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:
Jun. 19, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 02, 2007
Mehran Nasser-ghodsi, Hamilton, CA (US);
Ying Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Harrison Chin, Bedford, CA (US);
Anne Testoni, Holton, MA (US);
R. Chris Burns, Austin, TX (US);
Mehran Nasser-Ghodsi, Hamilton, CA (US);
Ying Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Harrison Chin, Bedford, CA (US);
Anne Testoni, Holton, MA (US);
R. Chris Burns, Austin, TX (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for etching a sample, such as a semiconductor device or wafer. In general terms, embodiments of the present invention allow dry etching of a material on a sample, such as a copper material, at room temperature using a reactive substance, such as a chorine based gas. For example, the mechanisms of the present invention allow precise etching of a copper material to produce fine feature patterns without heating up the whole device or substrate to an elevated temperature such as 50° C. and above. The etching is assisted by simultaneously scanning a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, and a photon beam, such as a laser beam, over a same target area of the sample while the reactive substance is introduced near the same target area. The reactive substance, charged particle beam, and photon beam act in combination to etch the sample at the target area. For example, a copper layer may be etched using the mechanisms of the present invention.