Zheng Ling Xu

US Patent:

6368469, Apr 9, 2002

Filed:

May 6, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/851946

Inventors:

Jaim Nulman - Palo Alto CA
Sergio Edelstein - Los Gatos CA
Mani Subramani - San Jose CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA
Howard Grunes - Santa Cruz CA
Avi Tepman - Cupertino CA
John Forster - San Francisco CA
Praburam Gopalraja - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 1434

US Classification:

20419212, 20429806, 20429808, 20429811

Abstract:

A sputtering coil for a plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication system is provided. The sputtering coil couples energy into a plasma and also provides a source of sputtering material to be sputtered onto a workpiece from the coil to supplement material being sputtered from a target onto the workpiece. Alternatively a plurality of coils may be provided, one primarily for coupling energy into the plasma and the other primarily for providing a supplemental source of sputtering material to be sputtered on the workpiece.

US Patent:

6372633, Apr 16, 2002

Filed:

Jul 8, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/111657

Inventors:

Dan Maydan - Los Altos Hills CA
Ashok K. Sinha - Palo Alto CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA
Liang-Yu Chen - Foster City CA
Roderick Craig Mosely - Pleasanton CA
Daniel Carl - Pleasanton CA
Diana Xiaobing Ma - Saratoga CA
Yan Ye - Campbell CA
Wen Chiang Tu - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 214763

US Classification:

438637, 257763

Abstract:

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming reliable interconnects in which the overlap of the line over the plug or via is minimized or eliminated. In one aspect, a barrier plug comprised of a conductive material, such as tungsten, is deposited over the via to provide an etch stop during line etching and to prevent diffusion of the metal, such as copper, into the surrounding dielectric material if the line is misaligned over the via. Additionally, the barrier plug prevents an overall reduction in resistance of the interconnect and enables reactive ion etching to be employed to form the metal line. In another aspect, reactive ion etching techniques are employed to selectively etch the metal line and the barrier layer to provide a controlled etching process which exhibits selectivity for the metal line, then the barrier and then the via or plug.

US Patent:

6399479, Jun 4, 2002

Filed:

Aug 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/386077

Inventors:

Fusen Chen - Cupertino CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA
Peijun Ding - San Jose CA
Barry Chin - Saratoga CA
Ashok Sinha - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 214763

US Classification:

438628, 438637, 438674

Abstract:

The invention provides a method for filling a structure on a substrate comprising: depositing a barrier layer on one or more surfaces of the structure, depositing a seed layer over the barrier layer, removing a portion of the seed layer, and electrochemically depositing a metal to fill the structure. Preferably, a portion or all of the seed layer formed on the sidewall portion of the structure is removed using a electrochemical de-plating process prior to the electroplating process.

US Patent:

6409890, Jun 25, 2002

Filed:

Jul 27, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/362917

Inventors:

Howard E. Grunes - Santa Cruz CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA
Praburam Gopalraja - Sunnyvale CA
John C. Forster - San Francisco CA
Ralf Hofmann - San Jose CA
Anantha Subramani - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 1435

US Classification:

20419212, 20429811, 20429812, 20429808, 20429826, 20429806, 20429819

Abstract:

Embodiments include devices and methods for sputtering material onto a workpiece in a chamber which includes a plasma generation area and a target. A coil is positioned to inductively couple energy into the plasma generation area to generate a plasma. A body is positioned between the workpiece and the target to prevent an amount of target material from being sputtered onto the workpiece. The body prevents an amount of target material from being sputtered onto the workpiece. The body may act as a dark space shield and inhibit plasma formation between the body and the target. The body may also act as a physical shield to block sputtered material from accumulating on the workpiece.

US Patent:

6413382, Jul 2, 2002

Filed:

Nov 3, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/705324

Inventors:

Wei Wang - Santa Clara CA
Praburam Gopalraja - Sunnyvale CA
Jianming Fu - San Jose CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 1435

US Classification:

20419212, 20429808, 20429817, 2042982, 20429822

Abstract:

A magnetron sputter reactor having a target that is pulsed with a duty cycle of less than 10% and preferably less than 1% and further having a small magnetron of area less than 20% of the target area rotating about the target center, whereby a very high plasma density is produced during the pulse adjacent to the area of the magnetron. The power pulsing frequency needs to be desynchronized from the rotation frequency so that the magnetron does not overlie the same area of the magnetron during different pulses. Advantageously, the power pulses are delivered above a DC background level sufficient to continue to excite the plasma so that no ignition is required for each pulse.

US Patent:

6422148, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Aug 4, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/633163

Inventors:

Zheng Rong Xu - Sugar Land TX
Manish Kothari - Stafford TX
Robert A. Parrott - Houston TX
Haoming Li - Missouri City TX

Assignee:

Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Sugar Land TX

International Classification:

F42B 3087

US Classification:

102313, 102307, 102312, 102378

Abstract:

A perforating gun assembly that includes at least one component that is constructed from a composite material and that is impermeable to wellbore fluids. The components may include the outer carrier and/or loading tube of a perforating gun, the connecting tubing of a gun release mechanism, and the gun connector used to attach adjacent perforating guns. The composite material is designed to be very brittle under dynamic impact. The component is made impermeable to wellbore fluids by including an impermeable liner therein. The impermeable liner can be bonded to the inner or outer surface of the component or can be embedded within the component. Since it is brittle under dynamic impact, the composite component shatters into small pieces upon detonation of the perforating gun.

US Patent:

6431271, Aug 13, 2002

Filed:

Sep 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/666734

Inventors:

Hubertus V. Thomeer - Houston TX
Zheng R. Xu - Sugar Land TX
Jeffrey R. Beckel - Sugar Land TX

Assignee:

Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Sugar Land TX

International Classification:

E21B 1918

US Classification:

166 7751, 166195, 166207

Abstract:

Apparatus for use in a wellbore comprises (1) a first structure that comprises (a) at least one extendable member that can be reconfigured from a coiled form to an extended form, the member having a flattened transverse cross-section when in the coiled form and a curved transverse cross-section when in the extended form, (b) a downhole well tool attached to the extendable member, and (c) a housing in which the extendable member can be coiled; (2) a well mounting device for supporting the first structure from the wellbore or the surface of a well; and (3) means for reconfiguring the extendable, coilable member in a wellbore from the coiled form to the extended form. Preferably, the extendable member is reversibly configurable between the coiled form and the extended form.

US Patent:

6449525, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

Apr 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/558457

Inventors:

Joanna Liu - Los Altos CA
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 1900

US Classification:

700121, 20419212

Abstract:

A multiple step process sputter deposits material of uniform thickness on stepped surfaces of an integrated circuit substrate such as the surfaces of a high aspect ratio via or a narrow trench. Material is first sputter deposited at the bottom of the opening at high pressure using a high power RF source connected to a coil in the deposition chamber to couple energy into the plasma. A high power RF bias is applied to the substrate, and a low power DC bias is applied to the sputtering target. The same parameters are repeated in a second step except that the high power RF bias on the substrate support is either reduced to a low power level or reduced to zero (by the end of the second step) to deposit on the lowest quarter of the sidewall of the opening. In a third step, no RF bias is applied to the pedestal remains and the pressure is reduced to a medium pressure state, resulting in a deposition on the second quarter of the sidewall of the opening. In a fourth step, the RF power coupled to the plasma is reduced to a low level, resulting in deposition on the third quarter of sidewall of the opening.