Energetic neutral particle lithographic apparatus and process
AssigneeUniversity of Houston System
InventorsJohn Wolfe, Paul Ruchhoeft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energetic neutral particle lithographic apparatus is disclosed for replicating sub-micron and nanoscale patterns including a source producing a beam of energetic neutral particles, comprising atoms or molecules, by charge transfer scattering of energetic ions from the molecules of a gas, a mask member having open stencil windows in a supporting membrane, an energetic neutral particle protective layer on the membrane, and a reproduction member consisting of an energetic neutral particle-sensitive layer between a substrate and the mask for absorbing energetic neutral particles in a pattern created by the mask.
Claims28
An energetic neutral particle lithographic apparatus capable of replicating patterns having linewidths ≧20 nm comprising:
- a source member adapted to produce a beam of energetic neutral particles comprising atoms and/or molecules, where the atoms and/or molecules have an energy greater than about 5 keV and a mass greater than or equal to 1 amu;
- a mask member including transmission windows in a supporting membrane and an energetic neutral particle absorbing layer thereon;
- and
- a reproduction member including a substrate and an energetic neutral particle sensitive film supported by a substrate, where the film is designed to absorb energetic neutral particles and form a negative or positive pattern corresponding to the mask.
A method for forming small features on a substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming a beam comprising neutral atom and/or molecules;
- directing the beam to impinge on a substrate assembly including:
- a mask member including transmission windows in a supporting membrane and an energetic neutral particle absorbing layer thereon;
- and
- a reproduction member including a substrate and an energetic neutral particle sensitive film supported by a substrate, where the film is designed to absorb energetic neutral particles and form a negative or positive pattern corresponding to the mask;
- removing either the exposed or unexposed portions of the film to form a patterned substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.