Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140037858 | ANISOTROPIC SURFACE ENERGY MODULATION BY ION IMPLANTATION - Methods of modulating a material's surface energies through the implantation of ions, such as by using a plasma processing apparatus with a plasma sheath modifier, are disclosed. Two or more ion implants may be performed, where the implant regions of two of the ion implants overlap. The species implanted by a first implant may increase the hydrophobicity of the surface, wherein the species implanted by the second implant may decrease the hydrophobicity of the surface. In this way, a workpiece can be implanted such that different portions of its surface have different surface energies. | 02-06-2014 |
20140242523 | Techniques For Patterning A Substrate - Various techniques for patterning a substrate are disclosed. Specifically, implantation of the first species into an anti-reflective coating layer is contemplated to reduce stress in the layer that may be generated during the exposure stage or development stage. During these steps, the resist layer or the resist structure may under mechanical changes (e.g. shrinkage) while it is in contact with the anti-reflective layer. Such changes may introduce stress in the anti-reflective layer, which may contribute to excessive line edge roughness (LER) or line width roughness (LWR). By implanting the first species before, during, or after these steps, the stress in the anti-reflective layer may be avoided or compensated, and excessive LER or LWR may be avoided or reduced. | 08-28-2014 |
20150325410 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC CONTROL OF ION BEAM ENERGY AND ANGLE - In one embodiment a method of etching a substrate includes directing a first ion beam to the substrate through an extraction plate of a processing apparatus using a first set of control settings of the processing apparatus. The method may further include detecting a signal from the substrate that indicates a change in material being etched by the first ion beam from a first material to a second material, adjusting control settings of the processing apparatus to a second set of control settings different from the first set of control settings based on the second material, and directing a second ion beam to the substrate through the extraction plate using the second set of control settings. | 11-12-2015 |
20150355549 | ELECTRIC/MAGNETIC FIELD GUIDED ACID DIFFUSION - Methods and apparatuses for minimizing line edge/width roughness in lines formed by photolithography are provided. The random diffusion of acid generated by a photoacid generator during a lithography process contributes to line edge/width roughness. Methods disclosed herein apply an electric field and/or a magnetic field during photolithography processes. The field application controls the diffusion of the acids generated by the photoacid generator along the line and spacing direction, preventing the line edge/width roughness that results from random diffusion. Apparatuses for carrying out the aforementioned methods are also disclosed herein. | 12-10-2015 |
20160005594 | HIGH EFFICIENCY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEPOSITING A LAYER ON A THREE DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE - In one embodiment, a processing apparatus may include a process chamber configured to house a substrate and a hybrid source assembly that includes a gas channel coupled to a molecular source; and a plasma chamber configured to generate a plasma and isolated from the gas channel. The processing apparatus may also include an extraction assembly disposed between the hybrid source assembly and process chamber, coupled to the gas channel and plasma chamber, and configured to direct an ion beam to a substrate, the ion beam comprising angled ions wherein the angled ions form a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to a substrate plane; and configured to direct a molecular beam comprising molecular species received from the gas channel to the substrate. | 01-07-2016 |
20160005839 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE DEPOSITION - Methods for forming fin structures with desired materials formed on different locations of the fin structure using a selective deposition process for fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) are provided. In one embodiment, a method of forming a structure with desired materials on a substrate includes depositing a first material on a substrate having a three-dimensional (3D) structure formed thereon while performing an implantation process to dope a first region of the 3D structure. The first material may be removed and a second material may be deposited on the 3D structure. The second material may selectively grow on a second region of the 3D structure. | 01-07-2016 |
20160042922 | TECHNIQUES AND APPARATUS FOR ANISOTROPIC METAL ETCHING - In one embodiment, a method for etching a copper layer disposed on a substrate includes directing reactive ions to the substrate when a mask that defines an exposed area and protected area is disposed on the copper layer, wherein an altered layer is generated in the exposed area comprising a chemically reactive material; and exposing the copper layer to a molecular species that is effective to react with the chemically reactive material so as to remove the altered layer. | 02-11-2016 |
20160042975 | TECHNIQUES AND APPARATUS FOR ANISOTROPIC METAL ETCHING - In one embodiment, a method for etching a metal layer on a substrate may include providing a hydrogen-containing gas and an impurity gas to a plasma chamber; generating a plasma from the hydrogen-containing gas and the impurity gas in the plasma chamber, the plasma comprising hydrogen-containing ions; providing gaseous species from the plasma chamber to the substrate, wherein the providing the gaseous species comprises directing an ion beam comprising the hydrogen-containing ions formed from the plasma through an extraction aperture of an extraction plate disposed between the substrate and the plasma. | 02-11-2016 |