U.S. patent application number 16/582249 was filed with the patent office on 2021-03-25 for method and device for a carrier proximity mask.
This patent application is currently assigned to APPLIED Materials, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is APPLIED Materials, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ross Bandy, Charles T. Carlson, Morgan Evans, Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen.
Application Number | 20210090843 16/582249 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005444606 |
Filed Date | 2021-03-25 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210090843 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Evans; Morgan ; et
al. |
March 25, 2021 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR A CARRIER PROXIMITY MASK
Abstract
A carrier proximity mask and methods of assembling and using the
carrier proximity mask may include providing a first carrier body,
second carrier body, and set of one or more clamps. The first
carrier body may have one or more openings formed as proximity
masks to form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first
and second carrier bodies may have one or more contact areas to
align with one or more contact areas on a first and second sides of
the substrate. The set of one or more clamps may clamp the
substrate between the first carrier body and the second carrier
body at contact areas to suspend work areas of the substrate
between the first and second carrier bodies. The openings to define
edges to convolve beams to form structures on the substrate.
Inventors: |
Evans; Morgan; (Manchester,
MA) ; Carlson; Charles T.; (Cedar Park, TX) ;
Meyer Timmerman Thijssen; Rutger; (Sunnyvale, CA) ;
Bandy; Ross; (Milton, MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
APPLIED Materials, Inc. |
Santa Clara |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
APPLIED Materials, Inc.
Santa Clara
CA
|
Family ID: |
1000005444606 |
Appl. No.: |
16/582249 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J 37/09 20130101;
H01J 2237/0451 20130101; H01J 37/3053 20130101; H01J 2237/3174
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01J 37/09 20060101
H01J037/09; H01J 37/305 20060101 H01J037/305 |
Claims
1. A carrier proximity mask, comprising: a first carrier body, the
first carrier body having one or more openings, the one or more
openings formed as proximity masks to form structures on a first
side of a substrate, the first carrier body having one or more
contact areas, the contact areas to align with one or more contact
areas on the first side of the substrate; a second carrier body
having one or more contact areas, the contact areas to align with
one or more contact areas on a second side of the substrate; and a
set of one or more clamps to clamp the first carrier body with the
second carrier body; the one or more contact areas of the first
carrier body and the one or more contact areas of the second
carrier body to contact opposite sides of the substrate to suspend
a work area of the first side of the substrate and a work area of
the second side of the substrate between the first carrier body and
the second carrier body.
2. The carrier proximity mask of claim 1, wherein the one or more
contact areas of the first carrier body comprise contact areas to
align with exclusion areas of the first side of the substrate and
the one or more contact areas of the second carrier body comprise
contact areas to align with exclusion areas of the second side of
the substrate.
3. The carrier proximity mask of claim 2, wherein the contact areas
to align with exclusion areas of the first side of the substrate
comprise at least one contact area to align with an exclusionary
edge of the substrate on the first side of the substrate and the
contact areas to align with exclusion areas of the second side of
the substrate comprise at least one contact area to align with the
exclusionary edge of the substrate on the second side of the
substrate.
4. The carrier proximity mask of claim 1, the first carrier body
and the second carrier body to provide structural support for the
substrate to reduce deformation of the substrate during
processing.
5. The carrier proximity mask of claim 1, the first carrier body
and the second carrier body to comprise a conductive or
semi-conductive material and the set of one or more clamps to
comprise electrostatic clamps to electrostatically clamp the first
carrier body with the second carrier body.
6. The carrier proximity mask of claim 1, the one or more openings
in the first carrier body to include at least one edge having an
angle of declination, theta, with respect to a horizontal plane of
the substrate.
7. The carrier proximity mask of claim 6, the second carrier body
to comprise one or more openings, the one or more openings formed
as proximity masks to form structures on the second side of the
substrate.
8. The carrier proximity mask of claim 7, the one or more openings
on the first carrier body to align with locations to form the
structures in the work area on the first side of the substrate and
the one or more openings on the second carrier body to align with
locations to form the structures in the work area on the second
side of the substrate, wherein the one or more contact areas of the
first carrier body comprise contact areas to align with exclusion
areas of the first side of the substrate and the one or more
contact areas of the second carrier body comprise contact areas to
align with exclusion areas of the second side of the substrate.
9. A method of assembling a carrier proximity mask, comprising
providing a substrate; providing a first carrier body, the first
carrier body having one or more openings, the one or more openings
formed as proximity masks to form structures on a first side of a
substrate, the first carrier body having one or more contact areas,
the contact areas to align with one or more contact areas on the
first side of the substrate; providing a second carrier body having
one or more contact areas, the contact areas to align with one or
more contact areas on a second side of the substrate; and clamping
a set of one or more clamps to the first carrier body with the
second carrier body, the one or more contact areas of the first
carrier body and the one or more contact areas of the second
carrier body to contact opposite sides of the substrate to suspend
a work area of the first side of the substrate and a work area of
the second side of the substrate between the first carrier body and
the second carrier body.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising aligning one or more
of the contact areas of the first carrier body with exclusion areas
of the first side of the substrate and one or more of the contact
areas of the second carrier body with exclusion areas of the second
side of the substrate.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein aligning the one or more of the
contact areas of the first carrier body comprises aligning at least
one of the one or more of the contact areas of the first carrier
body with an exclusionary edge of the substrate on the first side
of the substrate and aligning the one or more of the contact areas
of the second carrier body comprises aligning at least one of the
one or more of the contact areas of the second carrier body with
the exclusionary edge of the substrate on the second side of the
substrate.
12. The method of claim 9, the first carrier body and the second
carrier body to provide structural support for the substrate to
reduce deformation of the substrate during processing.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein clamping involves
electrostatically clamping to the first carrier body with the
second carrier body, wherein the set of one or more clamps comprise
electrostatic clamps, the first carrier body and the second carrier
body to comprise a conductive or semi-conductive material.
14. The method of claim 9, the one or more openings in the first
carrier body to include at least one edge having an angle of
declination, theta, with respect to a horizontal plane of the
substrate.
15. The method of claim 14, the second carrier body to comprise one
or more openings, the one or more openings formed as proximity
masks to form structures on the second side of the substrate.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising aligning one or more
of the contact areas of the first carrier body with exclusion areas
of the first side of the substrate and one or more of the contact
areas of the second carrier body with exclusion areas of the second
side of the substrate, aligning one or more of the contact areas of
the first carrier body with exclusion areas of the first side of
the substrate, and aligning one or more of the contact areas of the
second carrier body with exclusion areas of the second side of the
substrate.
17. A method for forming a structure, comprising providing a
substrate in a carrier, the substrate having a work area of a first
side of the substrate and a work area of a second side of the
substrate between a first carrier body of the carrier and a second
carrier body of the carrier, the substrate suspended between the
first carrier body and the second carrier body, the first carrier
body having one or more openings, the one or more openings formed
as proximity masks to form structures on a first side of the
substrate, the first carrier body having one or more contact areas,
the contact areas to align with one or more contact areas on the
first side of the substrate, the second carrier body having one or
more contact areas, the contact areas to align with one or more
contact areas on a second side of the substrate, the one or more
contact areas of the first carrier body and the one or more contact
areas of the second carrier body in contact with opposite sides of
the substrate; and processing, with a processing tool, the work
area on the first side of the substrate via the one or more
openings to form the structures on the first side of the substrate,
wherein areas of the first carrier body mask portions of the work
area on the first side of the substrate.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein processing comprises directing
angled ions across an angled slope of at least one edge of the one
or more openings of the first carrier body.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein areas of the second carrier
body mask portions of the work area on the first side of the
substrate during the processing.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second carrier body
comprises one or more openings, the one or more openings formed as
proximity masks to form structures on the second side of the
substrate and further comprising flipping the carrier proximity
mask to process the second side of the substrate through the one or
more openings of the second carrier body.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present embodiments relate to substrate processing of
device structures, and more particularly, to processing structures
on a substrate with a carrier proximity mask.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Substrate devices require small dimensions and the ability
to build device structures with such small dimensions is
challenging. The synthesis of three-dimensional structures, such as
gratings, light wave guides, fin type field effect transistors
(finFET) and/or the like, involves challenging processing issues.
One challenge relates to generation of augmented reality (AR)
glasses. AR glasses may use gratings to diffract light and light
wave guides to intermix digital images with real images through a
lens such as a glass lens or a plastic lens.
[0003] Processes for generation of AR glasses are similar to the
processes for generation of semiconductor structures on wafers. For
instance, when processing a structure on a silicon substrate or
processing a grating structure on a glass or plastic substrate,
existing structures are masked to avoid or minimize damage to the
existing structures. With respect to AR glasses, damage to a
substrate or a coating can reduce definition and/or introduce
distortions in an AR scene.
[0004] With respect to these and other considerations, the present
disclosure is provided.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] In one embodiment, a carrier proximity mask may include a
first carrier body, the first carrier body having one or more
openings, the one or more openings formed as proximity masks to
form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first carrier
body may have one or more contact areas and the contact areas may
align with one or more contact areas on the first side of the
substrate. The carrier proximity mask may include a second carrier
body having one or more contact areas and the contact areas may
align with one or more contact areas on a second side of the
substrate. The carrier proximity mask may further include a set of
one or more clamps to clamp the first carrier body with the second
carrier body. The one or more contact areas of the first carrier
body and the one or more contact areas of the second carrier body
may contact opposite sides of the substrate to suspend a work area
of the first side of the substrate and a work area of the second
side of the substrate between the first carrier body and the second
carrier body.
