U.S. patent application number 12/620418 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-16 for lithographic machine platform and applications thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES. Invention is credited to Chun-Chi CHEN, Chien-Chao HUANG, Shyi-Long SHY, Cheng-San WU, Fu-Liang YANG.
Application Number | 20100233437 12/620418 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42730950 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100233437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HUANG; Chien-Chao ; et
al. |
September 16, 2010 |
LITHOGRAPHIC MACHINE PLATFORM AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Abstract
A lithographic machine platform and applications thereof is
disclosed. The lithographic machine platform comprises: an electron
beam or an ion beam generator generating an electron beam or an ion
beam; a substrate supporting platform supporting a substrate; and a
precursory gas injector injecting a precursory gas above the
substrate. The present invention uses the electron beam or the ion
beam to induce the precursory gas to react with the electron beam
or the ion beam, and then the precursory gas is deposited on the
substrate. The present invention not only fabricates a patterned
layer on the substrate in a single step but also achieves a high
lithographic resolution and avoids remains of contaminations by
using the properties of the electron beam or the ion beam and the
precursory gas.
Inventors: |
HUANG; Chien-Chao; (Hsinchu
City, TW) ; CHEN; Chun-Chi; (Hsinchu City, TW)
; SHY; Shyi-Long; (Hsinchu City, TW) ; WU;
Cheng-San; (Hsinchu City, TW) ; YANG; Fu-Liang;
(Hsinchu City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, PLLC
4000 Legato Road, Suite 310
FAIRFAX
VA
22033
US
|
Assignee: |
NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH
LABORATORIES
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
42730950 |
Appl. No.: |
12/620418 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/172 ;
118/722; 250/453.11; 428/195.1; 430/296; 430/313; 430/319 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03F 7/2059 20130101;
H01L 21/3213 20130101; G03F 7/20 20130101; H01L 21/0337 20130101;
C23C 16/047 20130101; H01L 21/31105 20130101; Y10T 428/24802
20150115; Y10T 428/24612 20150115; C23C 14/048 20130101; G03F
7/2022 20130101; G03F 7/203 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/172 ;
430/296; 430/313; 430/319; 118/722; 428/195.1; 250/453.11 |
International
Class: |
B32B 3/02 20060101
B32B003/02; G03F 7/20 20060101 G03F007/20; C23C 16/448 20060101
C23C016/448; B32B 3/10 20060101 B32B003/10; B01J 19/08 20060101
B01J019/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 10, 2009 |
TW |
98107718 |
Claims
1. A lithographic machine platform comprising: an electron beam or
an ion beam generator generating an electron beam or an ion beam; a
substrate supporting platform supporting a semiconductor substrate;
and a precursory gas injector injecting a precursory gas on a
surface of said substrate, and said precursory gas is reacted with
said electron beam or said ion beam to form a patterned layer
deposited on said surface of said substrate.
2. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a germanium
substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds.
3. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said precursory gas is selected from a precursory gas comprising
metals or a precursory gas comprising a dielectric layer.
4. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said patterned layer is a metal layer or a dielectric layer.
5. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said patterned layer is a metal layer comprising platinum, wolfram,
titanium, or tantalum.
6. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said patterned layer comprises silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or
silicon carbide.
7. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 1, wherein
said patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer.
8. A patterned layer fabricated with the lithographic machine
platform described in claim 1 is located on a substrate, and a
precursory gas reacted with an electron beam or an ion beam is
deposited to form said patterned layer.
9. The patterned layer according to claim 8, wherein said substrate
is selected from a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, a
substrate consisting of III-V group chemical compounds, or a
substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical compounds.
10. The patterned layer according to claim 8, wherein said
patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer.
11. A method for fabricating a patterned layer comprising steps of:
providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a precursory gas on
said semiconductor substrate; and depositing to form a patterned
layer on said semiconductor substrate by reacting said precursory
gas with an electron beam or an ion beam.
12. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
11, wherein said precursory gas is selected from a precursory gas
comprising metals or a precursory gas comprising a dielectric
layer.
13. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
11, wherein said substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a
germanium substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds.
14. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
11, wherein said patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer.
15. A lithographic machine platform comprising: an electron beam or
an ion beam generator generating an electron beam or an ion beam;
and a substrate supporting platform supporting a semiconductor
substrate, and a surface of said semiconductor substrate is
provided with a precursory layer to react with said electron beam
or said ion beam.
16. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 15,
wherein said substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a
germanium substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds.
17. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 15,
wherein precursory layer comprises metallic materials or dielectric
materials.
18. The lithographic machine platform according to claim 15,
wherein said lithographic machine platform is applied to fabricate
a hard mask layer.
19. A patterned layer fabricated with the lithographic machine
platform described in claim 15 is located on a substrate, and a
precursory layer reacted with an electron beam or an ion beam is
etched selectively to form said patterned layer.
20. The patterned layer according to claim 19, wherein said
precursory layer comprises metallic materials or dielectric
materials.
21. The patterned layer according to claim 19, wherein said
substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a germanium
substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds.
22. The patterned layer according to claim 19, wherein said
patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer.
23. A method for fabricating a patterned layer comprising steps:
providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a precursory layer on
said semiconductor substrate; and reacting a part of said
precursory layer with an electron beam or an ion beam to vary
properties of said precursory layer; and etching said precursory
layer selectively to form a patterned layer.
24. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
23, wherein said precursory layer comprises metallic materials or
dielectric materials.
25. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
23, wherein said substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a
germanium substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds.
26. The method for fabricating a patterned layer according to claim
23, wherein said patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a lithographic technology,
particularly to an electron beam or ion beam lithographic machine
platform and applications thereof, which is applied to the
lithographic technology.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Presently, in a advanced lithographic fabrication process,
patterns are generated by using an optical method, an electron
beam, a nano impression method on a specific polymer coating layer
(namely, the polymer material that is sensitive to lights or
electron beams), also called resist, through chemical reactions or
variations of thermal current stress and then used as a required
mask when the subsequent pattern is transferred. But the resist
usually requires complicated thermal treatment, exposure and
development or the hull release fabrication process. Besides, for
the lithography technology with a high resolution, a thickness of
the resist is not enough for consumption of the subsequent etching
fabrication processes, and the resist further requires the bottom
anti-reflection coating layer (BARC) in the optical lithography
technology and the anti-etching film used as a mask, such as a
silicon oxynitride hard mask. Therefore, many films need to be
deposited, treated and etched. For example, refer to FIG. 1 showing
the etching mask layer of the advanced immersion lithography
fabrication process now. In order to sustain the consumption of the
subsequent etching fabrication processes, the etching mask layer 10
comprises two hard masks (ACL/SiON) 12-14, a bottom anti-reflection
coating layer 16, and a polymer coating layer 18. After the etching
mask layer 10 is implemented with an exposure fabrication process,
the polymer coating layer 18 is sequentially implemented with a
post-exposure bake, a development and a hard baking fabrication
process, and then the anti-reflection layer 16 and the hard mask
layer 12 are etched, then the polymer coating layer 18 and the
anti-reflection layer 16 are removed. Finally, the substrate 19 is
etched. In other words, this procedure has to go through 11 steps.
As such this procedure is quite complicated and time-consuming.
When a process is added to this procedure, the possibility of
abnormal fabrication process and products having defects is
increased, and thus the production yield is decreased.
[0005] In view of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art,
the present invention provides a lithographic machine platform and
applications thereof, so as to solve the afore-mentioned problems
of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a lithographic machine platform and application thereof, whereby
using an electron beam or an ion beam to induce a precursory gas or
a precursory layer to react with the electron beam or the ion beam,
and the precursory gas or the precursory layer is deposited to form
a patterned layer with high resolution on a substrate lest a photo
resistance used as a medium for a pattern transformation be
required in the conventional lithographic fabrication process.
[0007] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
lithographic machine platform and application thereof, wherein a
precursory gas is not reacted with the undefined (un-irradiated)
regions of an electron beam or an ion beam to generate deposition
(residual). On the contrary, the existing advanced immersion
lithography is moistened and stuck by an immersion liquid to create
residual and contaminations.
[0008] Further objective of the present invention is to provide a
lithographic machine platform and application thereof, wherein not
only number of the steps of the lithographic fabrication process
and the fabrication cost can be reduced but abnormal fabrication
processes and production defects caused by the minute and
complicated fabrication process steps can be reduced, and then the
production yield is increased.
