Applied Materials, Inc.

Sundar Ramamurthy

Aaron Muir Hunter

Joseph Michael Ranish

Mehran Behdjat

Yoshitaka Yokota

Vedapuram S Achutharaman

Abhilash J Mayur

Alexander N Lerner

Wolfgang R Aderhold

Norman L Tam

Agus Sofian Tjandra

Randhir P Thakur

Christopher Sean Olsen

Stephen Moffatt

Balasubramanian Ramachandran

Kedarnath Sangam

Brian L Haas

Cory M Czarnik

Ravi Jallepally

Robert Navasca

Ming-Kuei (Michael) Tseng

Xianmin Tang

Dean C Jennings

Andreas G Hegedus

Ajit Balakrishna

Kaushal Kishore Singh

Ryan C Boas

Mei Yin Chang

Er-Xuan Ping

Khaled Ahmed

Majeed Foad

Dien-Yeh Wu

Yu Lei

Amir Hamed Al-Bayati

Mark Yam

Xinyu Fu

Kai Wu

Khurshed Sorabji

Jallepally Ravi

Wei V Tang

Bencherki Mebarki

Kazuya Daito

Yi Xu

Timothy N Thomas

Vikash Banthia

Benjamin B Bierman

Steven C Hung

Guoqiang Jian

Houda Graoui

Chi-Chou Lin

Juan Chacin

Feiyue Ma

Pulkit Agarwal

Jonathan Robert Bakke

Ho T Fang

Corina Elena Tanasa

Jerome Machillot

Sairaju Tallavajula

Claudia Lai

Ramachandran Balasubramanian

Raman Achutharaman

Joseph M Spear

Methods for forming a metal silicide film with low resistivity at low temperature are described. A metal silicide film is formed on a substrate surface and annealed at high pressure and low temperature.

Low thermal budget crystallization of amorphous metal silicides

Methods for forming metal contacts having tungsten liner layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes: exposing a substrate, within a first substrate process chamber, to a plasma formed from a first gas comprising a metal organic tungsten precursor gas or a fluorine-free tungsten halide precursor to deposit a tungsten liner layer, wherein the tungsten liner layer is deposited atop a dielectric layer and within a feature formed in a first surface of the dielectric layer of a substrate; transferring the substrate to a second substrate process chamber without exposing the substrate to atmosphere; and exposing the substrate to a second gas comprising a tungsten fluoride precursor to deposit a tungsten fill layer atop the tungsten liner layer.

Methods for forming low-resistance contacts through integrated process flow systems

Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for forming silicide materials. Silicide materials formed according to the embodiments described herein may be utilized as contact and/or interconnect structures and may provide advantages over conventional silicide formation methods. In one embodiment, a one or more transition metal and aluminum layers may be deposited on a silicon containing substrate and a transition metal layer may be deposited on the one or more transition metal and aluminum layers. An annealing process may be performed to form a metal silicide material.

Methods for forming low resistivity interconnects

A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.

Managing thermal budget in annealing of substrates

Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.

Backside rapid thermal processing of patterned wafers

Provided are methods and apparatus for functionalizing a substrate surface used as the channel in a gate stack. Silicon, germanium and silicon germanium substrates surfaces are functionalized with one or more of sulfur and selenium by plasma processing.

Method and apparatus for forming gate stack on Si, SiGe or Ge channels

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.

Thermal reactor with improved gas flow distribution

A apparatus and method of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP). An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. The front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. The wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector. When the lamps are above the wafer, an edge ring supports the wafer in its edge exclusion zone. Alternatively, a reactor includes upwardly directed lamps and a reflector above and facing the front side of the wafer.

A method and apparatus for rapid thermal annealing comprising a plurality of lamps affixed to a lid of the chamber that provide at least one wavelength of light, a laser source extending into the chamber, a substrate support positioned within a base of the chamber, an edge ring affixed to the substrate support, and a gas distribution assembly in communication with the lid and the base of the chamber. A method and apparatus for rapid thermal annealing comprising a plurality of lamps comprising regional control of the lamps and a cooling gas distribution system affixed to a lid of the chamber, a heated substrate support with magnetic levitation extending through a base of the chamber, an edge ring affixed to the substrate support, and a gas distribution assembly in communication with the lid and the base of the chamber.

Processing multilayer semiconductors with multiple heat sources

A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800&#xb0; C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.

Method of thermally treating silicon with oxygen

Water cooled gas injector

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Sundar Ramamurthy