# US 9,466,464 B1 · Precision substrate material removal using miniature-column charged particle beam arrays

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- Number: US 9,466,464 B1
- Document ID: US9466464B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/694,710
- Filed: 2015-04-23
- Granted: 2016-10-11
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-23
- Assignees: Multibeam Corporation
- Applicants: Multibeam Corporation
- Inventors: David K. Lam; Kevin M. Monahan; Michael C. Smayling; Theodore A. Prescop
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9466464B1

## CPC

- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- B81C 1/00373: {Selective deposition, e.g. printing or microcontact printing}
- C23C 14/48: Ion implantation
- C23C 16/047: {using irradiation by energy or particles}
- C23C 16/48: by irradiation, e.g. photolysis, radiolysis, particle radiation
- C23C 16/486: {using ion beam radiation}
- C23C 16/487: {using electron radiation}
- H01J 37/05: Electron or ion-optical arrangements for separating electrons or ions according to their energy {or mass}(particle separator tubes H01J49/00)
- H01J 37/06: Electron sources; Electron guns
- H01J 37/08: Ion sources; Ion guns
- H01J 37/228: {whereby illumination or light collection take place in the same area of the discharge}
- H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
- H01J 37/30: Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
- H01J 37/304: Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects {or from the beam}, e.g. correction signals
- H01J 37/305: for casting, melting, evaporating, or etching
- H01J 37/3053: {for evaporating or etching}
- H01J 37/3056: {for microworking, e. g. etching of gratings or trimming of electrical components}
- H01J 37/3172: {Maskless patterned ion implantation}
- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- H01J 37/3177: {Multi-beam, e.g. fly's eye, comb probe}
- H01J 37/3178: {for applying thin layers on objects}
- H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 34/00: Irradiation with electromagnetic or particle radiation of wafers, substrates or parts of devices
- H10P 50/691: {for Group IV materials or Group III-V materials}
- H10P 50/694: {characterised by their behaviour during the process, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks}
- H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects}
- H10P 74/23: {characterised by multiple measurements, corrections, marking or sorting processes}
- H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement}
- B81C 2201/0143: Focussed beam, i.e. laser, ion or e-beam
- B81C 2201/0188: Selective deposition techniques not provided for in B81C2201/0184 - B81C2201/0187
- H01J 2237/004: Charge control of objects or beams
- H01J 2237/0635: Multiple source, e.g. comb or array
- H01J 2237/1501: Beam alignment means or procedures
- H01J 2237/24592: Inspection and quality control of devices
- H01J 2237/30466: Detecting endpoint of process
- H01J 2237/30472: Controlling the beam
- H01J 2237/31708: unpatterned
- H01J 2237/31732: Depositing thin layers on selected microareas
- H01J 2237/31735: Direct-write microstructures
- H01J 2237/31737: using ions
- H01J 2237/3174: Etching microareas
- H01J 2237/31749: Focused ion beam
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for patterning of substrates using charged particle beams without photomasks and without a resist layer. Material can be removed from a substrate, as directed by a design layout database, localized to positions targeted by multiple, matched charged particle beams. Reducing the number of process steps, and eliminating lithography steps, in localized material removal has the dual benefit of reducing manufacturing cycle time and increasing yield by lowering the probability of defect introduction. Furthermore, highly localized, precision material removal allows for controlled variation of removal rate and enables creation of 3D structures or profiles. Local gas injectors and detectors, and local photon injectors and detectors, are local to corresponding ones of the columns, and can be used to facilitate rapid, accurate, targeted substrate processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for targeted removal of substrate material using multiple charged particle beam columns, individual columns projecting individual charged particle beams at the substrate, comprising the actions of:
removing substrate surface material using the beams, columns corresponding to the beams targeting different corresponding locations in different frames on the substrate, said removing immediately subsequent to said material receiving direct affect by said beams; and
injecting at least one gas, using local gas injectors, onto multiple ones of said frames,
wherein said gas is selected to enable, and/or to improve the rate and/or efficiency, of said removing, and
wherein said removing and said injecting are performed differently, independently and simultaneously by different ones of said columns and said local gas injectors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein different columns target different writing areas.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said column targeting and said injecting are performed in at least partial dependence on the design layout database of the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said injecting increases the partial pressure of said gas at said frames by at least one order of magnitude over the average ambient vacuum chamber partial pressure of said gas.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein different gasses are injected onto at least some different frames and/or different ones of said gas injectors inject different gasses.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said injecting by a one of said gas injectors local to one of the columns increases partial pressure of said gas within frames of other columns with respect to partial pressure of said gas within the vacuum chamber by no more than 10%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said gas is injected in the molecular flow regime, further comprising redirecting said gas from said local gas injectors onto corresponding frames using kinetic lenses.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting gas particles originating within said frames using local gas detector; analyzing said collected gas particles; and automatically modifying parameters controlling said removing in at least partial dependence on said analyzing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said modified parameters are used to perform said removing on the same substrate layer as said collecting was performed on.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said modifying comprises changing the flow rate and/or timing of said injecting by corresponding ones of said local gas injectors.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting photons emitted or reflected from said frames using local photon detectors; analyzing said collected photons; and at least one of:
determining endpoints for said removing in at least partial dependence on said analyzing, wherein said removing and/or said injecting are performed in at least partial dependence on said determining;
automatically modifying parameters controlling said removing and/or said injecting in at least partial dependence on said analyzing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting photons onto multiple ones of said frames using local photon injectors, said photons having a wavelength selected to, within corresponding ones of said frames, do at least one of:
raising the temperature of the substrate surface material;
exciting electrons of said substrate surface material; and
reflecting photons off said corresponding frame to be collected by a local photon detector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein ones of the beams are either ion beams or electron beams, and said removing comprises at least one of reactive ion etching, ion milling, electron-assisted etching and electron-induced dissociation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a voltage bias to the substrate configured to adjust the landing energies of the beams.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said removing substrate surface material removes hard mask material, further comprising blanket depositing said hard mask on the substrate before said removing, and blanket etching different substrate material underlying said hard mask after said removing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein neither a photomask nor a resist layer is used to remove material acted upon by said removing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein different ones of the columns and/or of said local gas injectors stop and/or restart at different times said projecting and/or said injecting, respectively, during a process cycle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said removing does not comprise removing hard mask material.

