Abstract: A grayscale mask made from semi-transparent film layers is provided, along with an associated fabrication method. The method provides a transparent substrate, such as quartz, with a surface. A first layer of a semi-transparent film having a surface with a first surface area, is formed overlying the substrate surface. At least a second layer of the semi-transparent film having a surface with a second surface area greater than the first surface area, is formed overlying the first layer. A first vertical region is formed having a light first attenuation parameter through the combination of substrate, first layer, and second layer. A second vertical region is formed having a light second attenuation parameter through the combination of the first layer and substrate, and a third vertical region is formed having a light third attenuation parameter through the substrate.

Abstract: An iridium oxide (IrOx) nanowire neural sensor array and associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a substrate with a conductive layer overlying the substrate, and a dielectric layer overlying the conductive layer. The substrate can be a material such as Si, SiO2, quartz, glass, or polyimide, and the conductive layer is a material such as ITO, SnO2, ZnO, TiO2, doped ITO, doped SnO2, doped ZnO, doped TiO2, TiN, TaN, Au, Pt, or Ir. The dielectric layer is selectively wet etched, forming contact holes with sloped walls in the dielectric layer and exposing regions of the conductive layer. IrOx nanowire neural interfaces are grown from the exposed regions of the conductive layer. The IrOx nanowire neural interfaces each have a cross-section in a range of 0.5 to 10 micrometers, and may be shaped as a circle, rectangle, or oval.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an error diffusion-derived sub-resolutional grayscale reticle. The method forms at least one partial-light transmissive layer overlying a transparent substrate. At least one unit cell in formed in the transmissive layer. The unit cell is formed by selecting the number of reduced-transmission pixels in the unit cell, and forming a sub-pattern of reduced-transmission pixels in the unit cell. The unit cell is sub-resolutional at a first wavelength.

Abstract: A sub-resolutional grayscale reticle and associated fabrication method have been presented. The method provides a transparent substrate, and forms a plurality of coincident partial-light transmissive layers overlying the transparent substrate. A pattern is formed, sub-resolutional at a first wavelength, in at least one of the transmissive layers. If there are n transmissive layers, the reticle transmits at least (n+1) intensities of light. In one aspect, each of the plurality of transmissive layers has the same extinction coefficient and the same thickness. In other aspects, the transmissive layers may have different thickness. Then, even if the extinction coefficients are the same, the attenuation of light through each layer is different. The transmission characteristics of the reticle can be further varied if the transmissive layers have different extinction coefficients. Likewise, the transmission characteristics through the sub-resolutional patterns can be varied.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale mask includes preparing a silicon wafer; depositing a layer of Si3N4 directly on the silicon wafer; implanting H+ ions into the silicon wafer to form a defect layer; depositing a first layer of SiOxNy directly on the Si3N4 layer; depositing a layer of SRO directly on the first layer of SiOxNy; patterning and etching the SRO layer to form a microlens array in the SRO layer; depositing a second layer of SiOxNy on the SRO microlens array; CMP to planarize the second layer of SiOxNy; bonding and cleaving the planarized SiOxNyto a quartz plate to form a graymask reticle; etching to remove silicon from the bonded structure; etching to remove SiOxNy and Si3N4 from the bonded structure; and cleaning and drying the graymask reticle.

Abstract: A nanorod sensor with a single plane of horizontally-aligned electrodes and an associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a substrate and forms an intermediate electrode overlying a center region of the substrate. The intermediate electrode is a patterned bottom noble metal/Pt/Ti multilayered stack. TiO2 nanorods are formed over the substrate and intermediate electrode, and a TiO2 film may be formed overlying the TiO2 nanorods. The TiO2 nanorods and TiO2 film are formed in-situ, in the same process, by varying the substrate temperature. In other aspects, the TiO2 film is formed between the nanorods and the intermediate electrode. In yet another aspect, the TiO2 film is formed both above and below the nanorods. A single plane of top electrodes is formed overlying the TiO2 film from a top noble metal/Pt/Ti multilayered stack overlying the TiO2 film, which has been selectively etched to form separate top electrodes.

