| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080274622 | Plasma Processing, Deposition and ALD Methods - A plasma processing method includes providing a substrate in a processing chamber, the substrate having a surface, and generating a plasma in the processing chamber. The plasma provides at least two regions that exhibit different plasma densities. The method includes exposing at least some of the surface to both of the at least two regions. Exposing the surface to both of the at least two regions may include rotating the plasma and may cyclically expose the surface to the plasma density differences. Exposing to both of the at least two regions may modify a composition and/or structure of the surface. The plasma may include a plasmoid characterized by a steady state plasma wave providing multiple plasma density lobes uniformly distributed about an axis of symmetry and providing plasma between the lobes exhibiting lower plasma densities. Depositing the layer can include ALD and exposure may remove an ALD precursor ligand. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080314149 | SENSOR AND TRANSDUCER DEVICES COMPRISING CARBON NANOTUBES, METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME - Devices usable as sensors, as transducers, or as both sensors and transducers include one or more nanotubes or nanowires. In some embodiments, the devices may each include a plurality of sensor/transducer devices carried by a common substrate. The sensor/transducer devices may be individually operable, and may exhibit a plurality of resonant frequencies to enhance the operable frequency bandwidth of the devices. Sensor/transducer devices include one or more elements configured to alter a resonant frequency of a nanotube. Such elements may be selectively and individually actuable. Methods for sensing mechanical displacements and vibrations include monitoring an electrical characteristic of a nanotube. Methods for generating mechanical displacements and vibrations include using an electrical signal to induce mechanical displacements or vibrations in one or more nanotubes. Methods for adjusting an electrical signal include passing an electrical signal through a nanotube and changing a resonant frequency of the nanotube. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090215253 | Method of Forming a Nitrogen-Enriched Region within Silicon-Oxide-Containing Masses - The invention encompasses a method of incorporating nitrogen into a silicon-oxide-containing layer. The silicon-oxide-containing layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer. The nitrogen is subsequently thermally annealed within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon within the layer. The invention also encompasses a method of forming a transistor. A gate oxide layer is formed over a semiconductive substrate. The gate oxide layer comprises silicon dioxide. The gate oxide layer is exposed to a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into the layer, and the layer is maintained at less than or equal to 400° C. during the exposing. Subsequently, the nitrogen within the layer is thermally annealed to bond at least a majority of the nitrogen to silicon. At least one conductive layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. Source/drain regions are formed within the semiconductive substrate, and are gatedly connected to one another by the at least one conductive layer. The invention also encompasses transistor structures. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090258492 | MULTIPLE SPACER STEPS FOR PITCH MULTIPLICATION - Multiple pitch-multiplied spacers are used to form mask patterns having features with exceptionally small critical dimensions. One of each pair of spacers formed around a plurality of mandrels is removed and alternating layers, formed of two mutually selectively etchable materials, are deposited around the remaining spacers. Layers formed of one of the materials are then etched, leaving behind vertically-extending layers formed of the other of the materials, which form a mask pattern. Alternatively, instead of depositing alternating layers, amorphous carbon is deposited around the remaining spacers followed by a plurality of cycles of forming pairs of spacers on the amorphous carbon, removing one of the pairs of spacers and depositing an amorphous carbon layer. The cycles can be repeated to form the desired pattern. Because the critical dimensions of some features in the pattern can be set by controlling the width of the spaces between spacers, exceptionally small mask features can be formed. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090288603 | PLASMA AND ELECTRON BEAM ETCHING DEVICE AND METHOD - Methods and devices for selective etching in a semiconductor process are shown. Chemical species generated in a reaction chamber provide both a selective etching function and concurrently form a protective coating on other regions. An electron beam provides activation to selective chemical species. In one example, reactive species are generated from a plasma source to provide an increased reactive species density. Addition of other gasses to the system can provide functions such as controlling a chemistry in a protective layer during a processing operation. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100051577 | COPPER LAYER PROCESSING - The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems for processing copper and, in particular, copper layer processing using sulfur plasma, One or more embodiments can include a method of forming a copper sulfur compound by reacting copper with a plasma gas including sulfur and removing at least a portion of the copper sulfur compound with water. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100141265 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT INSPECTION SYSTEM - Methods and systems that include a nanotube used as an emitter in the testing and fabrication of integrated circuits. The nanotube emits a signal to a substrate. Based on the signal or the electrical properties, e.g., current induced in the substrate by the signal, the region of the substrate is characterized. The characterization includes topology of the region of the substrate such as determining whether a recess in the substrate has a proper depth or other dimensions or characteristics of the substrate. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100221922 | ELECTRON BEAM PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD USING CARBON NANOTUBE EMITTER - Methods and devices for selective etching in a semiconductor process are shown. Chemical species generated in a reaction chamber provide both a selective etching function and concurrently form a protective coating on other regions. An electron beam provides activation to selective chemical species. In one example, reactive species are generated from a plasma source to provide an increased reactive species density. Addition of other gasses to the system can provide functions such as controlling a chemistry in a protective layer during a processing operation. In one example an electron beam array such as a carbon nanotube array is used to selectively expose a surface during a processing operation. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100314354 | PROFILING SOLID STATE SAMPLES - Methods and apparatus may operate to position a sample within a processing chamber and operate on a surface of the sample. Further activities may include creating a layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface, and exciting a portion of the layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface to form chemical radicals. Additional activities may include removing a portion of the material in proximity to the excited portion of the surface to a predetermined level, and continuing the creating, exciting and removing actions until at least one of a plurality of stop criteria occurs. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20110056625 | ELECTRON BEAM ETCHING DEVICE AND METHOD - Methods and devices for selective etching in a semiconductor process are shown. Chemical species generated in a reaction chamber provide both a selective etching function and concurrently form a protective coating on other regions. An electron beam provides activation to selective chemical species. In one example, reactive species are generated from a halogen and carbon containing gas source. Addition of other gasses to the system can provide functions such as controlling a chemistry in a protective layer during a processing operation. | 03-10-2011 |