[0009] To achieve the abovementioned objectives, the present
invention provides a lithographic machine platform comprising: an
electron beam or an ion beam generator generating an electron beam
or an ion beam; a substrate supporting platform supporting a
semiconductor substrate; and a precursory gas injector injecting a
precursory gas on a surface of the substrate. The precursory gas is
reacted with the electron beam or the ion beam to form a patterned
layer deposited on the surface of the substrate.
[0010] The present invention also provides a patterned layer
fabricated with the above-mentioned lithographic machine platform,
wherein the patterned layer is formed on a substrate and a
precursory gas reacted with an electron beam or an ion beam is
deposited to form the patterned layer.
[0011] The present invention also provides a method for fabricating
a patterned layer comprising steps of: providing a semiconductor
substrate; forming a precursory gas on the semiconductor substrate;
and depositing to form a patterned layer on the semiconductor
substrate by reacting the precursory gas with an electron beam or
an ion beam.
[0012] The present invention further provides another lithographic
machine platform comprising: an electron beam or an ion beam
generator generating an electron beam or an ion beam; and a
substrate supporting platform supporting a semiconductor substrate,
and a surface of the semiconductor substrate is provided with a
precursory layer to react with the electron beam or the ion
beam.
[0013] The present invention provides a patterned layer fabricated
with the above-mentioned lithographic machine platform, wherein the
patterned layer is located on a substrate and a precursory layer
reacted with an electron beam or an ion beam is etched selectively
to form said patterned layer.
[0014] The present invention also provides a method for fabricating
a patterned layer comprising steps of: providing a semiconductor
substrate; forming a precursory layer on the semiconductor
substrate; and reacting a part of the precursory layer with an
electron beam or an ion beam to vary properties of the precursory
layer; and etching the precursory layer selectively to form a
patterned layer.
[0015] Below, the embodiments are described in detail in
cooperation with the drawings to make easily understood the
characteristics, technical contents and accomplishments of the
present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the etching mask
layer of the existing advanced immersion lithographic fabrication
process;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the first
configuration of the lithographic machine platform according to the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3(a)-3(b) are diagrams schematically showing the steps
of fabricating a patterned layer used as a hard mask layer by using
the first configuration of the lithographic machine platform
according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an electron microscope photograph of a gate layer
pattern of SRAM formed by a deposited hard mask layer reacted with
an electron beam or an ion beam, which are generated by using the
first configuration of the lithographic machine platform according
to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the second
configuration of the lithographic machine platform according to the
present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 6(a)-6(c) are diagrams schematically showing the steps
of fabricating a patterned layer on a substrate by using the second
configuration of the lithographic machine platform according to the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The spirit of the present invention relates to a
lithographic machine platform and applications thereof, which forms
a patterned layer used as a hard mask layer or other applications
on a substrate by using the high lithographic properties of an
electron beam or an ion beam. According to the above-mentioned
description, the utilization and selection of the material of a
precursory thing and a patterned layer, or the variations of
process parameters are both within a spiritual scope of the present
invention.
[0023] Refer to FIG. 2, which are diagrams schematically showing
the first configuration of the lithographic machine platform
according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, an electron
beam or an ion beam lithographic machine platform 20 of the present
invention comprises: an electron beam or an ion beam generator 22;
a substrate supporting platform 24 positioned below the electron
beam generator or the ion beam generator 22; and a precursory gas
injector 26 injecting a gas, which is applied to react with an
electron beam or an ion beam generated by the electron beam or the
ion beam generator 22.
[0024] Next, refer to FIG. 3(a)-3(b), which are diagrams
schematically showing the steps of fabricating a patterned layer
used as a hard mask layer by using the first configuration of the
lithographic machine platform according to the present invention.
Firstly, as shown in FIG. 3(a), a semiconductor substrate 28
supported on the substrate supporting platform 24 is provided,
wherein the substrate is selected from a silicon substrate, a
germanium substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds. Next, a precursory gas 30 is injected above the
substrate 28 by using the precursory injector 26, wherein the
precursory gas 30 is selected from a precursory gas comprising
metals or a precursory gas comprising a dielectric layer. Next, an
electron beam or an ion beam 32 generated by the electron beam or
the ion beam generator 22 depends on a preset and defined patterns
to react with the precursory gas 30 selectively, and then the
precursory gas 30 is induced to be deposited on the substrate 28.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 3(b), a patterned layer 34 used as a hard
mask layer is formed on the substrate 28. In other words, the
defined pattern deposition only can be achieved in a step. Next, a
pattern of the patterned layer 34 is transferred to the substrate
28 by a dry-etching technology.
