In the processing of substrates which are used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, resist masks are used to define structures in substrates.
The size of structures in the resist mask is in many cases one of several limiting factors for the size of the structures to be manufactured in the substrate. Following the trend in the technology, it is often the aim to produce very small structures in the substrate.
In the following, several embodiments of a method for structuring a substrate are described. The figures describe the embodiments that are just examples.
The substrate 10 can comprise, e.g., a silicon wafer, a germanium wafer or a III-V material wafer as they are used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. Examples of semiconductor devices are microprocessors, memory chips such as DRAM-chips or Flash-chips, biochips, microelectro-mechanical devices, masks or optoelectronic devices.
In the context of the embodiments, it is understood that the substrate 10 does not necessarily have to be a homogeneous material but can comprise other layers (e.g., oxide layers, doped parts layers) and/or structures manufactured on or in the substrate 10 in previous process steps. In
The seed layer 1, applied by, e.g., spin coating, comprises a first metal, e.g., in the form of a metal-organic compound. The thickness of the seed layer 1 is rather thin as a thickness of 1 nm is sufficient, but the thickness could also be in the range of about 1 to about 30 nm, or about 5 to about 10 nm in particular. A purpose of the seed layer 1 is to provide nucleation points in the form of first metal atoms which will be used in later processing steps. The nucleation points are provided by, e.g., a metal-organic substance. In one embodiment, the metal-organic substance comprises at least one aliphatic group or at least one aromatic group or a combination of both.
In another embodiment, such metal-organic compounds comprise copper, tungsten or titanium. Examples for copper compounds are copper(II)phtalocyanin, copper(II)gluconate and copper(II)-4-cyclohexyl-butyrate. The metal compound of the seed layer 1 provides on the surface distributed nanoparticles as nucleation points.
Further embodiments comprise a seed layer 1 with a support polymer such as novolac, a cross-linker and/or a solvent (e.g., an organic solvent).
A resist layer 2 is positioned on top of the seed layer 1. This can, e.g., be a photoresist as it is known in the art, such as a positive CAR resist, an ArF resist or an ArF immersion resist. The resist layer 2 is applied with a spin coating technique so that the thickness of the resist layer 2 is, e.g., between 20 and 60 nm.
Optionally, not shown in
The layered stack, as shown in the example of
In
The layered stack shown in
The solution 4 can in one embodiment comprise water as a solvent. In other embodiments the solution can comprise a mixture of water and a tenside, an organic solvent, a mixture of water with an organic solvent or aceteonitrile.
The reduction means can be an acid such as, e.g., ascorbinic acid or citric acid.
In the solution 4 the second metal ions can, e.g., be present as an oxidized form of a salt. In one embodiment the salt comprises a salt soluble in water or a salt soluble in a mixture of water and a tenside or a salt soluble in a mixture of water and an organic solvent. Non-limiting examples for second metal compounds are copper(I)thiocyanate, copper(II)sulfate and/or copper(II)chloride.
In a further embodiment the second metal is identical to the first metal in the seed layer 1. Examples of such materials are listed above.
The solution 4 is applied to the surface of the structured substrate 10, i.e., covering the structured portions of the resist layer 2 and the open portions of the seed layer 1. The metal atoms in the seed layer 1 are reduced which then form the nucleation points for further selective deposition of the second metal from the solution 4. This deposition using a galvanizing process can be very homogenous resulting in a thin mask layer 5 in the surface portions not covered by the resist layer 2. The thin mask layer 5 comprising nonvolatile metaloxides such as copper oxides, is stable against etching. Since the mask layer 5 is thin, the further processing of the substrate is enhanced.
The seed layer 1 is a means for providing nucleation points for the deposition of further metal.
In another embodiment the method further comprises a solution 4 with additives for homogenization of the metal deposition and/or a buffer. Non-limiting examples for additives for homogenization are glucose and/or starch.
In
In the following Figures optional process steps in the further processing of the layered stack are shown. In
In
In
After the removal of the solution 4 and the resist layer 2, the carbon layer 3 and the substrate 10 can be structured with methods known in the art. This is shown in
The embodiments have been described in the context of several examples. The person skilled in the art will recognize that process steps and materials might be changed and adapted.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20020084193 | Merricks et al. | Jul 2002 | A1 |
20040238927 | Miyazawa | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20060084264 | Baskaran et al. | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060094226 | Huang et al. | May 2006 | A1 |
20060292846 | Pinto et al. | Dec 2006 | A1 |
20080160762 | Feustel et al. | Jul 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090174077 A1 | Jul 2009 | US |