Sub-10 nm line features via rapid graphoepitaxial self-assembly of amphiphilic monolayers
Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microchannels utilizing an aqueous emulsion of an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
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Embodiments of the invention relate to nanofabrication techniques and, more particularly to methods for preparing nanoscale microstructures and microchannels, and devices resulting from those methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAs the development of nanoscale mechanical, electrical, chemical and biological devices and systems increases, new processes and materials are needed to fabricate such devices and components. Optical lithographic processing methods are not able to accommodate fabrication of structures and features at the nanometer level. The use of self assembling diblock copolymers presents another route to patterning at nanometer dimensions. Diblock copolymer films spontaneously assembly into periodic structures by microphase separation of the constituent polymer blocks after annealing, for example by thermal annealing above the glass transition temperature of the polymer or by solvent annealing, forming ordered domains at nanometer-scale dimensions. Following self assembly, one block of the copolymer can be selectively removed and the remaining patterned film used as an etch mask for patterning nanosized features into the underlying substrate. Since the domain sizes and periods (Lo) involved in this method are determined by the chain length of a block copolymer (MW), resolution can exceed other techniques such as conventional photolithography, while the cost of the technique is far less than electron beam (E-beam) lithography or EUV photolithography which have comparable resolution.
The film morphology, including the size and shape of the microphase-separated domains, can be controlled by the molecular weight and volume fraction of the AB blocks of a diblock copolymer to produce lamellar, cylindrical, or spherical morphologies, among others. For example, for volume fractions at ratios greater than about 80:20 of the two blocks (AB) of a diblock polymer, a block copolymer film will microphase separate and self-assemble into a periodic spherical domains with spheres of polymer B surrounded by a matrix of polymer A. For ratios of the two blocks between about 60:40 and 80:20, the diblock copolymer assembles into a periodic hexagonal close-packed or honeycomb array of cylinders of polymer B within a matrix of polymer A. For ratios between about 50:50 and 60:40, lamellar domains or alternating stripes of the blocks are formed. Recently, graphoepitaxy, which involves the use of lithographical-defined topographical features to direct block copolymer assembly, has been used in forming registered, self-assembled diblock copolymer structures.
Although diblock copolymers are receiving attention for the ability to self-assemble and form sub-lithographic ordered features, there are inherent limitations in the use of these materials including an approximate minimal feature size of 10 nm and relatively slow rates of formation of ordered structures on the order of hours.
It would be useful to provide a method of fabricating nanoscale microstructures and microchannels that overcome these problems.
Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. Throughout the following views, the reference numerals will be used in the drawings, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the several views and in the description to indicate same or like parts.
The following description with reference to the drawings provides illustrative examples of devices and methods according to embodiments of the invention. Such description is for illustrative purposes only and not for purposes of limiting the same.
In the context of the current application, the term “semiconductor substrate” or “semiconductive substrate” or “semiconductive wafer fragment” or “wafer fragment” or “wafer” will be understood to mean any construction comprising semiconductor material, including but not limited to bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductor wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials). The term “substrate” refers to any supporting structure including, but not limited to, the semiconductive substrates, wafer fragments or wafers described above.
“Lo” is the inherent pitch (bulk period or repeat unit) of structures that self assemble upon annealing from a self-assembling (SA) block copolymer or a blend of a block copolymer with one or more of its constituent homopolymers.
“Hydrogels” are cross-linked soluble polymers that swell because of an affinity for water but do not dissolve in water due to structural and/or chemical crosslinks.
The methods overcome limitations of fabricating films from self-assembling block copolymers. In embodiments of the invention, the methods utilize a trench template defined either lithographically or by use of a film template formed by the graphoepitaxial self-assembly of a lamellar block copolymer inside a wider trench and selective removal of one of the assembled blocks to form films that can be utilized, for example, in etching sub-10 nm features in a substrate.
Steps in a method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures and microchannels according to an embodiment of the invention are illustrated in
Referring to
A method called “pitch doubling” or “pitch multiplication” can also be used for extending the capabilities of photolithographic techniques beyond their minimum pitch, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,810 (Lowrey et al.), US 2006/0281266 (Wells) and US 2007/0023805 (Wells), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, a pattern of lines is photolithographically formed in a photoresist layer overlying a layer of an expendable material, which in turn overlies a substrate, the expendable material layer is etched to form placeholders or mandrels, the photoresist is stripped, spacers are formed on the sides of the mandrels, and the mandrels are then removed leaving behind the spacers as a mask for patterning the substrate. Thus, where the initial photolithography formed a pattern defining one feature and one space, the same width now defines two features and two spaces, with the spaces defined by the spacers. As a result, the smallest feature size possible with a photolithographic technique is effectively decreased down to about 30 nm or more.
In some embodiments, trenches or grooves with widths in the about 10-30 nm range can be defined using techniques involving graphoepitaxial self-assembly of lamellar-phase block copolymers to provide an etch mask for patterning underlying substrate stacks, e.g. silicon over silicon oxide, as described with reference to
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the substrate 10 is composed of an oxide layer (e.g., silicon oxide, SiOx) and the material layer 12 is a silicon layer (with native oxide). Hydrophobic trench sidewalls 16 and ends 18 can be provided by removing the native oxide from the surface of a silicon layer 12 within the trenches to form hydrogen-terminated silicon. H-terminated silicon can be prepared by a conventional process, for example, by a fluoride ion etch of silicon (with native oxide present), for example, by immersion in an aqueous solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) or buffered HF and/or ammonium fluoride (NH4F), by HF vapor treatment, by exposure to hot H2 vapor or by a hydrogen plasma treatment (e.g., atomic hydrogen).
In other embodiments, including embodiments in which the surfactant material layer (24) is removed by a wet extraction process (
The trench floors 20 (e.g., of silicon oxide, which is inherently hydrophilic) can then be treated to provide a selectively graftable surface. In some embodiments, a ligand (anchor, linker) having a reactive moiety (e.g., an end group) can be grafted onto the surface of the oxide layer 10 (with the reactive moiety oriented toward the center of the trench). For example, in embodiments using a Click-based chemistry reaction for the formation of a hydrogel composed of PEO or PEG, an example of a useful linker or ligand is poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) functionalized with an alkyne group, as described, for example, in Malkoch et al., Chem. Commun. 2006, 2774-2776, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As described in Malkoch, PEG can be reacted with excess anhydride (e.g., 4-pentynoic anhydride) to derivatize both ends of the PEG moiety with alkyne groups. To provide a derivatized PEG ligand having a reactive end group that can be grafted onto the surface of an oxide layer, PEG can be reacted with an anhydride in an about 1:1 ratio to derivatize one end of the PEG moiety with an alkyne group and the other end with a hydroxyl group. The mono-hydroxylated PEG ligands can then be grafted to an oxide (e.g., SiO2) surface by spin-coating (e.g., from a 1% w/v solution in toluene) and heating to allow the terminal OH groups to diffuse to and react with the oxide layer, as described, for example, in Mansky et al., Science, 1997, 275 (5305), 1458-1460, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The PEG group of the attached ligand provides a linker to the PEG or PEO moieties from the hydrogel emulsion. Non-grafted material can be removed by rinsing with an appropriate solvent (e.g., toluene).
In another embodiment, an alkyne-functionalized PEG ligand containing a silane group such as trichlorosilane or trialkoxysilane can be grafted to an oxide surface. For example, a mono-hydroxylated PEG ligand can be reacted with tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4) or tetraethoxysilane Si(OC2H5)4 to produce the desired compound, which can be applied to the trench floors 20, for example, by spin-on application. Conditions for the application of trialkoxy and trichlorosilane compounds is described, for example, by Barry Arkies, Silane Coupling Agents: Connecting Across Boundaries (v2.0), Gelest, Inc., Morrisville, Pa. (2006), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.
In other embodiments using a free radical polymerization process for the preparation of the hydrogel, an example of a suitable linker is PEG polymer functionalized with an acrylate group at one end such as a PEG acrylate, or PEG methacrylate, which can be obtained from a commercial source such as Sigma-Aldrich Co. (St. Louis, Mo.).