[0006] In another embodiment, a method of assembling a carrier
proximity mask may involve providing a substrate and providing a
first carrier body. The first carrier body may have one or more
openings and the one or more openings may be formed as proximity
masks to form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first
carrier body may have one or more contact areas and the contact
areas may align with one or more contact areas on the first side of
the substrate. The method may further involve providing a second
carrier body having one or more contact areas. The contact areas
may align with one or more contact areas on a second side of the
substrate.
[0007] In a further embodiment, a method for forming a structure
may involve providing a substrate in a carrier proximity mask. The
substrate may have a work area of a first side of the substrate and
a work area of a second side of the substrate between a first
carrier body of the carrier proximity mask and a second carrier
body of the carrier proximity mask. The substrate may be suspended
between the first carrier body and the second carrier body. The
first carrier body may have one or more openings and the one or
more openings may be formed as proximity masks to form structures
on a first side of the substrate. The first carrier body may have
one or more contact areas and the contact areas may align with one
or more contact areas on the first side of the substrate. The
second carrier body may have one or more contact areas and the
contact areas may align with one or more contact areas on a second
side of the substrate. The one or more contact areas of the first
carrier body and the one or more contact areas of the second
carrier body may contact opposite sides of the substrate.
[0008] The method for forming a structure may further involve
processing, with a processing tool, the work area on the first side
of the substrate via the one or more openings to form the
structures on the first side of the substrate. The areas of the
first carrier body may mask portions of the work area on the first
side of the substrate.
[0009] In a further embodiment, a method for forming a variable
etch depth profile in a substrate may involve providing a substrate
in a carrier. The carrier may comprise comprising a first carrier
body coupled with a second carrier body. The substrate may be
coupled between the first carrier body and the second carrier body
and the first carrier body may have one or more openings to expose
work areas of the substrate. Furthermore, the one or more openings
having edges and a beam from a processing tool may convolve with a
first edge of the edges in a first opening to create a convolved
beam. The convolved beam may etch a work area of the substrate
exposed by the first opening to create a variable etch depth
profile in the substrate proximate to the first edge.
[0010] In a further embodiment, a carrier proximity mask may
comprise a first carrier body. The first carrier body may have one
or more openings and the one or more openings may form proximity
masks to form a variable etch depth profile on a first side of a
substrate. A first opening of the one or more openings may have an
edge to convolve with an ion beam. The edge may have a shape
created to convolve with an ion beam of a defined shape, a
frequency, and a current density to approximate a desired
diffraction profile with the ion beam. The desired diffraction
profile of the ion beam may etch the variable etch depth profile in
the first side of the substrate.
[0011] The carrier proximity mask may also comprise a second
carrier body to couple with the first carrier body on a second side
of the substrate to suspend the substrate between the first carrier
body and the second carrier body and a set of one or more clamps to
clamp the first carrier body with the second carrier body.
[0012] In a further embodiment, a method for forming a structure
may involve providing a substrate in a carrier proximity mask. The
substrate may have work areas on a first side of the substrate and
one or more work areas on a second side of the substrate. The
substrate may be suspended between a first carrier body of the
carrier proximity mask and a second carrier body of the carrier
proximity mask and the first carrier body may have openings. Each
opening may expose one of the work areas on the first side of the
substrate and each opening may have first edge.
[0013] The method may further involve scanning, by a processing
tool, a beam across the openings and processing, with the
processing tool, the work areas on the first side of the substrate
via the one or more openings. The processing may involve convolving
the edges with the beam from the processing tool to create
convolved beams. Each convolved beam may etch one of the work areas
of the substrate to create a variable etch depth profile in the
substrate proximate to a corresponding one of the edges on the
first side of the substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1A shows a top view of an embodiment of first carrier
body of a carrier proximity mask, in accordance with embodiments of
the disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 1B shows a top view of an embodiment of a second
carrier body of the carrier proximity mask shown in FIG. 1A, in
accordance with embodiments of the disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 1C shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the
second carrier body shown in FIG. 1B, in accordance with
embodiments of the disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 1D shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the
second carrier body shown in FIG. 1B, in accordance with
embodiments of the disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 2A depicts a portion of a side cross-sectional view of
an embodiment of a carrier proximity mask including a substrate
affixed between a first (top) carrier body and a second (bottom)
carrier body such as the carrier bodies illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C,
according to embodiments of the disclosure;
[0019] FIGS. 2B-2C depict a portion of s side cross-sectional view
of an embodiment of a carrier proximity mask illustrated in FIG.
2A, according to embodiments of the disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 2D depicts a portion of a side cross-sectional view of
an embodiment of a carrier proximity mask with exclusion areas for
contact between the carrier bodies and the substrate, according to
embodiments of the disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 3A depicts an embodiment of a system including
augmented reality glasses with a focused light source, diffractive
optical elements, and wave guides;
[0022] FIGS. 3B-D depicts a portion of a side cross-sectional view
of an embodiment of a carrier proximity mask with an opening that
has edges to convolve with an angle ion beam as the angled ion beam
begins and finishes a scan across the opening, to create a variable
etch depth profile, according to embodiments of the disclosure;
[0023] FIGS. 3E-F depicts a plan view of a carrier proximity mask
and a portion of a wafer with work areas exposed to a processing
tool via openings with edges in the carrier proximity mask to
create a variable etch depth profile, according to embodiments of
the disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 3G depicts a portion of a side cross-sectional view of
a wafer at a work area with a variable etch depth profile in the
substrate, according to embodiments of the disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 3H depicts alternative embodiments of shapes of edges
for openings in the carrier proximity mask, according to
embodiments of the disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 3I depicts an embodiment of a chart illustrating a
desired variable etch depth profile, an actual variable etch depth
profile, and a delta between the variable etch depth profiles for
two adjacent carrier proximity mask openings, according to
embodiments of the disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 3J depicts an embodiment of a chart illustrating an
etching beam profile and a duty cycle to convolve with a square
edge of an opening in a carrier proximity mask to create the
variable etch depth profile in a wafer, according to embodiments of
the disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 4A shows a processing apparatus, depicted in schematic
form, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 4B depicts a face view of an extraction arrangement for
the processing apparatus of FIG. 4A;
[0030] FIG. 4C shows another processing apparatus, depicted in
schematic form, in accordance with embodiments of the
disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary process flow, according to further
embodiments of the disclosure; and
[0032] FIG. 6 shows another exemplary process flow, according to
further embodiments of the disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 7 shows another exemplary process flow, according to
further embodiments of the disclosure; and
[0034] FIG. 8 shows another exemplary process flow, according to
further embodiments of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] The present embodiments will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, where some
embodiments are shown. The subject matter of the present disclosure
may be embodied in many different forms and are not to be construed
as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. These embodiments
are provided so this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and
will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled
in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements
throughout.
[0036] The present embodiments provide novel techniques for masking
substrate structures to form devices, including three dimensional
transistors and/or gratings, formed on a substrate such as glass,
plastic, or silicon dioxide. In some embodiments, the devices may
be formed in a material layer on the substrate and may be an
optically transparent material such as silicon oxide, silicon
nitride, glass, titanium dioxide, or other material. As is known,
structures, such as gratings and light wave guides, may be arranged
to form various types of augmented reality gear and the transistors
may be arranged to form various forms of circuitry including
processing circuitry and other logic.
[0037] Turning now to FIGS. 1A-1D, there are shown in top view,
carrier bodies 100, 102, 104, and 106 for a carrier proximity mask,
according to embodiments of the disclosure. The carrier proximity
mask may couple a substrate between a first carrier body and a
second carrier body. The carrier proximity mask may advantageously
offer non-contact handling of the substrate by a processing tool
including, in some embodiments, non-contact flipping of the
substrate to process both a top side and a bottom side of the
substrate. The substrate being processed is typically in the form
of a wafer and, as a result, the substrate is often referred to as
a wafer.
[0038] The carrier proximity mask may be manufactured or assembled
with a variety of different materials and in a variety of
difference ways. The choice of materials for the carrier proximity
mask depend on the method of clamping, the process tool to use the
carrier proximity mask, and possibly other relevant factors. For
instance, the carrier proximity mask is manufactured, built, or
assembled with non-conductive materials, semi-conductive materials,
and/or conductive materials. Use of conductive materials or
semi-conductive materials facilitate electrostatic clamping whereas
use of non-conductive materials for the carrier proximity mask may
require physical clamping.
[0039] The thickness of the first carrier body 100 and the second
carrier body 102 or 104 may depend on whether or not the carrier
proximity mask will provide structural support to avoid or
attenuate deformation of the substrate during processing. In some
embodiments, the thickness of the first carrier body 100 and the
second carrier body 102 or 104 may depend on the desired height of
a face of an edge of an opening perpendicular a plane of the
substrate (X-Y plane as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D) and formed in
the first carrier body 100 and/or the second carrier body 102 or
104. In further embodiments, the thickness of the first carrier
body 100 and the second carrier body 102 or 104 may depend on the
desired shape of the edge formed in the first carrier body 100
and/or the second carrier body 102 or 104.
