Tokyo Electron Limited

Dipak Aryal

Takeo Nakano

Mitsuaki Iwashita

Ryuichi Asako

Tamotsu Morimoto

Kenji Sekiguchi

Koji Akiyama

Hirokazu Ueda

Paul Abel

Takashi Hayakawa

Yoji Iizuka

Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro

Naoki Umeshita

Antonio Rotondaro

Kate Abel

Embodiments of improved methods and processes are provided for patterning a semiconductor substrate using direct self-assembly (DSA) of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). In the disclosed embodiments, an ILC solution comprising ILCs is deposited on a variety of substrate surfaces. An upper surface of the ILC solution is exposed to a gas phase, non-polar solvent (such as, e.g., hexane gas). The gas phase, non-polar solvent provides an ambient environment that promotes self-assembly of the ILCs into vertically layered ILC structures.

Methods for forming vertically layered ionic liquid crystal (ILC) structures on a semiconductor substrate

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a decompressable process container; a supply port configured to supply, to the process container, an ionic liquid that absorbs an oxidizing gas; and a discharge port configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the process container. A recess is provided at a joint portion between members constituting the process container. The supply port is configured to supply the ionic liquid to the recess, and the discharge port is configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the recess.

Vacuum processing apparatus and oxidizing gas removal method

Embodiments of improved methods are provided to form ordered structures on a surface of a substrate using direct self-assembly (DSA) of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). More specifically, various embodiments of methods are provided to control the pitch of a layered structure formed on a substrate surface via self-assembly of ILCs having cation head groups, alkyl tail groups and anions. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the pitch of the layered structure is controlled by: (a) controlling the cation/anion charge ratio of the cation head groups and anions included within the ILCs, and/or (b) adding an ionic liquid to a solution comprising the ILCs.

Methods for controlling the pitch of self-assembled ionic liquid crystal (ILC) structures

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Dipak Aryal