The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 19, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 14, 2006
Sheri Miller, Cannon Falls, MN (US);
Vinay Krishna, Apple Valley, MN (US);
Sriram Viswanathan, Chanhassen, MN (US);
Sheri Miller, Cannon Falls, MN (US);
Vinay Krishna, Apple Valley, MN (US);
Sriram Viswanathan, Chanhassen, MN (US);
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, San Jose, unknown;
Abstract
A method is provided for cleaning a semiconductor topography having one or more contact openings etched through a dielectric layer formed on a substrate. The method substantially eliminates unfilled contacts and reduces contact defects. Generally, the method involves: (i) heating the substrate in a processing chamber to a predetermined temperature; (ii) generating a plasma upstream of the process chamber using a microwave generator and a process gas comprising nitrogen and hydrogen or argon and helium; and (iii) introducing the plasma into the process chamber to clean the semiconductor topography. As the clean is accomplished substantially without the use of an organic solvent, galvanic corrosion of contacts subsequently formed in the contact openings is substantially eliminated. Other embodiments are also described.