Back to results
US 5,348,615 AGranted
Selective planarization method using regelation
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorSubhash Gupta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Technique and apparatus for planarizing microsteps on a substrate by compressing the surface to be smoothed against a frozen layer of an etchant, where the compressive force is sufficient to melt the etchant at the contact edges between said microsteps and said etchant.
Claims11
A method for smoothing a selected surface area of a substrate comprising the steps of,
- selecting a material which is a liquid at room temperatures and which will etch said substrate;
- creating a frozen layer of said selected material, said frozen layer having a surface which is smooth over an area larger than said area of said selected surface of said substrate;
- causing a portion of the surface of said substrate to come into contact with said frozen layer;
- applying a compressive force to squeeze said portion of said selected surface of said substrate against the surface of said frozen layer;
- causing said compressive force to be at least the amount of force for the temperature and pressure of said frozen layer which causes melting of said frozen layer in those regions where protruding points or edges on said substrate come into contact with said frozen layer.
2 more elements
A method for smoothing a selected surface of a substrate having protruding micropoints or edges comprising the steps of,
- selecting a material which is a liquid at a first temperature and which will etch said substrate when said material is in said liquid state;
- creating a frozen layer of said selected material, said frozen layer having a surface area which is smooth over an area which is larger than said selected surface of said substrate;
- applying a portion of the surface of said substrate into contact with said frozen layer;
- applying a compressive force between said portion of the surface of said substrate and the surface of said frozen layer such that the surface of said frozen layer and said portion of the surface of said substrate are compressed together;
- causing said compressive force to be at least theamount of force for the temperature and pressure of said frozen layer which causes melting of said frozen layer in those regions where said portion of the surface of said substrate come into contact with said frozen layer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.