Satheesh U Kuppurao

US Patent:

7396743, Jul 8, 2008

Filed:

Jun 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/866471

Inventors:

Kaushal K. Singh - Santa Clara CA, US
David Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Manish Hemkar - Sunnyvale CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US
Randhir Thakur - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/20

US Classification:

438479, 438483, 438795

Abstract:

A method of preparing a clean substrate surface for blanket or selective epitaxial deposition of silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films. In addition, a method of growing the silicon-containing and/or germanium-containing films, where both the substrate cleaning method and the film growth method are carried out at a temperature below 750 C. , and typically at a temperature from about 700 C. to about 500 C. The cleaning method and the film growth method employ the use of radiation having a wavelength ranging from about 310 nm to about 120 nm in the processing volume in which the silicon-containing film is grown. Use of this radiation in combination with particular partial pressure ranges for the reactive cleaning or film-forming component species enable the substrate cleaning and epitaxial film growth at temperatures below those previously known in the industry.

US Patent:

7494545, Feb 24, 2009

Filed:

Feb 3, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/346804

Inventors:

Andrew Lam - San Francisco CA, US
Yihwan Kim - Milpitas CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US
Xinliang Lu - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C30B 25/12

US Classification:

117 84, 117 89, 257 1, 438638

Abstract:

An epitaxial deposition process including a dry etch process, followed by an epitaxial deposition process is disclosed. The dry etch process involves placing a substrate to be cleaned into a processing chamber to remove surface oxides. A gas mixture is introduced into a plasma cavity, and the gas mixture is energized to form a plasma of reactive gas in the plasma cavity. The reactive gas enters into the processing chamber and reacts with the substrate, forming a thin film. The substrate is heated to vaporize the thin film and expose an epitaxy surface. The epitaxy surface is substantially free of oxides. Epitaxial deposition is then used to form an epitaxial layer on the epitaxy surface.

US Patent:

7560352, Jul 14, 2009

Filed:

Mar 17, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/378101

Inventors:

David K. Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US
Errol Antonio C. Sanchez - Tracy CA, US
Howard Beckford - San Jose CA, US
Yihwan Kim - Milpitas CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/336

US Classification:

438300, 438149, 438488, 438489, 438762, 438765, 438969, 257E2143, 257E21461, 257E2109

Abstract:

A method for epitaxially forming a silicon-containing material on a substrate surface utilizes a halogen containing gas as both an etching gas as well as a carrier gas through adjustments of the process chamber temperature and pressure. It is beneficial to utilize HCl as the halogen containing gas because converting HCl from a carrier gas to an etching gas can easily be performed by adjusting the chamber pressure.

US Patent:

7709391, May 4, 2010

Filed:

Jan 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/336178

Inventors:

Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US
David K. Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Howard Beckford - San Jose CA, US
Errol Sanchez - Tracy CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/302

US Classification:

438706, 438714

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the formation and utilization of metastable specie in a reaction chamber for processing substrates. The metastable specie may be used for etching the surface of substrates in situ, deposition processes during processing of the substrate.

US Patent:

7718225, May 18, 2010

Filed:

Aug 17, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/205647

Inventors:

Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US
David K. Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Manish Hemkar - Sunnyvale CA, US
Andrew Lam - San Francisco CA, US
Errol Sanchez - Tracy CA, US
Howard Beckford - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/00

US Classification:

4272481, 42725523, 118724

Abstract:

Methods are disclosed for adjusting the temperature of at least a portion of the surface of a reaction chamber during a film formation process to control film properties. More than one portion of the chamber surface may be temperature-modulated, and may be accomplished by actively keeping the temperature of a first wall of the reaction chamber above the temperature of a second wall during the film formation process.

US Patent:

7770431, Aug 10, 2010

Filed:

Jul 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/830832

Inventors:

David K. Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01N 7/00

US Classification:

73 2321

Abstract:

Systems and methods are disclosed that include adjusting a pressure level of a sample gas in a testing chamber, for example, using a pressurized inert reference gas, and determining a composition of the adjusted sample gas. By adjusting the pressure level of the sample gas, the composition of the sample gas may be determined more accurately than otherwise possible. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

US Patent:

7955646, Jun 7, 2011

Filed:

Aug 9, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/914964

Inventors:

James P. Cruse - Capitola CA, US
Andreas G. Hegedus - Burlingame CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/00

US Classification:

4272481, 432 58, 432706, 432710, 432712, 432714, 432720, 438656, 118715, 427255, 4272552

Abstract:

The amount of atoms diffused into a substrate may be made uniform or the thickness of a thin film may be made uniform in a low species utilization process by stopping the flow of gas into a reaction chamber during the low species utilization process. Stopping the flow of gas into a reaction chamber may entail closing the gate valve (the valve to the vacuum pump), stabilizing the pressure within the reaction chamber, and maintaining the stabilized pressure while stopping the gas flowing into the chamber. Low species utilization processes include the diffusion of nitrogen into silicon dioxide gate dielectric layers by decoupled plasma nitridation (DPN), the deposition of a silicon dioxide film by rapid thermal processing (RTP) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and the deposition of silicon epitaxial layers by CVD.

US Patent:

7967911, Jun 28, 2011

Filed:

Apr 9, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/697937

Inventors:

David K. Carlson - San Jose CA, US
Errol Antonio C. Sanchez - Santa Clara CA, US
Satheesh Kuppurao - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/448
C23F 1/00
H01L 21/306
C23C 16/06
C23C 16/22

US Classification:

118726, 118723 VE, 1563451

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the formation of vaporizing liquid precursor materials. The methods or apparatus can be used as part of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus or system, for example for forming films on substrates. The methods and apparatus involve providing a vessel for containing a liquid precursor and diffusing element having external cross-section dimensions substantially equal to the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the vessel.