Abstract: A method of etching a top electrode/ferroelectric stack using an etch stop layer includes forming a first layer of a first dielectric material on a substrate; forming a bottom electrode in the first layer of a first dielectric material; depositing an etch stop layer on the first layer of the first dielectric material and the bottom electrode, including forming a hole therein; depositing a layer of ferroelectric material and depositing top electrode material on the ferroelectric material to form a top electrode/ferroelectric stack; stack etching the top electrode and ferroelectric material; depositing a layer of a second dielectric material encapsulating the top electrode and ferroelectric material; etching the layer of the second dielectric material to form a sidewall about the top electrode and ferroelectric material; and depositing a second and third layers of the first dielectric material.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale mask includes preparing a quartz wafer; depositing a layer of Si3N4 on the quartz wafer; depositing a layer of titanium/TEOS directly on the Si3N4 layer on the backside of the quartz wafer; removing the layer of Si3N4 from the front side of the quartz wafer; depositing a layer of SRO directly on the front side of the quartz wafer; patterning a microlens array on the SRO layer; etching the SRO layer to form a microlens array in the SRO layer; depositing a layer of titanium; patterning and etching the titanium layer; depositing a layer of SiOxNy on the SRO microlens array; CMP to planarize the layer of SiOxNy removing the titanium/TEOS layer from the backside of the quartz wafer; bonding the planarized SiOxNy to a quartz reticle plate; and etching to remove Si3N4 from the bonded structure to form a grayscale mask reticle.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale reticle includes preparing a quartz wafer substrate; depositing a layer of SRO on the top surface of the quartz substrate; patterning and etching the SRO to form an initial microlens pattern using step-over lithography; patterning and etching the SRO to form a recessed pattern in the SRO; depositing an opaque film on the SRO; patterning and etching the opaque film; depositing and planarizing a planarizing layer; cutting the quartz wafer into rectangular pieces sized to be smaller than a selected blank reticle; bonding the a piece a to selected reticle blank to form a grayscale reticle; and using the grayscale reticle to form a microlens array on a photoimager.

Abstract: A sub-resolutional grayscale reticle and associated fabrication method have been presented. The method provides a transparent substrate, and forms a plurality of coincident partial-light transmissive layers overlying the transparent substrate. A pattern is formed, sub-resolutional at a first wavelength, in at least one of the transmissive layers. If there are n transmissive layers, the reticle transmits at least (n+1) intensities of light. In one aspect, each of the plurality of transmissive layers has the same extinction coefficient and the same thickness. In other aspects, the transmissive layers may have different thickness. Then, even if the extinction coefficients are the same, the attenuation of light through each layer is different. The transmission characteristics of the reticle can be further varied if the transmissive layers have different extinction coefficients. Likewise, the transmission characteristics through the sub-resolutional patterns can be varied.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an error diffusion-derived sub-resolutional grayscale reticle. The method forms at least one partial-light transmissive layer overlying a transparent substrate. At least one unit cell in formed in the transmissive layer. The unit cell is formed by selecting the number of reduced-transmission pixels in the unit cell, and forming a sub-pattern of reduced-transmission pixels in the unit cell. The unit cell is sub-resolutional at a first wavelength.

Abstract: A grayscale mask made from semi-transparent film layers is provided, along with an associated fabrication method. The method provides a transparent substrate, such as quartz, with a surface. A first layer of a semi-transparent film having a surface with a first surface area, is formed overlying the substrate surface. At least a second layer of the semi-transparent film having a surface with a second surface area greater than the first surface area, is formed overlying the first layer. A first vertical region is formed having a light first attenuation parameter through the combination of substrate, first layer, and second layer. A second vertical region is formed having a light second attenuation parameter through the combination of the first layer and substrate, and a third vertical region is formed having a light third attenuation parameter through the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of forming depositing a ferroelectric thin film, such as PGO, by preparing a substrate with an upper surface of silicon, silicon oxide, or a high-k material, such as hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, and lanthanum oxide, depositing an indium oxide film over the substrate, and then depositing the ferroelectric film using MOCVD.

Abstract: An iridium oxide (IrOx) nanowire protein sensor and associated fabrication method are presented. The method provides a substrate and forms overlying working and counter electrodes. A dielectric layer is deposited over the working and counter electrodes and contact holes are formed in the dielectric layer, exposing regions of the working and counter electrodes. IrOx nanowires (where 0?X?2) are grown from exposed regions of the working electrode. In one aspect, the IrOx nanowires are additionally grown on the dielectric, and subsequently etched from the dielectric. In another aspect, IrOx nanowires are grown from exposed regions of the counter electrode.

Abstract: An iridium oxide (IrOx) nanowire neural sensor array and associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a substrate with a conductive layer overlying the substrate, and a dielectric layer overlying the conductive layer. The substrate can be a material such as Si, SiO2, quartz, glass, or polyimide, and the conductive layer is a material such as ITO, SnO2, ZnO, TiO2, doped ITO, doped SnO2, doped ZnO, doped TiO2, TiN, TaN, Au, Pt, or Ir. The dielectric layer is selectively wet etched, forming contact holes with sloped walls in the dielectric layer and exposing regions of the conductive layer. IrOx nanowire neural interfaces are grown from the exposed regions of the conductive layer. The IrOx nanowire neural interfaces each have a cross-section in a range of 0.5 to 10 micrometers, and may be shaped as a circle, rectangle, or oval.

Abstract: A nanorod sensor with a single plane of horizontally-aligned electrodes and an associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a substrate and forms an intermediate electrode overlying a center region of the substrate. The intermediate electrode is a patterned bottom noble metal/Pt/Ti multilayered stack. TiO2 nanorods are formed over the substrate and intermediate electrode, and a TiO2 film may be formed overlying the TiO2 nanorods. The TiO2 nanorods and TiO2 film are formed in-situ, in the same process, by varying the substrate temperature. In other aspects, the TiO2 film is formed between the nanorods and the intermediate electrode. In yet another aspect, the TiO2 film is formed both above and below the nanorods. A single plane of top electrodes is formed overlying the TiO2 film from a top noble metal/Pt/Ti multilayered stack overlying the TiO2 film, which has been selectively etched to form separate top electrodes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale reticule includes preparing a quartz substrate; depositing a layer of silicon-rich oxide on the quartz substrate; depositing a layer of silicon nitride as an oxidation barrier layer on the silicon-rich oxide layer; depositing and patterning a layer of photoresist; etching the silicon nitride layer with a pattern for the silicon nitride layer; removing the photoresist; cleaning the quartz substrate and the remaining layers; oxidizing the quartz substrate and the layers thereon, thereby converting the silicon-rich oxide layer to a transparent silicon dioxide layer; removing the remaining silicon nitride layer; forming the quartz substrate and the silicon dioxide thereon into a reticule; and using the reticule to pattern a microlens array.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale mask includes preparing a quartz wafer; depositing a layer of Si3N4 on the quartz wafer; depositing a layer of titanium/TEOS directly on the Si3N4 layer on the backside of the quartz wafer; removing the layer of Si3N4 from the front side of the quartz wafer; depositing a layer of SRO directly on the front side of the quartz wafer; patterning a microlens array on the SRO layer; etching the SRO layer to form a microlens array in the SRO layer; depositing a layer of titanium; patterning and etching the titanium layer; depositing a layer of SiOxNy on the SRO microlens array; CMP to planarize the layer of SiOxNy removing the titanium/TEOS layer from the backside of the quartz wafer; bonding the planarized SiOxNy to a quartz reticle plate; and etching to remove Si3N4 from the bonded structure to form a grayscale mask reticle.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale reticle includes preparing a quartz wafer substrate; depositing a layer of SRO on the top surface of the quartz substrate; patterning and etching the SRO to form an initial microlens pattern using step-over lithography; patterning and etching the SRO to form a recessed pattern in the SRO; depositing an opaque film on the SRO; patterning and etching the opaque film; depositing and planarizing a planarizing layer; cutting the quartz wafer into rectangular pieces sized to be smaller than a selected blank reticle; bonding the a piece a to selected reticle blank to form a grayscale reticle; and using the grayscale reticle to form a microlens array on a photoimager.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a grayscale mask includes preparing a silicon wafer; depositing a layer of Si3N4 directly on the silicon wafer; implanting H+ ions into the silicon wafer to form a defect layer; depositing a first layer of SiOxNy directly on the Si3N4 layer; depositing a layer of SRO directly on the first layer of SiOxNy; patterning and etching the SRO layer to form a microlens array in the SRO layer; depositing a second layer of SiOxNy on the SRO microlens array; CMP to planarize the second layer of SiOxNy; bonding and cleaving the planarized SiOxNy to a quartz plate to form a graymask reticle; etching to remove silicon from the bonded structure; etching to remove SiOxNy and Si3N4 from the bonded structure; and cleaning and drying the graymask reticle.