[0040] The thickness of the first carrier body 100 and the second
carrier body 102 or 104 may also depend on the type of material
used to build or assemble the first carrier body 100 and the second
carrier body 102 or 104. For instance, the first carrier body 100
and the second carrier body 102 or 104 may be composed of titanium,
graphite, coated aluminum, ceramic, a combination or alloy of the
same, and/or other appropriate materials for the process. The
thickness of the first carrier body 100 and the second carrier body
102 or 104 made from titanium may be between, e.g. one half a
millimeter and two millimeters. The thickness of the first carrier
body 100 and the second carrier body 102 or 104 made from coated
aluminum may be between, e.g. one millimeter and two millimeters.
And the thickness of the first carrier body 100 and the second
carrier body 102 or 104 made from graphite may be between, e.g. two
millimeters and five millimeters.
[0041] In many embodiments, the carrier proximity tool can
interconnect with a processing tool and the substrate to enable the
processing tool to process smaller substrate sizes. For example,
processing tools may be designed to process particular size wafers
such as 300 millimeter (mm) wafers, 200 mm wafers, 100 mm wafers,
or 50 mm wafers. The dimension of the wafer refers to the diameter
of the substrate. By suspending work areas of a substrate in a 300
mm carrier proximity mask, a 300 mm processing tool can process
multiple wafer sizes up to 300 mm such as 50 mm, 100 mm, 200 mm,
and 300 mm wafers.
[0042] Furthermore, while several of the examples below involve
processing tools for etching and deposition, any processing tool
benefiting from masks and openings as well as carriers to avoid
handling a substrate directly or to provide structural support of
the substrate during processing, are considered processing tools in
the discussions of embodiments herein and the claims.
[0043] FIG. 1A shows the first carrier body 100 in top view, as
represented by the X-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system
also shown. The first carrier body 100 depicts an embodiment of a
top carrier body for a substrate (not shown) to contact a first
side of the substrate at non-critical, contact areas of the
substrate. The first carrier body 100 comprises non-critical,
contact areas 126 and 128 to contact corresponding, non-critical,
contact areas on the first side of the substrate to suspend and
mask critical areas, or work areas, of the first side of
substrate.
[0044] The number of and location of contact areas 126 and 128
between the first carrier body 100 and the first side of the
substrate may depend on the composition of the substrate, the size
of the substrate, the stage of processing of the substrate, the
product design, and the processing tool. For instance, the
substrate may comprise a flexible or non-flexible glass wafer,
plastic wafer, silicon wafer, or another substrate wafer. Large,
flexible wafers such as 200 mm glass wafers or 300 mm glass wafers
may require more structural support than smaller wafers and/or
non-flexible wafers to avoid or attenuate detrimental effects
associated with, e.g., deformation of the wafers during processing.
Depending on the stage of the processing of the substrate, the
structures and/or layers formed on the wafer may provide the added
structural support.
[0045] The first carrier body 100 illustrates multiple types of
non-critical contact areas 126 and 128 to support the substrate.
Non-critical contact areas may sustain detrimental impacts
associated with masking, etching, planarization, annealing, and/or
the like with minimal impact or insignificant impact to the
resulting structures formed on the substrate.
[0046] The contact areas 126 represent areas to couple with the
second carrier body 102 or 104 via, e.g., a set of one or more
clamps. The contact areas 126 may reside in an exclusionary edge
120 of the substrate, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, assuming the
substrate is the same size as the carrier proximity mask. The
exclusionary edge 120 of the substrate is illustrated by a ring
around the outside of the carrier bodies 100, 102, and 104. For
example, if the carrier proximity mask is 300 mm and the substrate
is in the form of a 300 mm wafer, then the exclusionary edge 120 of
the substrate can be clamped between first carrier body 100 and the
second carrier body 102 or 104 at the exclusionary edge 120 of the
substrate. On the other hand, if the carrier proximity mask is 300
mm and the substrate comprises a 100 mm wafer, a set of one or more
clamps may couple the first carrier body with the second carrier
body and contact areas 128 may contact the first side of the
substrate on the exclusionary edge of the substrate as illustrated
in FIG. 1D and discussed below.
[0047] The contact areas 128 represent non-critical, contact areas
such as an exclusion area outside of the boundary of the
exclusionary edge on the substrate. For example, the glass wafer
may comprise multiple eye pieces separated by exclusion areas and
surrounded by an exclusionary edge to be removed as one of the
final stages of processing. Processing may remove the exclusion
areas to separate each of the eye pieces in a wafer. While FIG. 1A
illustrates four non-critical contact areas 128, other embodiments
may have more or less non-critical contact areas 128.
[0048] In some embodiments, one or more of or all the contact areas
120 and 128 on the carrier bodies 100, 102, and 104 may include
extensions toward the substrate to suspend the substrate between
the first carrier body 100 and a second carrier body such as the
second carrier body 102 or the alternative second carrier body 104.
In further embodiments, corresponding contact areas on the
substrate include one or more layers such as metals, films, soft
masks, hard masks, and/or the like to contact the first carrier
body 100 on the first side of the substrate and to contact the
second carrier body 102 or 104 on the second side of the
substrate.
[0049] The first carrier body 100 also comprises openings 124 to
process a work area on the substrate and as well as hard mask areas
122 to mask structures on the substrate or to mask the substrate.
The pattern of openings 124 is process dependent and forms a
proximity mask. The openings 124 in the first carrier body 100
allow processing of work areas on the first side of the substrate
while the remaining area of the first carrier body 100 blocks
processes, acting as a hard mask 122. The openings 124 in the
carrier bodies 100 and 102 may include angled edges to accommodate
angled beam processing such as angled reactive ion etching (RIE),
angled ion beam deposition, angled ion beam implantation, and/or
the like.
[0050] In some embodiments, the masking provided by the first
carrier body 100 provides macroscopic masking and is capable of
masking structures separated by, e.g., more than a couple
millimeters. For microscopic masking, process tools can apply and
etch or otherwise remove hard masks through the openings 124 in the
first carrier body 100. When required, process tools can employ
techniques such as planarization after removing the substrate from
the carrier proximity mask and/or before assembly of the substrate
in a different carrier or a different carrier proximity mask for
further processing.
[0051] Each process step or process tool implemented for processing
a substrate can advantageously benefit from use of one or more
carrier proximity masks. The carrier proximity masks provide hard
masks 122 and openings 124 to advantageously reduce the number of
processing steps and costs involved with processing a substrate.
For instance, inclusion of a second carrier body without openings
such as the second carrier body 104 can advantageously protect
structures on the second side of a substrate as well as structures
formed via the first side of the substrate by providing a hard mask
122 during physical vapor deposition (PVD) and/or chemical vapor
deposition (CVD). Thus, the second carrier body 104 advantageously
reduces the number processing steps since a mask does not have to
be deposited or applied to the second side of the substrate prior
to the PVD or CVD and then removed. Another advantage of the
carrier proximity mask is handling of flexible glass substrate
wafers without having to add metal to the glass to structurally
reinforce the glass for processing.
[0052] To further illustrate, inclusion of one or more openings 124
in the second carrier body 102 can advantageously reduce steps
involved with, e.g., etching structures in a film on the substrate
on the second side of the substrate. For instance, without the
carrier proximity mask, resist may be applied to the first side of
the substrate. The resist may harden in a pattern based on
application of ultraviolet light to the resist to form a mask over
portions of the substrate to be protected during etching.
Thereafter, the portions of the substrate not protected by the mask
are etched to form trenches and the substrate is planarized with a
chemical mechanical planarization technique to remove the mask.
[0053] The steps from application of the resist, application of the
ultraviolet light and planarization may not have to occur if a
carrier proximity mask is used, advantageously reducing the number
of processing steps on each side of the substrate. The carrier
proximity mask also advantageously provides the structural support
to flip the substrate in the tool without handling the substrate
directly.
[0054] FIG. 1B shows the second carrier body 102 in top view, as
represented by the X-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system
also shown. Note that the specific locations of and numbers of
openings and contact areas in the carrier proximity mask are
implementation specific. The locations of and numbers of openings
and contact areas in the carrier proximity mask depend upon the
composition of the substrate, the size of the substrate, the stage
of processing of the substrate, the product design, and the
processing tool, as well as other considerations.
[0055] The second carrier body 102 is an embodiment of a bottom
carrier body for a substrate (not shown) to contact a second side
(or bottom) of the substrate at non-critical, contact areas of the
substrate. Similar to the first carrier body 100, the second
carrier body 102 comprises non-critical, contact areas 126 and 128
to contact corresponding, non-critical, contact areas on the second
side of the substrate to suspend and mask critical areas, or work
areas, of the second side of substrate.
[0056] The contact areas 126 represent areas to couple with the
second carrier body 102 or 104 via, e.g., a set of one or more
clamps. The contact areas 126 may reside in an exclusionary edge
120 of the substrate, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, assuming the
substrate is the same size as the carrier proximity mask. The
contact areas 126 align vertically along the z-axis with the
contact areas 126 on the first carrier body 100 to facilitate
clamping with a set of one or more clamps.
[0057] The contact areas 128 represent non-critical contact areas
such as an exclusion area outside of the boundary of the
exclusionary edge of the substrate. The contact areas 128 may
vertically align with corresponding contact areas 128 in the first
carrier body 100 in some embodiments and may not vertically align
with corresponding contact areas 128 in the first carrier body 100
in further embodiments. In embodiments, some of the contact areas
128 in the second carrier body 102 may align with corresponding
contact areas 128 in the first carrier body 100 and some of the
contact areas 128 in the second carrier body 102 may not align with
corresponding contact areas 128 in the first carrier body 100.
