Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202685 | HIGH YIELD PLASMA ETCH PROCESS FOR INTERLAYER DIELECTRICS - A high yield plasma etch process for an interlayer dielectric layer of a semiconductor device is provided, according to an embodiment of which a dielectric layer is etched with a nitrogen-containing plasma. In this way, the formation of polymers on a backside bevel of a substrate is avoided or substantially reduced. Remaining polymer at the backside bevel can be removed in situ by post-etch treatment. Further, a plasma etching device is provided comprising a chamber, a substrate receiving space for receiving a substrate, a plasma generator for generating a plasma in the chamber and a temperature conditioner for conditioning a temperature at an outer circumferential region of the substrate receiving space and thereby minimizing temperature gradients at a bevel of the wafer. | 08-28-2008 |
20090273086 | METHOD OF REDUCING EROSION OF A METAL CAP LAYER DURING VIA PATTERNING IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - During the patterning of via openings in sophisticated metallization systems of semi-conductor devices, the opening may extend through a conductive cap layer and an appropriate ion bombardment may be established to redistribute material of the underlying metal region to exposed sidewall portions of the conductive cap layer, thereby establishing a protective material. Consequently, in a subsequent wet chemical etch process, the probability for undue material removal of the conductive cap layer may be greatly reduced. | 11-05-2009 |
20090319196 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR QUANTITATIVE INLINE MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION IN SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTION PROCESSES BASED ON STRUCTURAL MEASUREMENTS AND RELATED MODELS - By using powerful data analysis techniques, such as PCR, PLS, CLS and the like, in combination with measurement techniques providing structural information, gradually varying material characteristics may be determined during semiconductor fabrication, thereby also enabling the monitoring of complex manufacturing sequences. For instance, the material characteristics of sensitive dielectric materials, such as ULK material, may be detected, for instance with respect to an extension of a damage zone, in order to monitor the quality of metallization systems of sophisticated semiconductor devices. The inline measurement data may be obtained on the basis of infrared spectroscopy, for instance using FTIR and the like, which may even allow directly obtaining the measurement data at process chambers, substantially without affecting the overall process throughput. | 12-24-2009 |
20100081277 | METHOD FOR PASSIVATING EXPOSED COPPER SURFACES IN A METALLIZATION LAYER OF A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - When forming sophisticated metallization systems, surface integrity of an exposed metal surface, such as a copper-containing surface, may be enhanced by exposing the surface to a vapor of a passivation agent. Due to the corresponding interaction with the metal surface, enhanced integrity may be accomplished, while at the same time damage of exposed dielectric surface portions may be significantly reduced compared to conventional aggressive wet chemical cleaning processes that are typically used in conventional patterning regimes. | 04-01-2010 |
20100248498 | MATERIAL STRIPPING IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES BY EVAPORATION - A sacrificial material, such as resist material, polymer material, organic residues and the like, may be efficiently removed from a surface of a semiconductor device by evaporating the material under consideration, which may, for instance, be accomplished by energy deposition. For example, a laser beam may be scanned across the surface to be treated so as to evaporate the sacrificial material, such as resist material, while significantly reducing any negative effects on other materials such as dielectrics, metals, semiconductive materials and the like. Moreover, by selecting an appropriate scan regime, a locally selective removal of material may be accomplished in a highly efficient manner. | 09-30-2010 |
20100276607 | Method of depositing protective structures - A process of preparing a lamella from a substrate includes manufacturing a protection strip on an edge portion of the lamella to be prepared from the substrate, and preparing the lamella, wherein the manufacturing the protection strip includes a first phase of activating a surface area portion of the substrate, and a second phase of electron beam assisted deposition of the protective strip on the activated surface area portion from the gas phase. | 11-04-2010 |
20100301494 | RE-ESTABLISHING A HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE OF SENSITIVE LOW-K DIELECTRICS IN MICROSTRUCTURE DEVICES - Silicon oxide based low-k dielectric materials may be provided with a hydrophobic low-k surface area, even after exposure to a reactive process ambient, by performing a surface treatment on the basis of hexamethylcyclotrisilazane and/or octamethylcyclotetrasilazane. In addition to the surface treatment, a polymerization may be initiated on the basis of a hydrophobic surface nature of the silicon-based dielectric material, thereby increasing the chemical stability during the further processing. | 12-02-2010 |
20100304566 | ESTABLISHING A HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE OF SENSITIVE LOW-K DIELECTRICS OF MICROSTRUCTURE DEVICES BY IN SITU PLASMA TREATMENT - Silicon oxide based low-k dielectric materials may receive superior hydrophobic surface characteristics on the basis of a plasma treatment using hydrogen and carbon containing radicals. For this purpose, the surface of the low-k dielectric material may be exposed to these radicals, at least in one in situ process in combination with another reactive plasma ambient, for instance used for patterning the low-k dielectric material. Consequently, superior surface characteristics may be established or re-established without significantly contributing to product cycle time. | 12-02-2010 |
20120003832 | METHOD OF REDUCING EROSION OF A METAL CAP LAYER DURING VIA PATTERNING IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - During the patterning of via openings in sophisticated metallization systems of semiconductor devices, the opening may extend through a conductive cap layer and an appropriate ion bombardment may be established to redistribute material of the underlying metal region to exposed sidewall portions of the conductive cap layer, thereby establishing a protective material. Consequently, in a subsequent wet chemical etch process, the probability for undue material removal of the conductive cap layer may be greatly reduced. | 01-05-2012 |
20120187291 | Method of Depositing Protective Structures - A process of preparing a lamella from a substrate includes manufacturing a protection strip on an edge portion of the lamella to be prepared from the substrate, and preparing the lamella, wherein the manufacturing the protection strip includes a first phase of activating a surface area portion of the substrate, and a second phase of electron beam assisted deposition of the protective strip on the activated surface area portion from the gas phase. | 07-26-2012 |
20120224966 | SYSTEM FOR MONITORING THE CONDITION OF ROTOR BLADES AT WIND TURBINES - Some examples relate to a system for monitoring the condition of rotor blades at wind turbines. A plurality of sensor nodes can be coupled to a rotor blade. A respective at least one sensor can be present at the individual sensor nodes for the spatially resolved detection of vibrations and/or acoustic waves of the rotor blade and the sensor nodes can be connected via optical fibers to a central supply and reception unit. A light source can be present at the central supply and reception unit and electromagnetic radiation can be conducted from it via an optical fiber to a photovoltaic converter with which the received electromagnetic radiation can be converted into electric energy. The electric energy can be utilized. | 09-06-2012 |
20130072018 | Repair of Damaged Surface Areas of Sensitive Low-K Dielectrics of Microstructure Devices After Plasma Processing by In Situ Treatment - Damaged surface areas of low-k dielectric materials may be efficiently repaired by avoiding the saturation of dangling silicon bonds after a reactive plasma treatment on the basis of OH groups, as is typically applied in conventional process strategies. The saturation of the dangling bond may be accomplished by directly initiating a chemical reaction with appropriate organic species, thereby providing superior reaction conditions, which in turn results in a more efficient restoration of the dielectric characteristics. | 03-21-2013 |
20140191126 | Method of Depositing Protective Structures - A process of preparing a lamella from a substrate includes manufacturing a protection strip on an edge portion of the lamella to be prepared from the substrate, and preparing the lamella, wherein the manufacturing the protection strip includes a first phase of activating a surface area portion of the substrate, and a second phase of electron beam assisted deposition of the protective strip on the activated surface area portion from the gas phase. | 07-10-2014 |