Patent US5504040A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5504040A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Planarized material layer deposition using condensed-phase processing
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1992-06-30
•
Granted: 1996-04-02
•
Expires: 2012-06-30
Abstract
Abstract A method and system form a globally planar material layer (44) on a semiconductor wafer (32). The method and system consist of a chuck (58) and a chiller (56) to cool down semiconductor wafer (32) to a predetermined temperature in order to condense multiple liquid film layers (38, 40, 42) to produce a globally planar material layer (44) from a suitable condensable process vapor. At least one process energy source (72 and 74) reactively solidifies the liquid films on the semiconductor wafer (32) and may include a remote plasma source, a radio-frequency plasma source, or a photon source. The steps and apparatus for condensing and solidifying the material layer form a progressive globally planar layer on the semiconductor wafer surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Mehrdad M. Moslehi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 16:40
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; B; B05; B05D; B05D1/00; B05D1/60; B05D3/00; B05D3/02; B05D3/0254; B05D3/029; B05D3/14; B05D3/141; H10P14/00; H10P14/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for forming a globally planar material layer on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cooling the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined temperature; condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer by subjecting said film to microwave energy; and repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressive globally planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for forming a globally planar material layer on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cooling the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined temperature; condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer by subjecting said film to microwave energy; and repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressive globally planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising controlled condensed liquid film growth cycles followed by pulses of plasma and/or microwave energy process activation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming globally planar dielectric layers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said method is performed in a TEOS and oxygen process environment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed in a silane and oxygen process environment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1, further comprising an annealing step to anneal said solidified planar material layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said energy source comprises a pulsed high-power microwave source.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said process energy source comprises a pulsed light energy source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said method is performed in an automatic vacuum processing equipment.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for forming a plurality of material layers with successively higher degrees of planarization on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: a) for each layer cooling the semiconductor wafer to a first temperature; b) condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; c) reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer surface by subjecting said film to electromagnetic energy; d) repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressively planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer for each layer; placing additional device layers over the globally planar material layer, said additional device layers having a non-planar topology; and repeating steps (a) through (d) above after formation of each structure with non-planar topography.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for forming a plurality of material layers with successively higher degrees of planarization on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: a) for each layer cooling the semiconductor wafer to a first temperature; b) condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; c) reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer surface by subjecting said film to electromagnetic energy; d) repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressively planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer for each layer; placing additional device layers over the globally planar material layer, said additional device layers having a non-planar topology; and repeating steps (a) through (d) above after formation of each structure with non-planar topography.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for forming a globally planar material layer on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cooling the semiconductor wafer to a first temperature; condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer by subjecting said film to plasma energy; and repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressive globally planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for forming a globally planar material layer on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cooling the semiconductor wafer to a first temperature; condensing a liquid film on the semiconductor wafer surface from a condensable process vapor; reactively solidifying a fraction of said film on the semiconductor wafer by subjecting said film to plasma energy; and repeating said condensing and said reactive solidifying steps to form a progressive globally planar material layer on the semiconductor wafer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4927786A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-04-02 | 1999-10-02 | 2000-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-04-02 | 2003-10-02 | 2004-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-04-02 | 2007-10-02 | 2008-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |