Thomas Marc Licata

US Patent:

58006885, Sep 1, 1998

Filed:

Apr 21, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/837551

Inventors:

Alexander D. Lantsman - Middletown NY
Thomas J. Licata - Monroe NY

Assignee:

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

International Classification:

C23C 1434

US Classification:

20429811

Abstract:

An ionized physical vapor deposition apparatus is provided with a helical RF coil that surrounds the chamber wall opposite a space between a target and a substrate holder. The coil is behind a quartz window in the wall of the chamber, which protects the coil from adverse interaction with plasma. The coil is energized with RF energy, preferably in the 0. 1 to 60 MHz range, to form a secondary plasma in a volume of the space between the substrate holder and the main plasma that is adjacent the target. A shield between the space and the dielectric material prevents coating from forming on the window. The shield is formed of a plurality of angled sections that are spaced to facilitate communication of a secondary RF plasma from adjacent the window to the volume of the chamber where the sputtered material is ionized, with the sections angled and spaced to shadow at least most of the target from the window. In one embodiment, a plurality of axially spaced frusto-conical sections are used, with axial gaps to interrupt current eddy paths around the chamber. In another embodiment, the sections are in the form of a plurality angled axially extending circumferentially spaced blades.

US Patent:

58854258, Mar 23, 1999

Filed:

Jun 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/470604

Inventors:

Julian Juu-Chuan Hsieh - Bronx NY
Donald McAlpine Kenney - Shelburne VT
Thomas John Licata - LaGrangeville NY
James Gardner Ryan - Newton CT

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

C23C 1434

US Classification:

20419212

Abstract:

An apparatus and method provide deposition on a surface by angled sputtering using a collimation grid having angled vanes which limit the distribution of trajectories of particles in at least one coordinate direction around a central axis oriented at an angle of less than 90. degree. to said surface; resulting in improved uniformity of deposition and/or selective favoring of deposition on surfaces at a high angle to the deposition surface (e. g. sidewalls). Substantially parallel orientation and uniform spacing of the sputtering target and deposition surface provides good uniformity of results over the deposition surface. The angled trajectories of sputtered particles provides improved deposition on sides of upstanding mandrel features and filling of recessed features of high aspect ratio, especially when the collimation grid is rotated about an axis generally perpendicular to the deposition surface. Angled, collimated deposition also allows for control of deposition at potentially sub-lithographic feature sizes by using portions of features as a mask with deposition being performed only on remaining exposed portions of features or deposition on selected sides of a mandrel feature. Sidewall image transfer techniques may thus be extended to non-symmetrical and singular features.

US Patent:

57578796, May 26, 1998

Filed:

Aug 30, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/707808

Inventors:

Rajiv Vasant Joshi - Yorktown Heights NY
Kurt Rudolf Kimmel - Jericho VT
Thomas John Licata - Lagrangeville NY
James Gardner Ryan - Newtown CT

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G21K 500

US Classification:

378 35

Abstract:

An damascene x-ray mask comprises an oxide membrane layer having trenches formed therein defining an x-ray mask pattern. The trenches are filled with collimated, sputtered tungsten sputtered in a relatively high pressure environment. The result is a dense, low stress tungsten film completely filling the trenches. Damascene refers to the process by which the mask is formed. The mask is formed on a silicon substrate and then the substrate is etched away from the bottom side leaving substantially just the oxide layer and the collimated tungsten. The oxide layer is transparent to x-rays and the collimated tungsten layer is opaque to x-rays.

US Patent:

62247247, May 1, 2001

Filed:

Jul 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/119291

Inventors:

Thomas J. Licata - Monroe NY
Steven D. Hurwitt - late of Park Ridge NJ

Assignee:

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

International Classification:

C23C 1434

US Classification:

20429806

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for compensating the process-related asymmetries produced in physical vapor processing of a surface. The apparatus and method may be used on either a substrate when sputtering material from a source or when using an ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) apparatus to either deposit a film onto or remove material from a substrate. A compensating magnet is configured and positioned to produce a compensating magnetic field. The compensating magnetic is positioned to offset the effects of chamber and process-related asymmetries, particularly those that affect the distribution of plasma processing on a substrate where the plasma has been otherwise symmetrically produced. Assymetries about an axis of the substrate, for example, are corrected, in, for example, systems such as sputter coating machines where a rotating magnet cathode or other such technique produces an initially symmetrical plasma. Asymmetrical non-uniformities in deposited films are reduced to an acceptable amount and substrates may be cleaned in situ prior to metallization.