Electron beam etching of integrated circuit structures

Abstract

A new apparatus for altering the microtopography of certain solid materials commonly used in the integrated circuit industry by electron beam induced etching is described. This is accomplished with one or more glow discharge electron beam guns operating in a controlled gas environment. Specially designed versions of these guns perform the dual functions of dissociating certain donors of reactive gases in close proximity to the substrate surface and enhancing surface reactions anisotropically with the directed electron beam energy. The geometrical relationship between the substrate and the electron beams is chosen to optimize the role of each beam for its particular function. The operating gas environment is typically a carefully controlled mixture of a non-reactive buffer gas and one or more reactive gases. The gas flow rates, partial pressures, and direction are controlled by valves, regulators, and nozzles connected to the low pressure vessel. The proper vessel pressure is maintained by a vacuum pump through a flow limiting throttle valve. The etching process begins when the electron beams are energized and the proper gas environment is established. The dissociated reactive gas radicals created by the electron beams react with the substrate to form volatile compounds which are subsequently evacuated by the gas flow system. The surface of an actual integrated circuit substrate is covered by a masking material resistant to the above etching process, so that when the etching process is completed, removal of such a mask leaves a well defined geometrical pattern. The apparatus of the present invention is capable of rapidly etching geometrical patterns with exceptional resolution and well defined profiles and with a high degree of controllability.