Method and apparatus for direct formation of nanometer scaled features
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJames Francis MACK, Stephen MOFFATT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and use of the apparatus to form nanometer sized features on a workpiece includes a plurality of individually biasable tips, and each tip has a diameter on the scale or 10 nm or less. By moving the tips above the surface of a workpiece in the presence of reactants, features can be directly formed on the workpiece on a sub-micron size, below the resolution of current photolithography. The features may be etched into a workpiece, or formed thereover.
Claims20
A method of forming sub-micron dimensioned features on a workpiece comprising;
- providing a tip array having a plurality of individual tips thereon, each tip having a tip dimension;
- positioning a workpiece directly adjacent to a plurality of tips in the tip array;
- providing a reactant at a surface of the workpiece;
- energizing one or more of the tips;
- and forming an initial feature on the workpiece at the location of the tip at the workpiece;
- changing the position of the workpiece relative to the tips by a distance less than the tip dimension providing a reactant at a surface of the workpiece;
- energizing one or more of the tips;
- and
- forming an additional feature on the workpiece at the location of the tip at the workpiece, the additional feature at least partially overlapping the feature.
A direct writing apparatus for writing features on a workpiece, wherein the features have at least one lateral dimension smaller that the resolution of electromagnetic radiation used to expose photoresist, comprising:
- a workpiece support;
- and
- a tip plate, the tip plate including a plurality of individually addressable tips addressable through individual tip dedicated transistors, wherein the transistors and tips are formed in a single piece of semiconductor material and the tips include a tip end having a size smaller than the resolution of electromagnetic radiation used to expose photoresist.
A method of forming a tip plate useful for the direct formation of features on a workpiece, comprising;
- providing a substrate;
- forming a plurality of interconnects terminating therein;
- forming a plurality of transistors on or in the substrate, and connecting the a source or drain of the transistor to the interconnect;
- and
- pattern etching the substrates to form tips having an alignment such that an individual tip is formed over each interconnect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.