride layer disposed over the floating gate polysilicon layer, a first aluminum oxide layer disposed over the silicon oxynitride layer, a hafnium silicon oxynitride layer disposed over the first aluminum oxide layer, a second aluminum oxide layer disposed over the hafnium silicon oxynitride layer, and a control gate polysilicon layer disposed over the second aluminum oxide layer. In another embodiment, a memory device is provided which includes a control gate polysilicon layer disposed over an inter-poly dielectric stack disposed over a silicon oxide layer disposed over the floating gate polysilicon layer. The inter-poly dielectric stack contains two silicon oxynitride layers separated by a silicon nitride layer.

Methods for forming a integrated gate dielectric layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a silicon oxide layer on a substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate. In another embodiment, the method includes precleaning a substrate, forming a silicon oxide layer on the substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate, wherein the formed silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer has a total thickness less than 30 &#x212b; utilized as a gate dielectric layer in a gate structure.

Method for fabricating an integrated gate dielectric layer for field effect transistors

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming hafnium materials, such as oxides and nitrides, by sequentially exposing a substrate to hafnium precursors and active oxygen or nitrogen species (e.g., ozone, oxygen radicals, or nitrogen radicals). The deposited hafnium materials have significantly improved uniformity when deposited by these atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. In one embodiment, an ALD chamber contains an expanding channel having a bottom surface that is sized and shaped to substantially cover a substrate positioned on a substrate pedestal. During an ALD process for forming hafnium materials, process gases form a vortex flow pattern while passing through the expanding channel and sweep across the substrate surface. The substrate is sequentially exposed to chemical precursors that are pulsed into the process chamber having the vortex flow.

ALD metal oxide deposition process using direct oxidation

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Shreyas Kher