[0058] In some embodiments, one or more of or all the contact areas
120 and 128 on the carrier bodies 100, 102, and 104 may include
extensions toward the substrate to suspend the substrate between
the first carrier body 100 and a second carrier body such as the
second carrier body 102. In further embodiments, corresponding
contact areas on the substrate include one or more layers such as
metals, films, soft masks, hard masks, and/or the like to contact
the second carrier body 102 on the second side of the
substrate.
[0059] The second carrier body 102 comprises openings 124 to
process structures on the substrate and hard mask areas 122 to mask
structures on the substrate or to mask the substrate. The pattern
of openings 124 is process dependent and forms a proximity mask.
The pattern of openings 124 in the second carrier body 102 may be
coordinated with the pattern of openings 124 in the first carrier
body 100 to build structures on the substrate and to avoid
interference between structures on the first side and the second
side of the substrate. For instance, one or more of the openings
124 in the second carrier body 102 may expose work areas on the
second side of the substrate adjacent to work areas exposed by the
first carrier body 100 on the first side of the substrate to build
a structure in the substrate or to build adjacent structures in the
substrate.
[0060] The openings 124 in the second carrier body 102 allow
processing of work areas on the second side of the substrate while
the remaining area of the second carrier body 102 blocks processes,
acting as a hard mask 122. As with the openings 124 in the first
carrier body 100, whether the macroscopic openings will suffice for
the process or additional processing is required to form
microscopic masks, the second carrier body 102 advantageously
reduces the processing steps, reduces the area for processing,
reduces the costs of processing, and/or attenuates inadvertent
modifications to structures protected by the second carrier body
102 via the hard mask 122.
[0061] FIG. 1C shows the second carrier body 104 in top view, as
represented by the X-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system
also shown. The second carrier body 104 is an embodiment of a
carrier body to mask the entire second side of the substrate from a
process. For instance, the substrate may be within a carrier
proximity mask comprising the first carrier body 100 and the second
carrier body 104 clamped via, e.g. electrostatic clamps, at the
locations 126 on the first and second carrier bodies 100 and 104.
The substrate may be placed in a chamber to electrostatically plate
via a sputtering process. During the sputtering process, the second
carrier body 104 may protect the second side of the substrate from
electrostatic plating. Thus, the second carrier body 104
advantageously reduces the processing steps and costs associated
with electrostatically plating the first side of the substrate by
reducing or minimizing processing of the first side of the
substrate and eliminating processing on the second side of the
substrate.
[0062] The second carrier body 102 is an embodiment of a bottom
carrier body for a substrate (not shown) to contact a second side
(or bottom) of the substrate at non-critical, contact areas of the
substrate. Similar to the first carrier body 100, the second
carrier body 102 comprises non-critical, contact areas 126 and 128
to contact corresponding, non-critical, contact areas on the second
side of the substrate to suspend and mask critical areas, or work
areas, of the second side of substrate. Furthermore, the
non-critical, contact areas 126 of the second carrier body 104 may
reside at the exclusionary edge 120 of the substrate.
[0063] FIG. 1D shows an embodiment of a first and/or second carrier
body 106 designed to adapt a substrate smaller than the processing
tool size, for processing by the processing tool. The size of the
substrate is represented by the diameter of the exclusionary edge
130 of the substrate. Note that the exclusionary edge 130 of the
substrate aligns with the non-critical, contact areas 128 for the
purposes of the illustration of the embodiment. The non-critical,
contact areas 128 may reside at other locations depending on the
size of the substrate. Note also that the non-critical, contact
areas 128 and openings 124 of the first and second carrier bodies
106 do not have to align vertically. Furthermore, the first carrier
body 106 may comprise openings and the second carrier body 106 may
not have openings for a particular embodiment to, e.g., mask the
entire second side of the substrate during processing and/or to
provide structural support.
[0064] The first and/or second carrier body 106 is a top view, as
represented by the X-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system
also shown. Note that the specific locations of and numbers of
openings 124 and contact areas 126, 128, and 130 in the carrier
proximity mask are implementation specific. The locations of and
numbers of openings 124 and contact areas 126, 128, and 130 in the
carrier proximity mask depend upon the composition of the
substrate, the size of the substrate, the stage of processing of
the substrate, the product design, and the processing tool, as well
as other considerations. In the present embodiment, the first
and/or second carrier body 106 may comprise non-critical, contact
areas 130 to contact the substrate to provide additional structural
support.
[0065] FIG. 2A shows a vertical cross-section of an embodiment
along the z-x plane of a substrate 210 clamped with a clamp 228 at
a non-critical contact area 126 of the first carrier body 100, the
second carrier body 102, and the substrate 210. The first carrier
body 100 include an opening 124 with an angled edge 222 having an
angle of declination, theta .THETA., with respect to a horizontal
plane (x-y plane) of the substrate. The first carrier body 100 may
also have hard mask areas 122 to mask structures on the substrate
such as the structure 235.
[0066] In the present embodiment, the first carrier body 100
comprises an extension 216 at a contact area 126 of the first
carrier body 100 to contact a film 212 at a contact area 220 on the
first (top) side of the substrate 210. The substrate 210 includes a
film 222 on the second side of the substrate 210. The second
carrier body 102 comprises an extension 218 at a contact area 126
of the second carrier body 102 to contact the film 214 at a contact
area 222 on the second (bottom) side of the substrate 210.
[0067] Two work areas 234 are exposed to the process tool via the
openings 124, one work area 234 on the first side of the substrate
210 via the opening 124 in the first carrier body 100 and one work
area 234 on the second side of the substrate via the opening 124 in
the second carrier body 102. A third work area 235 on the first
side of the substrate 210 is protected from the processing of the
other work areas 234 by a hard mask 122 portion of the first
carrier body 100.
[0068] For illustration purposes, each of the structures in the
work areas 234 and 235 are the same. In other embodiments, each
structure may be different. The structures include a pattern of
hard mask 226 and a pattern of soft mask 224 such as a variable
sacrificial layer of resist. The illustration of the soft mask 224
may exaggerate the variations in thickness of the soft mask 224
but, essentially, thicker portions of the soft mask 224 may reduce
the depth of etching into the film 212 or 214 behind the soft mask
224.
[0069] As an example, a process tool such as an angled reactive ion
etching (RIE) tool may process the structures at work areas 234.
First, the tool may form angled ion beams 230 through a reactive
solution and through the opening 124 in the first carrier body 100
to etch trenches 228 in the film 212 on the first side of the
substrate 210. The reactive ion beams 230 directed at the hard mask
226 may not etch the film 212. The reactive ion beams 230 directed
at the exposed film 212 may etch the longer trenches 228 in the
film 212 and the reactive ion beams 230 directed at the exposed
film 212 through the soft mask 224 may etch the shorter trenches
228 in the film 212.
[0070] The reactive ion beams 230 can arrive at the film 212 at any
angle through the opening 224 of the first carrier body 100 but the
inclusion of the angled edge 222 advantageously provides a path
along the angled edge 222 of the opening 224 for the arrival of a
reactive ion beam at the film 212 in the work area 234 on the first
side of the substrate 210. After angled reactive ion etching at the
work area 234 on the first side of the substrate 210, the substrate
210 can be flipped by the processing tool or other tool without
directly handling the substrate 210 to facilitate processing of the
work area 234 on the second side of the substrate 210.
[0071] Thereafter, the reactive ion beams 242 may arrive at the
film 214 at any angle through the opening 224 in the second carrier
body 102 but the inclusion of the angled edge 222 advantageously
provides a path along the angled edge 222 of the opening 224 in the
second carrier body 102 for the arrival of a reactive ion beam 242
at the film 214 in the work area 234 on the second side of the
substrate 210. The reactive ion beams 242 directed at the hard mask
226 may not etch the film 214. The reactive ion beams 242 directed
at the exposed film 214 may etch the long trenches 228 in the film
214 and the reactive ion beams 242 directed at the exposed film 214
through the soft mask 224 may etch the short trenches 228 in the
film 212.
[0072] Note that, in many embodiments, a reactive ion beam may scan
110 across the carrier proximity mask parallel to the plane of the
substrate 210 in a particular direction such as along an X-Z plane.
The the inclusion of the angled edge 222 may be designed to
advantageously minimize or attenuate effects of diffraction of the
reactive ion beam 230 at the transition of a scan 110 of reactive
ion beam from the masked area 122 of the carrier proximity mask,
across the edge 222 of the opening 124. In many embodiments, the
current density of the reactive ion beam may be modified during the
transition to advantageously minimize or attenuate effects of
diffraction of the reactive ion beam 230.
[0073] FIGS. 2B, 2C and 3 illustrate alternative clamping
arrangements for the carrier proximity mask. FIG. 2B illustrates a
vertical cross-section of the z-x plane of a first carrier body 100
with an extension 216 clamped at a non-critical contact area 126 of
the first carrier body 100 and with a non-critical contact area 220
of the substrate 210 such as an exclusionary edge of the substrate
210. The clamp 226 also clamps an extension 218 of the second
carrier body 102 or 104 at a non-critical contact area 126 of the
second carrier body 102 or 104 with a non-critical area 222 of the
substrate 210. FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment having a substrate
210 with the same diameter as the carrier bodies 100, 102, and
104.
[0074] The clamp 226 may comprise any type of clamping device
compatible with the carrier bodies 100, 102, and 104, and with the
process tool. For instance, the clamp 226 may comprise a mechanical
clamp, an electrostatic clamp, or the like. Note that the second
side of the substrate 210 is an opposite side of the substrate 210
from the first side of the substrate 210.
