Atomic-scale e-beam sculptor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518674-B2
Application number	US-202016780561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2020
Priority date	Feb 4, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A system and method (referred to as the system) fabricates controllable atomic assemblies in two and three dimensions. The systems identify by a non-invasive imager, a local atomic structure, distribution of vacancies, and dopant atoms and modify, by a microscopic modifier, the local atomic structure, via electron beam irradiation. The systems store, by a knowledge base, cause-and-effect relationships based on a non-invasive imaging and electron scans. The systems detect, by detectors, changes in the local atomic structure induced by the electron irradiation; and fabricate, a modified atomic structure by a beam control software and feedback.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of software instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes:
identifying, by a non-invasive imager, a local atomic structure, distribution of vacancies, and dopant atoms;
modifying, by a microscopic modifier, the local atomic structure, via an electron beam irradiation
storing, by a knowledge base, a plurality of cause-and-effect relationships based on a non-invasive imaging and a plurality of electron scans;
detecting, by a plurality of detectors, changes in the local atomic structure induced by the electron irradiation; and
fabricating, a modified atomic structure by a beam control software and feedback, through a sequentially executed electron beam motion affected by the feedback.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the identifying comprises acquiring multiple images and sample alignments.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the modifying comprises a deposition of microscopic contacts.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the modifying comprises a formation through lithography.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the modifying comprises a cleaning through an ion irradiation.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the modifying comprises a deposition via an evaporation.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the modifying comprises generating an atomic assembly.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where knowledge base is based on a predetermined scanning trajectory.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 further comprising correlating, by the knowledge base, changes in the local atomic structure with the feedback.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 where the fabricating occurs by a point-by-point, a line-by-line, or a pre-defined electron scan stored in a memory.

11. A system comprising
a non-invasive imager that identifies a local atomic structure, distribution of vacancies, and dopant atoms;
a microscopic modifier that modifies the local atomic structure via an electron beam irradiation
a knowledge base storing a plurality of cause-and-effect relationships based on a non-invasive imaging and a plurality of electron scans;
a plurality of detectors detecting changes in the local atomic structure induced by the electron irradiation; and
a beam control software and feedback that modifies the local atomic structure through a sequentially executed electron beam motion affected by the feedback.

12. The system claim 11 where the non-invasive imager acquires multiple images and sample alignments.

13. The system claim 11 where the microscopic modifier is configured to execute a deposition of microscopic contacts.

14. The system claim 11 where the microscopic modifier is configured to execute a formation through lithography.

15. The system claim 11 where the microscopic modifier is configured to execute a cleaning through an ion irradiation.

16. The system claim 11 where the microscopic modifier is configured to execute a deposition via an evaporation.

17. The system claim 11 where the microscopic modifier is configured to generate an atomic assembly.

18. The system claim 11 where the knowledge base stores data representing predetermined scanning trajectories.

19. The system claim 11 where the knowledge base stores instructions that correlates changes in the local atomic structure with the feedback.

20. The system claim 11 where the beam control software is configured to fabricate atomic assemblies by a point-by-point, a line-by-line, and a pre-defined electron scan instruction stored in a memory.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Kalinin Sergei V
• Jesse Stephen
• Borisevich Albina Y
• Dyck Ondrej E
• Sumpter Bobby G
• Unocic Raymond R

Classifications

• B81C2201/0156

  Lithographic techniques · CPC title

• B81C99/0065 Primary

  Process control; Yield prediction · CPC title

• B81C1/00492

  Processes for surface micromachining not provided for in groups B81C1/0046 - B81C1/00484 · CPC title

• B81C2201/0102

  Surface micromachining · CPC title

• H01J37/3174 Primary

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