Atomic layer roughness reducing methods and devices

Abstract

Methods described herein allow for a smoothing of a particular material on a substrate independently of smoothing a different material on the substrate. Both materials may be exposed to the same reactant but form different skins (e.g., reactive layers). One skin may allow for smoothing of one material, while the other skin may protect or preserve the underlying material. Removing one of the skins may result in a smoother underlying material. The skins may be formed by a dry process and removed by a wet process, or the skins may be formed by a wet process and removed by a dry process. The change of the reaction medium between wet and dry for reaction and removal may allow for highly selective chemistries to result in smoothing one material while not affecting the underlying substrate or other materials at the surface. Substrates produced by these methods are described herein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.