Directional deposition for patterning three-dimensional structures
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorJOHN HAUTALA
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Abstract
A method for patterning a three-dimensional structure is provided. The method may include providing a substrate, the substrate including the three-dimensional structure, and directing a depositing species from a deposition source to the three-dimensional structure, wherein a layer forms on the three-dimensional structure. The method may further include directing angled ions to the three-dimensional structure from an ion source, wherein the angled ions impinge on a first region of the layer and do not impinge on a second region of the layer. As such, the first region may form a densified layer portion having a first density, and the second region may form an undensified layer portion having a second density, less than the first density.
Claims20
A method for patterning a three-dimensional structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate, the substrate including the three-dimensional structure;
- directing a depositing species from a deposition source to the three-dimensional structure, wherein a layer forms on the three-dimensional structure;
- and
- directing angled ions to the three-dimensional structure from an ion source, wherein the angled ions impinge on a first region of the layer and do not impinge on a second region of the layer, wherein the first region forms a densified layer portion having a first density, and wherein the second region forms an undensified layer portion having a second density, less than the first density.
A method, comprising:
- generating a plasma in a deposition source;
- providing a substrate, adjacent the deposition source, the substrate including a three-dimensional structure;
- and
- directing a depositing species from the deposition source through a source aperture to the three-dimensional structure, at an angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of the substrate, wherein at the angle of incidence, the depositing species are shadowed by a portion of the three-dimensional structure,
- wherein the depositing species impinge on a first region of the three-dimensional structure and do not impinge on a second region of the three-dimensional structure, wherein a layer forms on the three-dimensional structure, the layer having a first thickness in the first region, and comprising a second thickness in the second region, less than the first thickness.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a process chamber to house a substrate, the substrate comprising a three-dimensional structure;
- an angled deposition source, disposed in a first section of the process chamber and arranged to generate a depositing species;
- an angled ion source, disposed in a second section of the process chamber and arranged to direct angled ions to the substrate;
- a substrate stage arranged to scan the substrate along a first direction between the first section and the second section;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the angled deposition source and the ion source, the controller arranged to send a first control signal to bias the substrate at a first negative potential with respect to the angled ion source when the substrate stage is disposed in the second section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.