Methods of Utilizing Block Copolymer to Form Patterns
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsScott E. Sills, Dan Millward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments include methods of forming patterns utilizing copolymer. A main body of copolymer may be formed across a substrate, and self-assembly of the copolymer may be induced to form a pattern of structures across the substrate. A uniform thickness throughout the main body of the copolymer may be maintained during the inducement of the self-assembly. In some embodiments, the uniform thickness may be maintained through utilization of a wall surrounding the main body of copolymer to impede dispersal of the copolymer from the main body. In some embodiments, the uniform thickness may be maintained through utilization of a volume of copolymer in fluid communication with the main body of copolymer.
Claims14
1-30. (canceled)
A method of forming a pattern, comprising:
- forming a recess extending into an upper surface of a substrate;
- forming copolymer across the substrate;
- a main body of the copolymer being across the upper surface and a reservoir of the copolymer being within the recess and in fluid communication with the main body;
- the copolymer within the main body self-assembling to form a pattern of structures that extend along the main body and overlap the recess;
- and
- utilizing regions of the structures across the upper surface as a mask to pattern the underlying substrate while not using any structures induced within the copolymer in said recess for patterning the substrate.
A method of forming a pattern, comprising:
- forming copolymer across a substantially planar upper surface of a semiconductor substrate and within a trench;
- the substantially planar upper surface of the substrate being outside of the trench;
- the trench extending primarily along a first horizontal direction, and having a sidewall;
- inducing self-assembly of the copolymer to form a plurality of cylinders;
- the cylinders extending primarily along a second horizontal direction which is substantially orthogonal to the first horizontal direction;
- the cylinders extending across the sidewall and over the trench.
A method of forming a pattern, comprising:
- forming a plurality of walls over a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate, each of said walls encircling a region of the substrate to define a walled-in region of the substrate;
- forming wells within the walled-in regions;
- the wells only consuming a portion of the walled-in regions, and leaving an area within each walled-in region that is outside of the wells and comprises the planar substrate surface;
- the areas within the walled-in regions that are outside of the wells comprising main body areas;
- providing copolymer within the walled-in regions, the copolymer extending across the main body areas and also being within the wells;
- inducing self-assembly of the copolymer to form patterns of annular structures across the main body areas of the walled-in regions, the annular structures extending across the main body areas and overlapping the wells;
- while inducing the self-assembly of the structures from the copolymer, maintaining a uniform thickness throughout the copolymer across the main body areas by fluid flow of copolymer between the main body areas and the wells;
- and
- using linear segments of the annular structures across the main body areas to pattern the underlying semiconductor substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.