James S Sims

US Patent:

7041543, May 9, 2006

Filed:

Aug 20, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/923259

Inventors:

Bhadri Varadarajan - Beaverton OR, US
William W. Crew - Portland OR, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01I 21/336
H01L 21/8234

US Classification:

438197, 438475, 438630

Abstract:

Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is NMOS devices using a highly tensile post-salicide silicon nitride capping layer on the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the NMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create tensile strain in NMOS channel.

US Patent:

7214630, May 8, 2007

Filed:

May 6, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/124443

Inventors:

Bhadri N. Varadarajan - Beaverton OR, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US
Akhil Singhal - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/31

US Classification:

438778, 438791

Abstract:

A salicide layer is deposited on the source/drain regions of a PMOS transistor. A dielectric capping layer having residual compressive stress is formed on the salicide layer by depositing a plurality of PECVD dielectric sublayers and plasma-treating each sublayer. Compressive stress from the dielectric capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the PMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create compressive strain in the PMOS channel. To form a compressive dielectric layer, a deposition reactant mixture containing A1 atoms and A2 atoms is provided in a vacuum chamber. Element A2 is more electronegative than element A1, and A1 atoms have a positive oxidation state and A2 atoms have a negative oxidation state when A1 atoms are bonded with A2 atoms. A deposition plasma is generated by applying HF and LF radio-frequency power to the deposition reactant mixture, and a sublayer of compressive dielectric material is deposited. A post-treatment plasma is generated by applying HF and LF radio-frequency power to a post-treatment gas that does not contain at least one of A1 atoms and A2 atoms.

US Patent:

7327001, Feb 5, 2008

Filed:

Mar 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/731265

Inventors:

Akhil Singhal - Beaverton OR, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US
Bhadri N. Varadarajan - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01L 29/76

US Classification:

257377, 257382, 257E29156, 257E29161

Abstract:

A salicide layer is deposited on the source/drain regions of a PMOS transistor. A dielectric capping layer having residual compressive stress is formed on the salicide layer by depositing a plurality of PECVD dielectric sublayers and plasma-treating each sublayer. Compressive stress from the dielectric capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the PMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create compressive strain in the PMOS channel. To form a compressive dielectric layer, a deposition reactant mixture containing A1 atoms and A2 atoms is provided in a vacuum chamber. Element A2 is more electronegative than element A1, and A1 atoms have a positive oxidation state and A2 atoms have a negative oxidation state when A1 atoms are bonded with A2 atoms. A deposition plasma is generated by applying HF and LF radio-frequency power to the deposition reactant mixture, and a sublayer of compressive dielectric material is deposited. A post-treatment plasma is generated by applying HF and LF radio-frequency power to a post-treatment gas that does not contain at least one of A1 atoms and A2 atoms.

US Patent:

7745346, Jun 29, 2010

Filed:

Oct 17, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/253807

Inventors:

Dennis Hausmann - Lake Oswego OR, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US
Andrew Antonelli - Portland OR, US
Sesha Varadarajan - Lake Oswego OR, US
Bart Van Schravendijk - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/31

US Classification:

438778, 438788, 438792

Abstract:

A method for forming a silicon-based dielectric film on a substrate with a single deposition process operation using pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) wherein the high frequency radio frequency power of the plasma is pulsed, allows enhanced control, efficiency and product quality of the PECVD process. Pulsing the high frequency RF power of the plasma reduces the deposited film thickness per unit time the high frequency RF power of the plasma is on. This yields silicon-based dielectric films that are both thin and conformal.

US Patent:

7906817, Mar 15, 2011

Filed:

Jun 6, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/134969

Inventors:

Qingguo Wu - Vancouver WA, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US
Mandyam Sriram - Beaverton OR, US
Seshasayee Varadarajan - Lake Oswego OR, US
Haiying Fu - Camas WA, US
Pramod Subramonium - Salem OR, US
Jon Henri - West Linn OR, US
Sirish Reddy - Hillsboro OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01L 29/76

US Classification:

257384, 257288, 257327, 438197

Abstract:

Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is PMOS devices using a highly compressive post-salicide amorphous carbon capping layer applied as a blanket over on at least the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the PMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create compressive strain in PMOS channel.

US Patent:

7998881, Aug 16, 2011

Filed:

Jun 6, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/134961

Inventors:

Qingguo Wu - Vancouver WA, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US
Mandyam Sriram - Beaverton OR, US
Seshasayee Varadarajan - Lake Oswego OR, US
Akhil Singhal - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/469

US Classification:

438778, 257E29161

Abstract:

Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is PMOS devices using a highly compressive post-salicide boron doped carbon capping layer applied as a blanket over on at least the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the PMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create compressive strain in PMOS channel.

US Patent:

8178059, May 15, 2012

Filed:

Dec 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/329471

Inventors:

James T. Sims - Vancouver WA, US

Assignee:

CH2M HILL Engineers, Inc. - Englewood CO

International Classification:

B01J 19/00
C25B 1/00
C01B 7/01

US Classification:

422608, 422620, 422630, 422234, 204252, 204266

Abstract:

A system for supplying chlorine to and recovering chlorine from a polysilicon plant may include a brine treatment system, at least one membrane cell, a chlorine drying system, a chlorine compression system, a hydrogen drying system, a hydrogen compression system, a hydrogen chloride synthesis/desorption system, a hydrogen chloride liquefaction system, a liquefied hydrogen chloride storage system, a hydrogen chloride vaporizer, and a waste conversion and filtration system. These systems may be operatively joined to generate hydrogen chloride gas for delivery to the polysilicon plant. A method for supplying chlorine to the polysilicon plant may include generating hydrogen gas and chlorine gas from recovered and raw salt, converting at least a portion of the hydrogen gas and at least a portion of the chlorine gas to hydrogen chloride, passing the hydrogen chloride through a cryogenic column, vaporizing the hydrogen chloride, and providing the vaporized hydrogen chloride to the polysilicon plant.

US Patent:

8211510, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Aug 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/897838

Inventors:

Bhadri Varadarajan - Beaverton OR, US
Gengwei Jiang - Lake Oswego OR, US
Sirish K. Reddy - Hillsboro OR, US
James S. Sims - Tigard OR, US

Assignee:

Novellus Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

B05D 3/06

US Classification:

427558, 427492, 427493, 427508, 427509, 427553, 427541, 427542

Abstract:

A highly tensile dielectric layer is generated on a heat sensitive substrate while not exceeding thermal budget constraints. Cascaded ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is used to produce highly tensile films to be used, for example, in strained NMOS transistor architectures. Successive UV radiation of equal or shorter wavelengths with variable intensity and duration selectively breaks bonds in the Si—N matrix and minimizes shrinkage and film relaxation. Higher tensile stress than a non-cascaded approach may be obtained.