### Claim 19

A method for targeted removal of substrate material using multiple charged particle beam columns, individual columns projecting individual charged particle beams at the substrate, comprising the actions of:
removing substrate surface material using the beams, columns corresponding to the beams targeting corresponding different locations on the substrate, said removing immediately subsequent to said material receiving direct affect by said beams;
collecting, using local gas detectors, material volatilized or scattered from frames corresponding to said local gas detectors;
analyzing said collected material; and
automatically modifying parameters controlling said removing in at least partial dependence on said analyzing,
wherein said removing and said collecting are performed differently, independently and simultaneously by different ones of said columns.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising increasing specificity of local gas detectors for material originating within corresponding ones of the frames using kinetic lenses.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising redirecting material into inflow openings of corresponding ones of said local gas detectors using kinetic lenses.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said analyzing determines endpoints for said removing, and wherein said modifying changes parameters controlling real-time endpoint determination using local electron and/or photon detectors.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said gas detectors use secondary ion mass spectrometry.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said modified parameters are used to perform said removing on the same pattern layer as said collecting was performed on.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein different columns target different writing areas.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said column targeting and said analyzing are performed in at least partial dependence on the design layout database of the substrate.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein ones of the beams are either ion beams or electron beams, and said removing comprises at least one of reactive ion etching, ion milling, electron-assisted etching and electron-induced dissociation.

### Claim 28 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising applying a voltage bias to the substrate configured to adjust the landing energies of the beams.

### Claim 29 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said removing substrate surface material removes hard mask material, further comprising blanket depositing said hard mask on the substrate before said removing, and blanket etching different substrate material underlying said hard mask after said removing.

### Claim 30 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein neither a photomask nor a resist layer is used to remove material acted upon by said removing.

### Claim 31 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said removing does not comprise removing hard mask material.