Nanofabrication using a new class of electron beam induced surface processing techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11377740-B2
Application number	US-201916709312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2015
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

Methods and systems for direct lithographic pattern definition based upon electron beam induced alteration of the surface chemistry of a substrate are described. The methods involve an initial chemical treatment for global definition of a specified surface chemistry (SC). Electron beam induced surface reactions between a gaseous precursor and the surface are then used to locally alter the SC. High resolution patterning of stable, specified surface chemistries upon a substrate can thus be achieved. The defined patterns can then be utilized for selective material deposition via methods which exploit the specificity of certain SC combinations or by differences in surface energy. It is possible to perform all steps in-situ without breaking vacuum.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
activating delocalized regions on a surface of a workpiece;
passivating, by an electron beam in the presence of a precursor gas, localized regions on the surface of the workpiece; and
affixing material to the activated delocalized regions on surface of the workpiece.

2. The method of any of claim 1 , wherein activating delocalized regions on a surface of a workpiece surface includes modification in an in-situ process inside of a charged particle microscope, the charged particle microscope housing the electron beam and providing the precursor gas.

3. The method of any of claim 1 , further comprising performing a first workpiece surface modification in an ex-situ process prior to loading the workpiece in a charged particle microscope, the charged particle microscope housing the electron beam and providing the precursor gas.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein affixing material to the activated delocalized regions on the surface of the workpiece includes depositing the material on the activated delocalized regions of the workpiece surface.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein depositing the material on the activated delocalized regions includes depositing the material on the activated delocalized regions by chemical vapor deposition.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein depositing on the activated delocalized regions includes depositing on the activated delocalized regions by a wet process.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein affixing material to the activated delocalized regions includes attaching nanoparticles.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating delocalized regions on a surface of a workpiece comprises forming a self-assembled monolayer on the surface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating delocalized regions on a surface of a workpiece comprises modification of surface termination properties.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein passivating, by an electron beam in the presence of a precursor gas, localized regions on the surface of the workpiece comprises modification of surface termination properties.

Assignees

• Fei Co

Inventors

• Bishop James
• Tran Toan Trong
• Aharonovich Igor
• Lobo Charlene
• Toth Milos

Classifications

• C23C16/487 Primary

  using electron radiation · CPC title

• H01J2237/31754

  using electron beams · CPC title

• H01J37/3174

  Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography · CPC title

• C23C16/047

  using irradiation by energy or particles · CPC title

• H01J2237/31796

  affecting resists · CPC title