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US 8,697,606 B2Granted
Methods for discretized processing and process sequence integration of regions of a substrate
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsTony P. Chiang, David E. Lazovsky, Thomas R. Boussie, Alexander Gorer
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and systems for discretized, combinatorial processing of regions of a substrate such as for the discovery, implementation, optimization, and qualification of new materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes used in integrated circuit fabrication. A substrate having an array of differentially processed regions thereon is processed by delivering materials to or modifying regions of the substrate.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- combinatorially processing a plurality of regions on a substrate in a first line comprising a combinatorial line, the plurality of regions having locally uniform processing,
- wherein the combinatorially processing comprises an evaporative method, a glow-discharge process, or a gas-phase process;
- wherein the combinatorially processing includes varying at least one of a material, a unit process, a processing condition, or a process sequence;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of regions is defined by a barrier operable to block vapor fluxes;
- removing the substrate from the first line;
- and
- placing the substrate in a second line comprising a non-combinatorial manufacturing line to process the substrate in a non-combinatorial substantially uniform manner across the plurality of regions and areas between the plurality of regions.
5 more elements
A method for combinatorially processing a substrate, comprising:
- processing the substrate non-combinatorially in a first line comprising a manufacturing line;
- removing the substrate from the first line;
- placing the substrate in a second line comprising a combinatorial line to combinatorially process separate regions of the substrate, the separate regions having locally uniform processing, each of the separate regions defined by a barrier operable to block vapor fluxes;
- wherein the combinatorially processing comprises an evaporative method, a glow-discharge process, or a gas-phase process;
- and
- returning the substrate to a next process in the first line comprising the manufacturing line thereby exposing the combinatorially processed regions to substantially uniform processing conditions.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.