# US 10,607,845 B1 · Patterned atomic layer etching and deposition using miniature-column charged particle beam arrays

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- Number: US 10,607,845 B1
- Document ID: US10607845B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/015,772
- Filed: 2018-06-22
- Granted: 2020-03-31
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-23
- Applicants: Multibeam Corporation
- Inventors: Kevin M. Monahan; Theodore A. Prescop; Michael C. Smayling; David K. Lam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10607845B1

## CPC

- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- B81C 1/00373: {Selective deposition, e.g. printing or microcontact printing}
- C23C 14/48: Ion implantation
- C23C 16/047: {using irradiation by energy or particles}
- C23C 16/48: by irradiation, e.g. photolysis, radiolysis, particle radiation
- C23C 16/486: {using ion beam radiation}
- C23C 16/487: {using electron radiation}
- H01J 37/05: Electron or ion-optical arrangements for separating electrons or ions according to their energy {or mass}(particle separator tubes H01J49/00)
- H01J 37/06: Electron sources; Electron guns
- H01J 37/08: Ion sources; Ion guns
- H01J 37/228: {whereby illumination or light collection take place in the same area of the discharge}
- H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
- H01J 37/30: Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
- H01J 37/304: Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects {or from the beam}, e.g. correction signals
- H01J 37/305: for casting, melting, evaporating, or etching
- H01J 37/3053: {for evaporating or etching}
- H01J 37/3056: {for microworking, e. g. etching of gratings or trimming of electrical components}
- H01J 37/3172: {Maskless patterned ion implantation}
- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- H01J 37/3177: {Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe}
- H01J 37/3178: {for applying thin layers on objects}
- H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 34/00: Irradiation with electromagnetic or particle radiation of wafers, substrates or parts of devices
- H10P 50/691: {for Group IV materials or Group III-V materials}
- H10P 50/694: {characterised by their behaviour during the process, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks}
- H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects}
- H10P 74/23: {characterised by multiple measurements, corrections, marking or sorting processes}
- H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement}
- B81C 2201/0143: Focussed beam, i.e. laser, ion or e-beam
- B81C 2201/0188: Selective deposition techniques not provided for in B81C2201/0184 - B81C2201/0187
- H01J 2237/004: Charge control of objects or beams
- H01J 2237/0635: Multiple source, e.g. comb or array
- H01J 2237/1501: Beam alignment means or procedures
- H01J 2237/24592: Inspection and quality control of devices
- H01J 2237/30466: Detecting endpoint of process
- H01J 2237/30472: Controlling the beam
- H01J 2237/31708: unpatterned
- H01J 2237/31732: Depositing thin layers on selected microareas
- H01J 2237/31735: Direct-write microstructures
- H01J 2237/31737: using ions
- H01J 2237/3174: Etching microareas
- H01J 2237/31749: Focused ion beam
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

Methods and systems for direct atomic layer etching and deposition on or in a substrate using charged particle beams. Electrostatically-deflected charged particle beam columns can be targeted in direct dependence on the design layout database to perform atomic layer etch and atomic layer deposition, expressing pattern with selected 3D-structure. Reducing the number of process steps in patterned atomic layer etch and deposition reduces manufacturing cycle time and increases yield by lowering the probability of defect introduction. Local gas and photon injectors and detectors are local to corresponding columns, and support superior, highly-configurable process execution and control.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for targeted atomic layer deposition of material onto a substrate using multiple charged particle beam columns, individual columns projecting individual charged particle beams at the substrate, comprising the actions of:
a) injecting at least one gas, using ones of multiple local gas injectors, onto multiple different frames corresponding to multiple different ones of the beams, said gas selected to be adsorbed by the substrate surface;
b) injecting at least one other gas, using ones of said local gas injectors, onto said frames, said gas selected to react with said adsorbed gas to form a deposited layer; and
c) scanning said frames using said corresponding beams, locations targeted by said beams being designated by the design layout database, wherein a beam energy of said corresponding beams is selected to provide the energy for said step b) reaction;
wherein said steps a) and b) are performed serially, and wherein said injecting and said scanning are performed differently and simultaneously by different ones of said local gas injectors and said columns.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising iteratively repeating steps a), b) and c) to thereby deposit material at said targeted locations to a selected number of layers of said adsorbed and reacted gasses, wherein said gas is also selected to be adsorbed by said deposited layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein different numbers of said iterations are performed for different ones of said targeted locations.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising not purging the vacuum chamber in which said steps a), b) and c) are performed between said iterations.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said corresponding beams are targeted in direct dependence on the design layout database.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a beam scanning cycle endpoint using a gas detector to detect material volatilized in said step b) reaction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting photons onto multiple ones of said frames using local photon injectors, said photons having a wavelength selected to, within corresponding ones of said frames, do at least one of:
raising the temperature of the substrate surface material;
exciting electrons of said substrate surface material; and
reflecting photons off said corresponding frame to be collected by a local photon detector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting photons emitted or reflected from said frames using local photon detectors; analyzing said collected photons; and at least one of:
determining endpoints for said deposition in at least partial dependence on said analyzing, wherein said scanning and/or said injecting are performed in at least partial dependence on said determining; and
automatically modifying parameters controlling said scanning and/or said injecting and/or said determining in at least partial dependence on said analyzing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said gas and said other gas are selected to non-spontaneously react at a selected substrate surface temperature range, further comprising using local photon injectors to control the temperature within said frames to be within said selected temperature range.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, in one or more of said frames, said step a) injects a different gas and/or said step b) injects a different other gas.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein none of a photomask, resist layer or hard mask are used to perform said deposition or to pattern material deposited by said deposition.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate surface comprises substrate material or a material deposited on the substrate.

