The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 2025
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2021
Applicant:
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Inventors:
Leonid Belau, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Eric A. Hudson, Berkeley, CA (US);
Assignee:
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01J 37/32091 (2013.01); H01J 37/32146 (2013.01); H01J 37/32477 (2013.01); H01J 37/32724 (2013.01); H01J 37/32816 (2013.01); H01L 21/31144 (2013.01); H01L 21/67069 (2013.01); H01J 2237/182 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2001 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3327 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3346 (2013.01);
Abstract
Provided herein are methods and apparatus for processing a substrate by exposing the substrate to plasma to simultaneously (i) etch features in an underlying material (e.g., which includes one or more dielectric materials), and (ii) deposit a upper mask protector layer on a mask positioned over the dielectric material, where the upper mask protector layer forms on top of the mask in a selective vertically-oriented directional deposition. Such methods and apparatus may be used to achieve infinite etch selectivity, even when etching high aspect ratio features.