Wen Tu, Age 4513654 South Springs Dr, Clifton, VA 20124

6372633, Apr 16, 2002

Jul 8, 1998

09/111657

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

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 214763

438637, 257763

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.

2002005, May 16, 2002

Jan 10, 2002

10/043422

Dan Maydan - Los Altos CA, US
Ashok Sinha - Palo Alto CA, US
Zheng Xu - Foster City CA, US
Liang-Yuh Chen - Foster City CA, US
Roderick Mosely - Pleasanton CA, US
Daniel Carl - Pleasanton CA, US
Diana Ma - Saratoga CA, US
Yan Ye - Campbell CA, US
Wen Tu - Sunnyvale CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc.

H01L021/4763

438/637000

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.

6024393, Feb 15, 2000

Nov 4, 1996

8/740886

Behzad Shamlou - San Jose CA
Wen Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA
Xuyen Pham - Fremont CA
Yu Chang - San Jose CA
Daniel O. Clark - Pleasanton CA
Shun Wu - Cupertino CA

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

B25J 1506
B65G 4907

294 641

The amount of particulate contamination produced due to rubbing between a semiconductor substrate and the robotic substrate handling blade has been greatly reduced by the use of specialized materials either as the principal material of construction for the semiconductor substrate handling blade, or as a coating upon the surface of the wafer handling blade. In particular, the specialized material must exhibit the desired stiffness at temperatures in excess of about 450. degree. C. ; the specialized material must also have an abrasion resistant surface which does not produce particulates when rubbed against the semiconductor substrate. The abrasion resistant surface needs to be very smooth, having a surface finish of less than 1. 0 micro inch, and preferably less than 0. 2 micro inch.

6199927, Mar 13, 2001

Jan 21, 1999

9/294440

Behzad Shamlou - San Jose CA
Wen Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA
Xuyen Pham - Fremont CA
Yu Chang - San Jose CA
Daniel O. Clark - Pleasanton CA
Shun Wu - Cupertino CA

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

B25J 1506
B65G 4907

294 641

The amount of particulate contamination produced due to rubbing between a semiconductor substrate and the robotic substrate handling blade has been greatly reduced by the use of specialized materials either as the principal material of construction for the semiconductor substrate handling blade, or as a coating upon the surface of the substrate handling blade. In particular, the specialized material must exhibit the desired stiffness at temperatures in excess of about 450. degree. C. ; the specialized material must also have an abrasion resistant surface which does not produce particulates when rubbed against the semiconductor substrate. The abrasion resistant surface needs to be very smooth, having a surface finish of less than 1. 0 micro inch, and preferably less than 0. 2 micro inch.