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.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 02, 2014

Filed:

Oct. 01, 2010
Applicants:

Mark J. Williamson, Boise, ID (US);

Gurtej S. Sandhu, Boise, ID (US);

Justin R. Arrington, Boise, ID (US);

Inventors:

Mark J. Williamson, Boise, ID (US);

Gurtej S. Sandhu, Boise, ID (US);

Justin R. Arrington, Boise, ID (US);

Assignee:

Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C23F 1/00 (2006.01); C23C 16/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

Systems and methods of imaging and repairing defects on and below the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) are described. The method may be used in areas as small as one micron in diameter, and may remove the topmost material in the small spot, repeating with various layers, until a desired depth is obtained. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected surface location. The surface has an added layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material, such as a directed stream of a fluorocarbon, and the energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region of the beam into radicals that chemically attack the surface. After the defect location is exposed, the method uses the energetic beam to etch undesired materials, and deposit various appropriate materials to fill gaps, and restore the IC to an operational condition.


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