Method of forming a pattern

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10522351-B2
Application number	US-201815923014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A method of forming a pattern includes forming a lower layer on a substrate, forming a mask pattern on the lower layer, the mask pattern extending in a first direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and performing an etching process using an ion beam on the substrate, such that the ion beam is irradiated in parallel to a plane defined by the first direction and a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate, and is irradiated at a tilt angle with respect to the top surface of the substrate, wherein performing the etching process includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer or the mask pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a pattern, the method comprising:
forming a lower layer on a substrate;
forming a mask pattern on the lower layer, the mask pattern extending in a first direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate; and
performing an etching process using an ion beam on the substrate, such that the ion beam is irradiated in parallel to a plane defined by the first direction and a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate, and is irradiated at a tilt angle with respect to the top surface of the substrate,
wherein performing the etching process includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer or the mask pattern, and
wherein one of the lower layer and the mask pattern includes a metal, and the other of the lower layer and the mask pattern includes at least one of an oxide or a nitride.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the other of the lower layer and the mask pattern includes at least one of a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, or a metal nitride.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tilt angle of the ion beam is greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein forming the mask pattern includes forming a plurality of mask patterns extending in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction,
wherein the second direction is parallel to the top surface of the substrate, and the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate is a third direction, and
wherein performing the etching process further includes adjusting a rotation angle of the ion beam in such a way that the ion beam is irradiated in parallel to the plane defined by the first direction and the third direction.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein performing the etching process further includes etching the lower layer using the mask pattern as an etch mask.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein performing the etching process includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer with respect to the mask pattern.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein performing the etching process further includes pre-treating the mask pattern to remove a portion of the mask pattern before etching the lower layer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein performing the etching process includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the portion of the mask pattern with respect to the lower layer.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein performing the etching process further includes etching the lower layer using the pre-treated mask pattern as an etch mask.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein performing the etching process further includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer with respect to the pre-treated mask pattern.

11. A method of forming a pattern, the method comprising:
forming a lower layer on a substrate;
forming mask patterns on the lower layer, the mask patterns extending in a first direction and being spaced apart from each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and
performing an etching process using an ion beam on the substrate,
wherein the first direction and the second direction are parallel to a top surface of the substrate,
wherein the ion beam is irradiated at a tilt angle with respect to the top surface of the substrate,
wherein performing the etching process includes adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer or the mask patterns, and
wherein performing the etching process further includes adjusting a rotation angle of the ion beam in such a way that the ion beam is irradiated in parallel to a plane defined by the first direction and a third direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein an incident direction of the ion beam is non-perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, and the rotation angle of the ion beam is 90 degrees.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein performing the etching process further includes etching the lower layer using the mask patterns as an etch mask,
wherein the lower layer includes at least one of a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, or a metal nitride, and the mask patterns include a metal, and
wherein the tilt angle of the ion beam is adjusted to an angle greater than 0 degree and equal to or less than 60 degrees.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein performing the etching process further includes pre-treating the mask patterns to remove at least a portion of the mask patterns before etching the lower layer,
wherein the mask patterns include at least one of a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, or a metal nitride, and the lower layer includes a metal, and
wherein the tilt angle of the ion beam is adjusted to an angle greater than 0 degree and equal to or less than 60 degrees.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the mask patterns includes a protrusion pattern provided therebetween, and
performing the etching process includes:
adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the protrusion pattern; and
pre-treating the mask patterns to remove the protrusion pattern before etching the lower layer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein performing the etching process further includes:
adjusting the tilt angle of the ion beam to selectively etch the lower layer; and
etching the lower layer using the pre-treated mask patterns as an etch mask.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the protrusion pattern is a portion of the mask patterns, which extends from a sidewall of at least one of the mask patterns.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jongchul

Classifications

• H10P76/4085

  characterised by the processes involved to create the masks · CPC title

• H10P76/4083

  characterised by their behaviours during the lithography processes, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks · CPC title

• H10P72/0421

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H10P50/283

  by chemical means · CPC title

• H10P50/282 Primary

  of inorganic materials · CPC title