### Claim 13

A method for targeted atomic layer deposition of material onto a substrate using multiple charged particle beam columns, individual columns projecting individual charged particle beams at the substrate, comprising the actions of:
a) serially injecting, using multiple local gas injectors, an initial gas and then another gas onto multiple frames corresponding to multiple different ones of the beams, said initial gas selected to be adsorbed by the substrate, said another gas selected to react with said initial adsorbed gas to form a deposited layer; and
b) scanning said frames using said corresponding beams, locations being targeted by said corresponding beams in dependence on the design layout database, wherein a beam energy of said beams is selected to provide the energy for said adsorption and/or said reaction,
wherein said injecting and said scanning are performed differently and simultaneously by different ones of said local gas injectors and said columns.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said injecting and said scanning are used to pattern a substrate layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said targeted locations are selected to comprise one or more Hadamard targets configured to be used as one or more of: anti-tamper devices, security codes, watermarks, anti-counterfeiting codes, identification data, or addressing data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising iteratively repeating steps a) and b) to thereby deposit material at said targeted locations to a selected number of layers of said adsorbed and reacted gasses, wherein said initial gas is also selected to be adsorbed by said deposited layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein different numbers of said iterations are performed for different ones of said targeted locations.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said corresponding beams are targeted in direct dependence on the design layout database.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a beam scanning cycle endpoint using a gas detector to detect material volatilized in said step b) reaction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising injecting photons onto multiple ones of said frames using local photon injectors, said photons having a wavelength selected to, within corresponding ones of said frames, do at least one of:
raising the temperature of the substrate surface material;
exciting electrons of said substrate surface material; and
reflecting photons off said corresponding frame to be collected by a local photon detector.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein none of a photomask, resist layer or hard mask are used to perform said deposition or to pattern material deposited by said deposition.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising collecting photons emitted or reflected from said frames using local photon detectors; analyzing said collected photons; and at least one of:
determining endpoints for said deposition in at least partial dependence on said analyzing, wherein said scanning and/or said injecting are performed in at least partial dependence on said determining; and
automatically modifying parameters controlling said scanning and/or said injecting and/or said determining in at least partial dependence on said analyzing.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said initial gas and said another gas are selected to non-spontaneously react at a selected substrate surface temperature range, further comprising using local photon injectors to control the temperature within said frames to be within said selected temperature range.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said substrate surface comprises substrate material or a material deposited on the substrate.

### Claim 25

A method for targeted atomic layer deposition of material onto a substrate using multiple charged particle beam columns, individual columns projecting individual charged particle beams at the substrate, comprising the actions of:
a) serially injecting, using multiple local gas injectors, an initial gas and then another gas onto multiple frames corresponding to multiple different ones of the beams, said initial gas selected to be adsorbed by the substrate, said another gas selected to react with said initial adsorbed gas to form a deposited layer; and
b) scanning said frames using said corresponding beams, locations being targeted by said corresponding beams in dependence on the design layout database, wherein a beam energy of said beams is selected to provide the energy for said adsorption and/or said reaction,
wherein, in one or more of said frames, said injecting actions inject a different initial gas and/or a different another gas.