[0075] FIG. 2C illustrates a vertical cross-section of the z-x
plane of a first carrier body 100 clamped at a non-critical contact
area 126 of the first carrier body 100 with a non-critical contact
area 220 of the substrate 210 such as an exclusionary edge of the
substrate 210. In this embodiment, a contact 220 is formed on the
edge of the substrate 210 at the contact area 220 of the first
carrier body 100. The contact 220 formed on the substrate 210 at
the non-critical contact area 126 may be, a film, metal, or any
other material suitable for clamping the substrate 210 with the
carrier bodies 100 and 102 or 104. The clamp 226 also clamps a
contact 222 formed on the second side of the substrate 210 with of
the second carrier body 102 or 104 at a non-critical contact area
126 of the second carrier body 102 or 104 with a non-critical area
126 of the substrate 210. FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment having
a substrate 210 with the same diameter as the carrier bodies 100,
102, and 104.
[0076] FIG. 2D illustrates a vertical cross-section of the z-x
plane of a first carrier body 106 clamped at a non-critical contact
area 126 of the first carrier body 106 with a non-critical contact
area 126 of the second carrier body 106. In this embodiment, the
first and second carrier bodies 106 have a greater diameter than
the diameter of the substrate 210. As a result, the substrate 210
is clamped between the first and second carrier bodies 106 at a
non-critical contact area 128. Similar to the embodiment in FIG.
2A, the substrate 210 may have a film on the first side and/or the
second side of the substrate 210 at the contact area 128. In other
embodiments, similar to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2B and
2C, a contact may be formed on the substrate 210 at the contact are
128 and/or the first and/or second carrier bodies 106 may include
an extension protruding towards the substrate 210 to contact the
substrate 210 or a contact on the substrate 210 when the first
carrier body 106 is clamped with the second carrier body 106 at the
non-critical contact area 126.
[0077] In the present embodiment, the first carrier body 106
includes an extension 252 extending towards the substrate 210 and
coupling with the substrate via a film 254 to suspend the work
areas of the substrate 210 between the first and second carrier
bodies 106. The second carrier body 106 includes an extension 258
extending towards the substrate 210 and coupling with the substrate
210 via the film 256 to suspend the work areas of the substrate 210
between the first and second carrier bodies 106.
[0078] The first carrier body 106 includes an extension 216 at a
non-critical contact area 126 extending towards the second carrier
body 106 and the second carrier body 106 includes an extension 218
in the non-critical contact area 126 extending towards the first
carrier body 106. The clamp 226 may maintain contact between the
extensions 216 and 218 to clamp the substrate 210 between the
extensions 252 and 258 of the first and second carrier bodies,
respectively. Furthermore, the cross-sections of FIGS. 2A-2C and 2D
illustrate a single clamp of a set of one or more claims designed
to maintain contact between the corresponding carrier bodies 100,
102, 104, and/or 106.
[0079] In further embodiments of the disclosure, angled ions may be
provided as an ion beam 230 or 242 to etch trenches such as the
trenches 228 illustrated in FIG. 2A.
[0080] FIG. 3A depicts an embodiment of a wearable display system
332 including augmented reality glasses with a focused light source
339 located in the frame 335 and lenses 333 comprising diffractive
optical elements 334 and 338 and wave guides 336. The lenses 333
may comprise two of multiple devices formed on the substrate 210
shown in FIG. 2A and the implementation of an embodiment of a
carrier proximity mask such as the carrier proximity masks
illustrated in FIGS. 1A-D, 2A-D, and 3B-G may advantageously
facilitate formation of diffractive optical elements 334 and 338
and/or wave guides 336 via the ion beams discussed in conjunction
with FIGS. 3H-I.
[0081] The wearable display system 332 is arranged to display an
image within a short distance from a human eye. Such wearable
headsets are sometimes referred to as head mounted displays and are
provided with a frame displaying an image within a few centimeters
of the user's eyes. The image can be a computer-generated image on
a display, such as a micro display. The optical components, such as
the diffractive optical elements 334 and 338 and wave guides 336,
are arranged to transport light of the desired image, where the
light is generated on the display to the user's eye to make the
image visible to the user. The display where the image is generated
can form part of a light engine, such that the image generates
collimated light beams. The beams can be guided by the diffractive
optical elements 334 and 338 and wave guides 336 to provide an
image visible to the user.
[0082] In the present embodiment, FIG. 3A depicts a simple
embodiment of the wearable display system 332. The wearable display
system 332 comprises the focused light source 339 such as a
microprojector, input diffractive optical elements 334, wave guides
336, and output diffractive optical elements 338. Other embodiments
may include more optical components and the arrangement of the
optical components is implementation specific.
[0083] The focused light source 339 may output focused light into
the input diffractive optical elements 334. The focused light may
enter the lenses via the input diffractive optical elements 334 at
a total internal reflection (TIR) critical angle such as 45 degrees
and, as a result, the focused light may become trapped in the
lenses 333. The wave guides 336 may direct the focused light
through the lenses 333 and the output diffractive optical elements
338 may output the focused light toward a user's eye to present the
augmented reality images to the user.
[0084] In some embodiments, the left and right lenses 333 may have
different focused light sources 339. For instance, some embodiments
provide different images to the user's left eye and right eye to
present the user with a three-dimensional image. Other embodiments
may provide a delayed image or an offset image to one of the lenses
333 to simulate or approximate three-dimensional imagery.
[0085] FIGS. 3B-D illustrate a vertical cross-section of the Z-X
plane of a first carrier body 100 clamped with a second carrier
body 102 or 104. In this embodiment, an angled, reactive ion beam
310 scans across the first carrier body 100 along a path in an X-Z
plane in a direction 302. While the angled, reactive ion beam 310
scans across a masked part of the first carrier body 100, the
current density of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 may be at a
low current density to advantageously conserve resources such as
power and ions. The current density of the angled, reactive ion
beam 310 may be increased as the angled, reactive ion beam 310
approaches the edge of an opening to convolve with the edge to form
a desired diffraction profile based on the shape of the edge and
the current density of the angled, reactive ion beam 310.
[0086] In FIG. 3B, the angled, reactive ion beam 310 scans across
the edge 306 of the opening 124. As the angled, reactive ion beam
310 scans across the edge 306 of the opening 124, the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 may include an ion beam component 315 that
passes directly through the opening 124 and an ion beam component
that bends around the edge 306 as a result of the wave properties
of light. The ion beam component that bends around the edge 306 may
form a diffraction profile 317. The diffraction profile 317 may
form based on constructive and destructive inference of portions of
the ion beam component that bends around the edge 306 and reflects
off a face 305 of the edge 306. In particular, as the processing
tool scans 302 the angled, reactive ion beam 310, an increasing
portion (component 315) of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 will
pass directly through the opening 124 and a decreasing portion of
the angled, reactive ion beam 310 will bend around the edge
306.
[0087] In the present embodiment, the portion of the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 will bend around the edge 306 and reflect off
the face 305 of the edge 306. The edge 306 is squared in the
present embodiment but other embodiments may include edges with
different shapes such as chamfered edges. Depending on the
wavelength of the angled, reactive ion beam 310, the frequency of
the angled, reactive ion beam 310, and the scan speed of the scan
302, portions of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 may reflect off
the entire height of the face 305 of the edge 306 from the side of
the first carrier body 100 facing the substrate 210 to the side of
the first carrier body 100 facing away from the substrate 210. The
reflections of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 may transform as a
result of destructive and constructive interference to create the
diffraction profile 317. Furthermore, note that the face 305 of the
edge 306 may not be a perfect reflector so a portion of the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 will also refract into the first carrier body
100, which reduces the current density of the reflection of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310.
[0088] To illustrate, the processing tool may emit the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 at a 45-degree angle of incidence with
respect to the plane of the substrate 210. As the angled, reactive
ion beam 310 scans towards the edge 306, there may be no component
315 but portions of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 at or near a
peak of the waveform of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 may pass
through the opening and reflect off the face 305 of the edge 306 of
the opening 124 of the first carrier component 100. As the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 scans closer to the edge 306, increasing
portions of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 will bend around the
edge 306 and reflect off the face 305 of the edge 306 towards the
substrate 310 in the diffraction profile 317 at a 45-degree angle
due to the 90-degree angle of the face 305 of the edge 306 (a
squared edge). The overlapping reflections may interfere with one
another, subtracting from the current density of the portion of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 and adding to the current density of
the reflected portion of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 in a
regular pattern based on the duty cycle, or modulation, of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 and the frequency of the angled,
reactive ion beam 310.
[0089] When the diffraction profile 317 of the portion of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 that bent around the edge 306 reaches
the film 212 on the substrate 210, the diffraction profile 317 may
etch the film 212 based on the varying current densities of
reflected portions of the diffraction profile 317. More
specifically, as the angled, reactive ion beam 310 scans the first
carrier body 100 closer to the edge 306, the portions of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 that bend around the edge 306 will
reach further down the face 305 of the edge 306 and an increasing
portion of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 will pass directly
through the opening 124 as the angled, reactive ion beam 310 also
hits portions of the face 305 closest to the substrate 210. As a
result, the current densities of the diffraction profile 317 may
increase as the angled, reactive ion beam 310 reflects off portions
of the face 305 closer to the substrate. Furthermore, when the
portions of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 reflect off the face
305, portions of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 will also
refract into the first carrier body 100 via the face 305 of the
edge 306, decreasing the current densities of the diffraction
profile 317.
[0090] The portion of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 that
reflects off the lowest points on the face 305 may have the lowest
current density and the portions of the angled, reactive ion beam
310 that reflects off the highest points on the face 305 may have
the highest current density. Furthermore, the current density of
the angled, reactive ion beam 310 may be varied to adjust the
current densities associated with the diffraction profile 317 by
varying the duty cycle of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 or the
scan 302 speed, which is the speed at which the angled, reactive
ion beam 310 scans across the edge 306. As shown in the FIG. 3B,
the diffraction profile 317 may etch a variable etch depth profile
319 in the film 212, or the substrate 210 in some embodiments.
[0091] The variable etch depth profile 319 may have a plurality of
angled structures along a plane of the substrate 210. The plurality
of angled structures may define a depth profile that varies along a
length of the depth profile in the X-Z plane, across a width of the
opening 124 in the X-Z plane and parallel to the plane of the
substrate 210 (X-Y plane). The variable etch depth profile 319 may
begin within the work area 234 associated with the opening 124 at a
distance 321, across the width of the opening 124, from the edge
306. In further embodiments, the edge 304 of the opening 124 may be
designed to eliminate or minimize any reflection, refraction, or
diffraction of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 to avoid
modification of the variable etch depth profile 319.
[0092] The process of scanning an ion beam across an edge such as
the edge 306 and into an opening such as the opening 124 is
referred to herein as convolving the ion beam with the edge.
Although not illustrated herein, the same process can convolve the
ion beam with an edge such as the edge 304 as the scan of the ion
beam crosses from an opening 124 over the edge 304 and towards, a
masked area of a carrier body of the carrier proximity mask.
[0093] In FIG. 3B, the angled, reactive ion beam 310 scans 302
across the opening 124 after scanning across the edge 306. As the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 scans across the opening, a duty
cycle (or modulation) of the angled, reactive ion beam 330 may
establish the distance between the trenches 322 etched into the
film 212, the depth 324 of the trenches 322, as well as the
thickness 326 of the trenches. In some embodiments, the scan speed
and/or duty cycle of the angled, reactive ion beam 310 over the
opening 124 may be varied or modified with respect to the scan
speed and/or duty cycle while the angled, reactive ion beam 310
scanned the edge 306. Such adjustments may modify the distance
between the trenches 327, the trench depth 324 and/or the trench
thickness 326. In some embodiments, the spacing between the
trenches 322 etched via the direct application of the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 on the film 212.
[0094] FIG. 3D illustrates the scan 302 of the angled, reactive ion
beam 330 after the scan 302 reaches edge 304 of the opening 124.
The shape of the edge 304 may be designed to prevent or eliminate
effects of diffraction, refraction, and/or reflection of the
angled, reactive ion beam 330 towards the substrate 210 to avoid
any detrimental modifications of the variable etch depth profile
319. In other embodiments, the shape of the edge 304 may be
designed to convolve with the angled, reactive ion beam 330 to
perform additional etching of the variable etch depth profile
319.
[0095] Many embodiments may modify the current density of the
angled, reactive ion beam 310 as the scan 302 of the angled,
reactive ion beam 310 transitions to the opening 124. Such
modifications may adjust the actual variable etch depth profile 319
to match or approximate the desired variable etch depth profile. In
many embodiments, the actual variable etch depth profile 319 is
calculated and compared to the desired variable etch depth profile
through simulation of the scanning process to determine differences
between the actual variable etch depth profile 319 and the desired
variable etch depth profile.
[0096] FIGS. 3E-F depicts a plan view of a carrier proximity mask
and a portion of a wafer with work areas exposed to a processing
tool via openings with edges in the carrier proximity mask to
create a variable etch depth profile. FIG. 3E depicts a plan view
of the first carrier body 100 with clamps 126 to couple a substrate
210 between the first carrier body 100 and the second carrier body
102 or 104 (not visible). The first carrier body 100 includes
openings 124 and masked areas 122.
[0097] FIG. 3F depicts a portion of a substrate 210 with work areas
exposed to a processing tool via openings 124 with edges in the
first carrier body 100 to create a variable etch depth profile. The
processing tool may scan an angled, reactive ion beam 330 across a
square edge of the opening 124 to convolve the angled, reactive ion
beam with the square edge and create a diffraction profile to
create a first portion of the variable etch depth profile. The
processing tool may scan an angled, reactive ion beam 330 across
the opening 124 to create a second portion of the variable etch
depth profile.
[0098] FIG. 3G depicts a cross-section of a portion of the work
area of the substrate 210 with an actual variable etch depth
profile 319 created by the processes described in conjunction with
FIGS. 3B-3D with the carrier proximity mask and substrate shown in
FIGS. 3E-F. The actual variable etch depth profile 319 may comprise
a plurality of angled structures 341 along a plane of the substrate
210. The plurality of angled structures 341 may define a depth
profile 359. The depth profile 359 varies along a length of the
depth profile in parallel with the plane of the substrate and
across a portion of the width of the opening 124. The plurality of
angled structures 341 may also define a depth profile 358. The
depth profile 358 is constant along a length of the depth profile
in parallel with the plane of the substrate and across a portion of
the width of the opening 124. In some embodiments, the angled,
reactive ion beam 330 may be directed at a 45-degree angle of
incidence with respect to the plane of the substrate 210. In such
embodiments, the angled, reactive ion beam 330 may etch a 45-degree
trench into the film 212 on the substrate 210 with a thickness
related to the duty cycle and scan speed of the angled, reactive
ion beam 330 as well as a beam etch profile. In other embodiments,
the angled, reactive ion beam 330 may be directed at the at an
angle of incidence between zero and 90 degrees with respect to the
plane of the substrate 210.
[0099] In the present example, the gap between the first carrier
body 100 and the film 212 on the substrate 210 is 0.2 millimeter
(mm) and the trenches are etched at an angle theta, .THETA., which
is at a 45-degree angle of incidence with respect to the plane of
the substrate 210 or at a 45-degree angle of incidence with respect
to a plane perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 210. The gap
affects the width of the diffraction profile 317 at the surface of
the substrate 210 or film 212, which is shown as the depth profile
359. An embodiment with a gap larger than 0.2 mm, such as 0.8 mm or
1.2 mm, may have a depth profile 359 with a greater width and may
begin a farther distance from the edge 306 of the opening 124.
Furthermore, the height 318 of the face 305 affects the width of
the diffraction profile 317 and, thus, the depth profile 359.
[0100] The present embodiment illustrates distances with respect to
the edge 306 with the lines 340 through 354 at 0.2 mm increments.
In particular, the line 340 indicates the 0.0 mm point on the
variable etch depth profile 319. The 0.0 mm point is the point on
the substrate 210 directly below the face 305 of the edge 306 in
the X-Z plane. The line 342 shows 0.2 mm distance from the edge
306. The line 344 shows 0.4 mm distance from the edge 306. The line
346 shows 0.6 mm distance from the edge 306. The line 348 shows 0.8
mm distance from the edge 306. The line 350 shows 1.0 mm distance
from the edge 306. The line 352 shows 1.2 mm distance from the edge
306. And the line 354 shows 1.4 mm distance from the edge 306.
[0101] At distances of about 1.4 mm and farther from the edge 306
of the opening 124, along the plane of the substrate 210 (X-Y
plane), the trenches 341 define a constant trench depth 356 of
approximately 220 nanometers (nm).
[0102] FIG. 3H depicts alternative embodiments of shapes of edges
for openings in the carrier proximity mask. In particular, the
edges 360 and 362 replace the edge 306 in the embodiments shown in
FIGS. 3B-G. The edges 360 and 362 show two different chamfered
edges. Both edges 360 and 362 are chamfered to reduce the heights
366 and 368, respectively, of the faces 364. With respect to the
shape of edge 360, the edge 360 may be created by, e.g., squaring
and chamfering the edge 360 to create an angled surface to convolve
with the angled, reactive ion beam to reflect portions of the
angled, reactive ion beam away from the substrate 210. With respect
to the shape of edge 362, the edge 362 may be created by, e.g.,
squaring and chamfering the edge 362 to create an angled surface.
The angled surface may not convolve with the angled, reactive ion
beam due to the positioning of the angled surface. Note the
chamfering of the edge 362 also changes the distance of the face
309 from the surface of the substrate 210, which has a similar
effect as adjusting the gap between the first carrier body 100 and
the surface of the substrate 210. For both of chamfered edges 360
and 362, the width of the diffraction profile may be reduced, which
would reduce the width of the variable etch depth profile 359
illustrated in FIG. 3G.
[0103] FIG. 3I depicts an embodiment of a chart 370 illustrating a
desired variable etch depth profile 372, an actual variable etch
depth profile 374, and a delta 376 between the variable etch depth
profiles for two adjacent carrier proximity mask openings for the
embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3E-G. The desired variable etch
depth profile 372 shows a depth profile beginning at a depth 371 at
a distance from the edge of 377. Thereafter, the desired variable
etch depth profile 372 closely tracks the actual variable etch
depth profile 374. Note the actual variable etch depth profile 374
begins closer to the edge 306 of the opening 124. In some
embodiments, the width of the actual variable etch depth profile
374 can be adjusted by chamfering the squared edge such as that
edges 360 and 362 shown in FIG. 3H. Furthermore, the distance from
the edge 306 at which the actual variable etch depth profile 374
begins can be adjusted by adjusting the distance of the face 305
from the surface 210 of the substrate 210. Adjusting the distance
of the face 305 from the surface 210 of the substrate 210 can be
accomplished by, e.g., adjusting the gap between the carrier
proximity mask and the surface of the substrate 210 or by, e.g.,
chamfering the bottom of the squared edge to create an edge shape
such as the edge 362.
[0104] The chart 370 exaggerates the delta 376 between the actual
variable etch depth profile 374 and the desired variable etch depth
profile 372 to more clearly show how the profiles differ and the
locations at which the profiles differ.
[0105] FIG. 3J depicts an embodiment of a chart 380 illustrating an
etching beam profile 384 and duty cycle 382 to convolve with a
square edge of an opening in a carrier proximity mask to create the
variable etch depth profile in a wafer as shown in FIG. 3I. The
graph of the etching beam profile 384 illustrates the shape of the
angled, reactive ion beam 330 that scans across the opening 124 in
the first carrier body 100 discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 2A
and 3B-G. Note the etching beam profile 384 is not square so
different portions of the beam has different current densities. The
different current densities affect the diffraction profile 317 when
the beam is convolved the edge 306 or the chamfered edges 360 or
362.
[0106] The duty cycle 382 of the beam are modulated to provide
increased beam modulation weights to etch the trenches 322 and
decreased beam modulation weights to form the parallel structures
341 that define the distance 327 between the trenches 322.
[0107] Turning now to FIG. 4A, there is shown a processing
apparatus 400, depicted in schematic form. The processing apparatus
400 represents a processing apparatus for performing anisotropic or
isotropic reactive ion etching. The processing apparatus 400 may be
a plasma-based processing system having a plasma chamber 402 for
generating a plasma 404 therein by any convenient method as known
in the art. An extraction plate 406 may be provided as shown,
having an extraction aperture 408, where an angled ion beam 410 may
be extracted to direct angled ions 230 or 242 to a substrate 210.
The substrate 210, including structures created thereon, is
disposed in the process chamber 424. A substrate plane of the
substrate 210 is represented by the X-Y plane of the Cartesian
coordinate system shown, while a perpendicular to the plane of
substrate lies along the Z-axis (Z-direction).
[0108] As further shown in FIG. 4A, the angled ion beam 410 may be
extracted when a voltage difference is applied using bias supply
420 between the plasma chamber 402 and substrate 210 via an opening
124 in a first carrier body 100 of a carrier proximity mask, or
substrate platen 414, as in known systems. The bias supply 420 may
be coupled to the process chamber 424, for example, where the
process chamber 424 and substrate 210 are held at the same
potential.
[0109] According to various embodiments, the angled ion beam 410
may be extracted at a non-zero angle of incidence, shown as .PHI.,
with respect to the perpendicular 426. The trajectories of ions
within the angled ion beam 410 may be mutually parallel to one
another or may lie within a narrow angular range, such as within 10
degrees of one another or less. Thus, the value of .PHI. may
represent an average value of incidence angle where the individual
trajectories vary up to several degrees from the average value. In
some embodiments, the angle of .PHI. may be, e.g., 12 degrees, to
form a sidewall in a trench with a 78-degree angle of
inclination.
[0110] In various embodiments, the angled ion beam 410 may be
extracted as a continuous beam or as a pulsed ion beam as in known
systems. For example, the bias supply 420 may be configured to
supply a voltage difference between plasma chamber 402 and process
chamber 424, as a pulsed, direct current (DC) voltage, where the
voltage, pulse frequency, and duty cycle of the pulsed voltage may
be independently adjusted from one another.
[0111] In various embodiments, a suitable gas or combination of
gases, may be supplied by the source 422 to plasma chamber 402. The
plasma 404 may generate various species to perform reactive ion
beam etching, depending upon the exact composition of species
provided to the plasma chamber 402. The species provided by source
422 may be designed according to material to be etched, such as
known reactive ion etching species for etching silicon.
[0112] In various embodiments, the angled ion beam 410 may be
provided as a ribbon ion beam having a long axis extending along
the X-direction of the Cartesian coordinate system shown in FIG.
4B. By scanning a substrate platen 414 including substrate 210 with
respect to the extraction aperture 408, and thus with respect to
the angled ion beam 410 along the scan direction 430, the angled
ion beam 410 may etch exposed portions of the substrate 210 via
openings 124 in the first carrier body 100 as well as a film 212 on
the first side of the substrate 210 in some embodiments. In many
embodiments, the angled ion beam does not etch a hard mask 226
illustrated in FIG. 2A.
[0113] In this example of FIG. 4B, the angled ion beam 410 is
provided as a ribbon ion beam extending to a beam width along the
X-direction, where the beam width is adequate to expose an entire
width of the substrate 210, even at the widest part along the
X-direction. Exemplary beam widths may be in the range of 10 cm, 20
cm, 30 cm, or more while exemplary beam lengths along the
Y-direction may be in the range of 2 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, or 20
mm. A ratio of beam width to beam length may be in the range 5/1,
10/1, 20/1 50/1, or 100/1. The embodiments are not limited in this
context.
[0114] Notably, the scan direction 430 may represent the scanning
of substrate 210 in two opposing (180 degrees) directions along the
Y-direction, or just a scan toward the left or a scan toward the
right. The long axis of angled ion beam 410 extends along the
X-direction, perpendicularly to the scan direction 430.
Accordingly, an entirety of the substrate 210 may be exposed to the
angled ion beam 410 when scanning of the substrate 210 takes place
along a scan direction 430 to an adequate length from a left side
to right side of substrate 210.
[0115] In accordance with various embodiments, the angled ions 230
and 242 may be supplied in a plurality of scans of the substrate
210, by rotating the substrate 210 through 180 degrees between
scans. Thus, in a first scan, the angled ions 230 and 242 may be
directed to the sidewall, while in a second scan the angled ions
230 and 242 may be directed to another sidewall, by rotating the
substrate 210 180 degrees between the first scan and second scan,
while not changing the actual orientation of an ion beam, such as
angled ion beam 410.
[0116] In other embodiments of the disclosure, a modified apparatus
may be used to provide simultaneous etching of a substrate in
different directions. Turning now to FIG. 4C, there is shown
another processing apparatus 440, depicted in schematic form. The
processing apparatus 440 represents a processing apparatus for
performing angled ion treatment of a substrate and may be
substantially the same as the processing apparatus 400, save for
the differences discussed below. Notably, the processing apparatus
440 includes a beam blocker 432, disposed adjacent the extraction
aperture 408. The beam blocker 432 is sized and positioned to
define a first aperture 408A and a second aperture 408B, where the
first aperture 408A forms a first angled ion beam 410A, and the
second aperture 408B forms a second angled ion beam 410B. The two
angled ion beams may define angles of incidence with respect to the
perpendicular 426, equal in magnitude, opposite in direction. The
beam blocker offset along the Z-axis with respect to extraction
plate 406 may help define the angle of the angled ion beams. As
such, the first angled ion beam 410A and the second angled ion beam
410B may treat opposing sidewalls of a trench similarly and
simultaneously, as generally depicted in FIG. 2A. When configured
in the shape of a ribbon beam as in FIG. 4B, these angled ion beams
may expose an entirety of the substrate 210 to reactive ion etching
of the substrate 210 to the extent the substrate is exposed via
openings 124 in the first carrier body 100 by scanning the
substrate platen 414 as shown.
[0117] After processing the substrate 210 via the openings 124 in
the first carrier body 100, the carrier proximity mask can be
flipped by the processing tool or other tool to facilitate
processing of the second side of the substrate 210 via openings in
a second carrier body 102 if the secondary carrier body 102 or 104
includes openings.
[0118] FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a process flow 500,
according to embodiments of the disclosure. At block 502, a
substrate is provided. The substrate may comprise any type of
substrate for processing. In many embodiments, the substrate is in
the form of a wafer having a specific diameter such as 50 mm, 100
mm, 200 mm, or 300 mm. The substrate may further comprise one or
more layers of a film, a hard mask, and/or a soft mask.
[0119] At block 504, a first carrier body is provided such as the
carrier bodies illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2C, and 3. The first
carrier body may have one or more openings and the one or more
openings may form proximity masks to form structures on a first
side of a substrate. The first carrier body may have one or more
contact areas and the contact areas may align with one or more
contact areas on the first side of the substrate. In some
embodiments, the one or more openings in the first carrier body may
include at least one edge having an angle of declination, theta,
with respect to a horizontal plane of the substrate.
[0120] At block 506, a second carrier body is provided. The second
carrier body may have one or more contact areas, the contact areas
to align with one or more contact areas on a second side of the
substrate. In some embodiments, the second carrier body may
comprise one or more openings and the one or more openings may act
as proximity masks to form structures on the second side of the
substrate.
[0121] At block 508, a set of one or more clamps may clamp the
first carrier body with the second carrier body. Furthermore, the
one or more contact areas of the first carrier body and the one or
more contact areas of the second carrier body may contact opposite
sides of the substrate to suspend a work area of the first side of
the substrate and a work area of the second side of the substrate
between the first carrier body and the second carrier body. In some
embodiments, the first carrier body and the second carrier body may
provide structural support for the substrate to reduce deformation
of the substrate during processing. In further embodiments, the
first carrier body and the second carrier body may comprise a
conductive or semi-conductive material and the set of one or more
clamps may comprise electrostatic clamps to electrostatically clamp
the first carrier body with the second carrier body.
[0122] At block 510, the process may align one or more of the
contact areas of the first carrier body with exclusion areas of the
first side of the substrate and one or more of the contact areas of
the second carrier body with exclusion areas of the second side of
the substrate. In some embodiments, the contact areas to align with
exclusion areas of the first side of the substrate may comprise at
least one contact area to align with an exclusionary edge of the
substrate on the first side of the substrate. Furthermore, the
contact areas to align with exclusion areas of the second side of
the substrate may comprise at least one contact area to align with
the exclusionary edge of the substrate on the second side of the
substrate.
[0123] In one embodiment, the one or more openings on the first
carrier body may align with locations to form the structures in the
work area on the first side of the substrate and the one or more
openings on the second carrier body may align with locations to
form the structures in the work area on the second side of the
substrate. In such embodiments, the one or more contact areas of
the first carrier body may comprise contact areas to align with
exclusion areas of the first side of the substrate and the one or
more contact areas of the second carrier body comprise contact
areas to align with exclusion areas of the second side of the
substrate.
[0124] FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary process flow 600 utilizing a
carrier proximity mask such as the carrier proximity masks
illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2C, and 3, according to embodiments
of the disclosure. At block 602, a substrate in a carrier proximity
mask is provided. The substrate may have a work area of a first
side of the substrate and a work area of a second side of the
substrate between a first carrier body of the carrier and a second
carrier body of the carrier. The substrate may be suspended between
the first carrier body and the second carrier body.
[0125] The first carrier body may have one or more openings formed
as proximity masks and the one or more openings may facilitate
formation of structures on a first side of the substrate. The first
carrier body may also have one or more contact areas and the
contact areas may align with one or more contact areas on the first
side of the substrate. The second carrier body may also have one or
more contact areas and the contact areas may align with one or more
contact areas on a second side of the substrate. In many
embodiments, the one or more contact areas of the first carrier
body and the one or more contact areas of the second carrier body
may contact opposite sides of the substrate.
[0126] At block 604, the flowchart may process, with a processing
tool, the work area on the first side of the substrate via the one
or more openings to form the structures on the first side of the
substrate. Areas of the first carrier body may mask portions of the
work area on the first side of the substrate. In some embodiments,
the processing may involve directing angled ions across an angled
slope of at least one edge of the one or more openings of the first
carrier body.
[0127] At block 606, the flowchart may flip the carrier proximity
mask with the processing tool or another tool, to process the
second side of the substrate through the one or more openings of
the second carrier body.
[0128] At block 608, the flowchart may process a work area on the
second side of the substrate via one or more openings in the second
carrier body. The processing may comprise directing angled ions
across an angled slope of at least one edge of the one or more
openings of the first carrier body. In other embodiments, the
processing may comprise doping the work area via an opening in the
second carrier body. In further embodiments, the processing may
comprise deposition via the openings in the second carrier body via
physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or ion beam
sputtering. In still other embodiments, the processing may comprise
lithography. For instance, photoresist may be applied via the
openings in the second carrier body, ultraviolet light may alter
the photoresist to provide an etching mask, and portions of the
exposed substrate or film may be selectively removed based on the
pattern of photoresist.
[0129] FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a process flow 700,
according to embodiments of the disclosure. At block 702, a
substrate is provided. The substrate may comprise any type of
substrate for processing. In many embodiments, the substrate is in
the form of a wafer having a specific diameter such as 50 mm, 100
mm, 200 mm, or 300 mm. The substrate may further comprise one or
more layers of a film, a hard mask, and/or a soft mask.
[0130] At block 704, a carrier is provided. The carrier may
comprise a first carrier body coupled with a second carrier body
and the substrate may be coupled between the first carrier body and
the second carrier body. The first carrier body may have one or
more openings to expose work areas of the substrate on the first
side of the substrate. Furthermore, the one or more openings having
edges. In some embodiments, one or more of the edges may be
squared. In further embodiments, the one or more of the edges may
be chamfered to reduce the length of the variable etch depth
profile.
[0131] At block 704, the process flow 700 may convolve a first edge
of the edges in a first opening with a beam from a processing tool
to create a convolved beam. The convolved beam may comprise a
diffraction profile based on the frequency of the beam, the beam
profile or shape of the beam, the shape of the edge, and the height
of the face of the edge. In many embodiments, the convolved beam is
a diffraction profile of reflected components of the beam generated
by a processing tool. The diffraction profile may etch a work area
of the substrate exposed by the first opening to create a variable
etch depth profile in the substrate proximate to the first
edge.
[0132] The variable etch depth profile may comprise a plurality of
angled structures along a plane of the substrate and the plurality
of angled structures may define a depth profile that varies along a
length of the variable etch depth profile. The length may be
parallel to the plane of the substrate and protrude across a width
of the first opening on the surface of the substrate.
[0133] FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary process flow 800 utilizing a
carrier proximity mask such as the carrier proximity masks
illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2C, and 3, according to embodiments
of the disclosure. At block 802, a substrate in a carrier proximity
mask is provided. The substrate may comprise work areas on a first
side of the substrate and one or more work areas on a second side
of the substrate. The substrate may be suspended between a first
carrier body of the carrier proximity mask and a second carrier
body of the carrier proximity mask. The first carrier body may have
openings, each opening to expose one of the work areas on the first
side of the substrate. Furthermore, each of the openings may have a
first edge to convolve with a beam to define a variable etch depth
profile.
[0134] At block 804, the process flow 800 may scan, by a processing
tool, the beam across the openings. At block 806, the process flow
800 may process, with the processing tool, the work areas on the
first side of the substrate via the one or more openings to
convolve the edges with the beam. Convolving the edges with the
beam may create convolved beams with diffraction profiles. Each
convolved beam may etch one of the work areas of the substrate to
create a variable etch depth profile in the substrate proximate to
a corresponding one of the edges on the first side of the
substrate.
[0135] The first carrier body may mask every other row of devices
during a first round of processing, wherein every other row of
devices has a different diffractive optical element. In other
embodiments, the first carrier body may mask every x number of rows
of devices during a first round of processing. In such embodiments,
a combination of one or more subsequent carrier masks may expose
the remaining rows for processing.
[0136] In some embodiments, the processing tool may increase a
current density of the beam as the beam transitions from a masked
area of the first carrier body to an edge of one of the openings of
the first carrier body to adjust an etch depth associated with
diffraction of the beam convolved with the edge of the mask, a
diffraction profile of the convolved beam based on a frequency of
the beam, a shape of the beam, and a shape of the edge. In several
embodiments, a processing tool may increase the current density by
increasing a duty cycle of the beam, reducing a scan rate of the
beam, or a combination thereof.
[0137] In some embodiments, the processing tool may decrease a
current density of the beam as the beam transitions from an edge of
the first carrier body into an opening of the first carrier body.
In further embodiments, the shape of at least one of the edges to
convolve with the beam comprises a square edge. The square edge may
convolve with the beam to form a variable etch depth profile having
a length along a plane of the substrate, proportional to a height
of a face of the edge. The face may reside on a plane perpendicular
to the plane of the substrate and the variable etch depth profile
having an angled etch profile. The angled etch profile may have an
angle of incidence with respect to the plane of the substrate and
the angle of incidence may be less than ninety degrees and more
than zero degrees.
[0138] In many embodiments, the processing tool may create a
variable etch depth profile having a plurality of angled structures
along a plane of the substrate. The plurality of angled structures
may define a depth profile that varies along a length of the depth
profile, across a width of the first opening. The length of the
depth profile may also be parallel to the plane of the
substrate.
[0139] The present embodiments provide various advantages over
known processes. Each process step or process tool implemented for
processing a substrate can advantageously benefit from use of one
or more carrier proximity masks. The carrier proximity masks
provide hard masks and openings to advantageously reduce the number
of processing steps involved with processing a substrate. For
instance, inclusion of a second carrier body without openings such
as the second carrier body can advantageously protect structures on
the second side of a substrate as well as structures formed via the
first side of the substrate by providing a hard mask during
physical vapor deposition (PVD) and/or chemical vapor deposition
(CVD). Thus, the second carrier body 104 advantageously reduces the
number processing steps since a mask does not have to be deposited
or applied to the second side of the substrate prior to the PVD or
CVD. Reduction in the number of processing steps advantageously
saves time and costs. Furthermore, reduction in the size of the
areas processed by a tool with the carrier proximity mask
advantageously reduces the costs even if the number of steps is not
reduced. Another advantage of the carrier proximity mask is
handling of flexible glass substrate wafers without having to add
or bond metal to the glass to structurally reinforce the glass for
processing. Another advantage of the carrier proximity mask is the
ability to fine tune the formation of diffraction optical elements
by selecting the shape of the edge of an opening and convolving the
edge of the opening with an ion beam of a given shape with a
selected duty cycle and scan speed.
[0140] The present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the
specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, other various
embodiments of and modifications to the present disclosure, in
addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and
accompanying drawings. Thus, such other embodiments and
modifications are in the tended to fall within the scope of the
present disclosure. Furthermore, the present disclosure has been
described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a
particular environment for a particular purpose, while those of
ordinary skill in the art will recognize the usefulness is not
limited thereto and the present disclosure may be beneficially
implemented in any number of environments for any number of
purposes. Thus, the claims set forth below are to be construed in
view of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as
described herein.
* * * * *