[0025] Whether the precursory gas 30 is able to form deposition
depends on a reactive energy given to the precursory gas 30 by the
electron beam or the ion beam according to the scanning frequency
and the staying time of a fixed point on a region of the preset and
defined patterns. And the material of the patterned layer 34
depends on a type of the precursory gas 30, wherein the patterned
layer 34 is a metal layer comprising platinum, wolfram, titanium,
or tantalum, and the patterned layer 34 is also a dielectric layer
comprising silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or silicon
carbide.
[0026] When the precursory gas is induced to deposit by the
electron beam or the ion beam, the precursory gas has the
lithographic resolution and high precision pattern transformation
of the electron beam or the ion beam lest a photo resistance used
as a medium for a pattern transformation be required in the
conventional lithographic fabrication process. Besides, the
precursory gas is not reacted with the undefined (unirradiated)
regions of the electron beam or the ion beam to generate deposition
(residual). On the contrary, the existing advanced immersion
lithography is moistened and stuck by an immersion liquid to
generate a residual and contaminations. Therefore, the method of
the present invention has many advanced advantages for the aspect
of controlling the yield rate. In fabricating the hard mask layer
according to the embodiment, 9 steps can be eliminated as compared
with the advanced immersion lithography of the prior art.
[0027] Refer to FIG. 4, which is an electron microscope photograph
of a gate layer pattern of SRAM formed by a deposited hard mask
layer reacted with an electron beam or an ion beam, which are
generated by using the first configuration of the lithographic
machine platform according to the present invention. In this
embodiment, the substrate and the precursory gas are a silicon
substrate and a gas comprising platinum respectively, and the
substrate is grounded though a conductive copper adhesive tape. The
correlation parameters of the electron beam or the ion beam
comprises a accelerator voltage value, a current value, a scanning
pass value, a staying time of a defined region and a dot matrix
bitmap, which are 5 kV, 98-500 pA, once, 1 .mu.s-100 .mu.s and a
format bitmap having 24 bits respectively.
[0028] Refer to FIG. 5, which is a diagram schematically showing
the second configuration of the lithographic machine platform
according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, an electron
beam or an ion beam lithographic machine platform 36 comprises: an
electron beam or an ion beam generator 38 and a substrate
supporting platform 40 positioned below the electron beam or the
ion beam generator 38.
[0029] Refer to FIG. 6(a)-6(c), which are diagrams schematically
showing the steps of fabricating a patterned layer on a substrate
by using the second configuration of the lithographic machine
platform according to the present invention. Firstly, as shown in
FIG. 6(a), a semiconductor substrate 44 is supported on a substrate
supporting machine platform 40, and a precursory layer 42 is formed
on a surface of the semiconductor substrate 44, wherein
semiconductor substrate 44 is selected from a silicon substrate, a
germanium substrate, a substrate consisting of III-V group chemical
compounds, or a substrate consisting of II-VI group chemical
compounds, and the precursory layer 42 comprises metallic materials
or dielectric materials. Next, as shown in FIG. 6(b), a part of the
precursory layer 42a is selectively reacted with an electron beam
or an ion beam generated by an electron beam or an ion beam
generator 38 according to the preset and defined patterns, and then
the properties of the part of the precursory layer 42a is varied,
such as the phase variation, the bonding variation, etc. Finally,
as shown in FIG. 6(c), the precursory layer having different
properties is selectively etched to form a patterned layer 48. The
variation for the properties of the precursory layer 42 depends on
a reactive energy, which is provided by the electron beam or the
ion beam according to the scanning frequency and the staying time
of a fixed point on a region of the preset and defined
patterns.
[0030] When the patterned layer is used as a hard mask layer, the
hard mask layer is provided to the substrate 34 for proceeding with
the subsequent patterned fabrication processes.
[0031] In conclusion, the present invention provides a lithographic
machine platform and applications thereof, which forms a pattern
with a high resolution on a substrate without having to acquire
additional treatments, such as a film-forming resistive preparation
treatment, a development and a hard mask treatment. The present
invention has a great developing potential for the lithographic
technology in the future.
[0032] The embodiments described above are only to exemplify the
present invention but not to limit the scope of the present
invention. Therefore, any equivalent modification or variation
according to the shape, structures, characteristics and spirit
disclosed in the present invention is to be also included within
the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *