Patents by Inventor Max J. Klemes

Max J. Klemes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250216790
    Abstract: A method includes depositing an overcoat in openings of a relief pattern supported by a substrate. The relief pattern includes a solubility-shifting agent. The overcoat and the relief pattern have different solubility-shifting mechanisms. The method further includes generating a catalyst by activating the solubility-shifting agent and diffusing the catalyst a predetermined distance from structures of the relief pattern into the overcoat to form soluble regions in the overcoat. The soluble regions is soluble in a predetermined developer while the relief pattern remains insoluble in the predetermined developer. The method further includes developing the substrate with the predetermined developer to remove the soluble regions of the overcoat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Phillip D. Hustad, Jordan B. Greenough, Max J. Klemes
  • Publication number: 20250216763
    Abstract: A method for forming a patterned mask includes providing a patterned resist layer on a substrate and depositing an overcoat resist layer over the patterned resist layer. The patterned resist layer includes a first material including a first polymer. The overcoat resist layer includes a second material including a second polymer and a solubility shifting agent. The method further includes diffusing at least a catalyst portion of the solubility shifting agent from the overcoat resist layer into exterior regions of the patterned resist layer and chemically transforming the exterior regions of the patterned resist layer to anti-spacer regions of a third material to a first depth into the patterned resist layer. The method may also include removing the exterior regions to form an anti-spacer pattern having openings to the substrate corresponding to the exterior regions, at least part of which may have a critical dimension corresponding to the first depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Phillip D. Hustad, Jordan B. Greenough, Max J. Klemes
  • Publication number: 20250216782
    Abstract: A method for forming a patterned mask can include providing first and second structures on a substrate, where the first structure includes a solubility shifting agent therein, and where the first structure is insoluble in a first developer containing an organic solvent, where the second structure includes a first polymer and a first reactant, and where the second structure is insoluble in the first developer containing the organic solvent, and diffusing at least a catalyst portion of the solubility shifting agent from the first structure into a first region of the second structure and chemically transforming the first region of the second structure to a converted region of a converted material to a first depth into the second structure using the catalyst portion of the solubility shifting agent as a chemical reaction catalyst, such that the converted material is soluble in the first developer containing the organic solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Phillip D. Hustad, Jordan B. Greenough, Max J. Klemes
  • Publication number: 20250216783
    Abstract: A method for forming a patterned mask includes providing first and second structures. The first structure includes a first material including a first polymer, and a first converted region of a second material extending into the first structure. The second material has been chemically transformed from the first material by a catalyst portion of a first solubility shifting agent diffused into the first converted region. The second structure includes a third material including a second polymer with a functional group protected by a protecting group, and has an overburden region overlying the first converted region. The method further includes chemically transforming the overburden region to a second converted region of a fourth material using a catalyst portion of a second solubility shifting agent. The first and third materials are insoluble in a developer containing a polar solvent and the second and fourth materials are soluble in the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Phillip D. Hustad, Jordan B. Greenough, Max J. Klemes
  • Publication number: 20250218775
    Abstract: A method includes forming mandrels over a substrate. The mandrels include a first material having a first solubility-shifting mechanism. The method further includes absorbing a solubility-shifting agent into the mandrels to form absorbed regions in the mandrels and depositing a resist layer over the mandrels and the substrate. The resist layer includes a second material having a second solubility-shifting mechanism different from the first solubility-shifting mechanism. The method further includes diffusing a catalyst of/from the solubility-shifting agent into the resist layer to form solubility-shifted regions in the resist layer, and selectively removing the solubility-shifted regions of the resist layer. Remaining regions of the resist layer and the mandrels form a patterned mask over the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Phillip D. Hustad, Jordan B. Greenough, Max J. Klemes