Li Wu

US Patent:

6432479, Aug 13, 2002

Filed:

Oct 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/182955

Inventors:

Mei Chang - Saratoga CA
Ramanujapuram A. Srinivas - San Jose CA
Li Wu - Fremont CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 1634

US Classification:

427255394, 427535

Abstract:

Method for passivating a layer of titanium that has been deposited on a substrate in a reaction chamber to coat the titanium thereby reducing the likelihood of contamination by byproducts of the deposition process or ambient oxygen or similar reactants. The method includes adding a flow of hydrogen and a flow of nitrogen to the chamber. The flows of hydrogen and nitrogen are approximately 800 sccm and continue for approximately 10-30 seconds respectively. The method may further comprise the step of forming a nitrogen plasma in the chamber for approximately 10 seconds wherein such case the flows of hydrogen and nitrogen continue for approximately 8 seconds respectively. The plasma is formed by applying RF power to an electrode located within said chamber or by a remote plasma source and channeled to said reactor chamber. Alternately, the passivation layer may be formed just by using a nitrogen plama alone for approximately 10-30 seconds at the same RF power level. The plasma in either case may further comprise hydrogen and argon and the layer of titanium has been deposited by CVD.

US Patent:

6468136, Oct 22, 2002

Filed:

Jun 30, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/606666

Inventors:

Robert T. Lum - Sunnyvale CA
David W. Groechel - Sunnyvale CA
Li Wu - Fremont CA
Chiu Chan - Foster City CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B24B 100

US Classification:

451 41, 451286, 438692

Abstract:

Tungsten CMP is conducted with improved alignment mark integrity and reduced edge residue by employing a retaining ring having a mechanical hardness greater than about 85 durometer and a relatively soft polishing pad. Embodiments of the present invention include conducting CMP employing a carrier comprising a retaining ring additionally having a wear rate during CMP of less than about 1 mil per hour and a polishing pad having a hardness less than about 60 durometer. Suitable retaining ring materials include ceramics, quartz, polymers and fiber reinforced polymers.

US Patent:

6482746, Nov 19, 2002

Filed:

Jun 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/874882

Inventors:

Anand Vasudev - San Jose CA
Toshio Itoh - Palo Alto CA
Frederick Wu - Cupertino CA
Li Wu - Fremont CA
Brian Boyle - San Francisco CA
Mei Chang - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21302

US Classification:

438714, 438706, 438680, 438906

Abstract:

A method for the in situ cleaning of a semiconductor deposition chamber utilized for the deposition of a semiconductor material such as titanium or titanium nitride comprising, between wafers, introducing chlorine gas into the chamber at elevated temperature, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. A two-stage between wafer cleaning process is carried out by introducing chlorine into the chamber at elevated temperature, thereafter initiating a plasma without removing the chlorine, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. In a preferred embodiment, a thin protective film of titanium is deposited on the inner sur aces of the chamber prior to utilizing the chamber for he deposition of such material. The protective layer is replenished following each two-stage cleaning.

US Patent:

7048607, May 23, 2006

Filed:

May 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/583512

Inventors:

Li Wu - Fremont CA, US
Sourabh Mishra - Campbell CA, US
Young J. Paik - Campbell CA, US
Satyasrayan Kumaraswamy - Sunnyvale CA, US
Robert Lum - Sunnyvale CA, US
Chiu Chan - Foster City CA, US
David Groechel - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B24B 7/22
B24B 49/00

US Classification:

451 5, 451 57

Abstract:

Generally, a method and apparatus for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method provides a first relative motion between at least a first substrate and a polishing material. A second relative motion is provided between at least a second substrate and the polishing material. The changing in direction of the relative motion extends the interval between conditioning procedures used to return the polishing material to a state that produces uniform polishing results.

US Patent:

7522293, Apr 21, 2009

Filed:

Mar 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/394591

Inventors:

Li Wu - Fremont CA, US
Elina Szeto - San Jose CA, US
Michael Kwon - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

International Classification:

G01B 11/14

US Classification:

356625

Abstract:

One or more features of multiple patterned layers formed on a semiconductor are determined by obtaining a first measured diffraction signal measured from a first patterned layer before a second patterned layer is formed on top of the first patterned layer. One or more features of the first patterned layer are determined using the first measured diffraction signal. Values of one or more profile parameters of a hypothetical profile of the second patterned layer in combination with the first patterned layer are fixed. A second measured diffraction signal measured from the second patterned layer after the second patterned layer has been formed on top of the first patterned layer is obtained. One or more features of the second patterned layer are determined based on the second measured diffraction signal and the fixed values of the one or more profile parameters.

US Patent:

62211749, Apr 24, 2001

Filed:

Feb 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/248869

Inventors:

Fufa Chen - Cupertino CA
Yin Lin - Mountain View CA
Jianhua Hu - Sunnyvale CA
Frederick Wu - Cupertino CA
Ming Xi - Milpitas CA
Li Wu - Fremont CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 824

US Classification:

148237

Abstract:

The present invention is a method of wafer processing which improves the reliability of an integrated titanium (Ti)/titanium nitride (TiN) CVD film formed from a reaction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCi. sub. 4) and ammonia (NH. sub. 3). A Ti film is subject to a treatment of NH. sub. 3 gas to render the Ti film unreactive towards attack by chlorine and hydrogen chloride. A thin seed layer of TiN film is deposited upon the treated Ti film using a thermal TiCl. sub. 4 /NH. sub. 3 reaction. Subsequent TiN film deposition upon the seed layer results in a successful integration of a Ti/TiN film stack for a Ti film thickness up to about 300. ANG.

US Patent:

62423479, Jun 5, 2001

Filed:

Sep 30, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/163711

Inventors:

Anand Vasudev - San Jose CA
Toshio Itoh - Palo Alto CA
Ramanujapuram A. Srinivas - San Jose CA
Frederick Wu - Cupertino CA
Li Wu - Fremont CA
Brian Boyle - San Francisco CA
Mei Chang - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 2144

US Classification:

438680

Abstract:

A method for the in situ cleaning of a semiconductor deposition chamber utilized for the deposition of a semiconductor material such as titanium or titanium nitride comprising, between wafers, introducing chlorine gas into the chamber at elevated temperature, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. A two-stage between wafer cleaning process is carried out by introducing chlorine into the chamber at elevated temperature, thereafter initiating a plasma without removing the chlorine, purging the chamber with an inert gas and evacuating it before introduction of the next wafer. In a preferred embodiment, a thin protective film of titanium is deposited on the inner surfaces of the chamber prior to utilizing the chamber for the deposition of such material. The protective layer is replenished following each two-stage cleaning.

US Patent:

20190341276, Nov 7, 2019

Filed:

May 1, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/400603

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
David W. GROECHEL - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Tuochuan HUANG - Saratoga CA, US
Han WANG - Palo Alto CA, US
Li WU - Fremont CA, US
Gang PENG - Fremont CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/67
B08B 3/12
B08B 3/02

Abstract:

Embodiments described herein relate to chamber component cleaning systems and methods for cleaning a chamber component. The chamber component cleaning system includes a spray station, at least a first cleaning station, a dry station, a component transfer mechanism, and one or more enclosures that enclose the spray station, at least the first cleaning station, the dry station, and the component transfer mechanism. The spray station has a holder to position a chamber component in a path of a flow of a cleaning spray and a movable nozzle to provide the flow of the cleaning spray at a first pressure in a path of portions of the chamber component. The first cleaning station has a push mechanism to force a cleaning fluid through features and/or holes of the chamber component and at least one movable transducer to provide ultrasonic energy to the portions of the chamber component.