In other embodiments, the surface of both the trench floor 20 and the trench ends 18 can be treated to be hydrophilic such that aqueous phase of the emulsion wets both the trench floor 20 and ends 18, and the surfactant layer forms solely along the hydrophobic trench sidewalls 16, as in
For example, referring to
In another embodiment, a layer 12′ of silicon can be deposited and etched lithographically to form trenches 14′ that expose an underlying SiOx layer 10′ (as in
In either of the embodiments depicted in
Referring now to
Upon application of the emulsion, the surfactant component will self-assemble to form a monolayer (SAM) 24 along the hydrophobic trench surfaces, with a thickness of about 10 nm or less, typically about 3-10 nm, or about 3 nm. The establishment of the surfactant monolayer at the hydrophobic trench sidewalls 16 is dependent, at least in part, on the presence of water. The aqueous phase 26 of the emulsion comprising the polymer component orients to the hydrophilic floors 20 at the center of the trenches. The rate of self-assembly of the surfactant monolayer (SAM) is relatively rapid at about 0.1-1 minute (or less), and is generally limited by the rate of diffusion of the surfactant to the hydrophobic surfaces (e.g., sidewalls).
As illustrated in
Suitable water-soluble and hydrogel-forming polymers include, for example, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). An example of a PEG-based hydrogel material is described in Malkoch et al., “Synthesis of well-defined hydrogel networks using Click chemistry,” Chem. Commun., 2006, 2774-2776, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, a PEG-based hydrogel material can be prepared using Click chemistry, a copper-catalyzed cycloaddition azide/acetylene coupling reactions, by reacting diacetylene-functionalized and tetraazide-functionalized PEG derivatives at room temperature under aqueous conditions in the presence of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and sodium ascorbate as a reducing agent; the hydrogel can form in less than about 30 minutes at about room temperature.
In other embodiments, the hydrogel can be synthesized by the photopolymerization of water-soluble vinyl monomers using visible or UV irradiation to form water-soluble polymers with two or more reactive groups, as described, for example, by Nguyen K T, West J L, “Photopolymerizable Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications,” Biomaterials, 2002; 23:4307-14, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Examples of photopolymerizable macromers include: PEG acrylate derivatives (e.g., Sawhney, et al., “Bioerodible hydrogels based on photopolymerized poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(α-hydroxy acid) diacrylate macromers,” Macromolecules, 1993, 26(4), 581-587); PEG methacrylate derivatives (e.g., Elisseeff et al., “Photoencapsulation of chondrocytes in poly(ethylene oxide)-based semi-interpenetrating networks,” J. Biomedical Materials Res., 2000, 51(2), 164-171; Kim et al., “Self-assembled hydrogel nanoparticles composed of dextran and poly(ethylene glycol) macromer,” Int. J Pharm., 2000, 205(1-2), 109-116; polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) derivatives (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,810 (Muller, Photocrosslinked polymers); Martens and Anseth, “Characterization of hydrogels formed from acrylate modified poly(vinyl alcohol) macromers,” Polymer, 2000, 41(21), 7715-7722); and modified polysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid derivatives (e.g., Matsuda et al., ASAIO j., 1992, 38(3), M154-M157; Bulpitt et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 1999, 47(2), 152-169 (hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels)), and dextran methacrylate (e.g., Kim et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 2000, 49(4), 517-527, and Kim et al., J. Biomaterials Application, 2000, 15(1), 23-46 (dextran-methacrylate hydrogel), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
In other embodiments, the hydrogel can be synthesized by the free radical-induced cross-linking of PEG-diacrylates or PVA-diacrylates, as described, for example, by Martens and Anseth, Polymer, 2000, 41(21), 7715-7722 (acrylate-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels); Lin-Gibson et al., Macromolecules, 2005, 38(7), 2897-2902 (photopolymerizable PEG dimethacrylate hydrogels); Guo et al., J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Chem., 2005, 43, 3932-3944 (biodegradable unsaturated poly(ester-amide)s/PEG diacrylate hydrogels); and Gudipati et al., J. Polymer Science Part A. Polymer Chemistry, 2004, 42(24), 6193-6208 (hyperbranched fluoropolymer and linear PEG-based amphiphilic crosslinked networks), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
In yet other embodiments, the hydrogel can be synthesized by crosslinking cysteine-based peptides with vinyl sulfone-functionalized multiarmed PEG macromers, as described, for example, by Lutolf et al., Adv. Mater., 2003, 15(11), 888-892 (cell-responsive synthetic hydrogels), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. In other embodiments, the hydrogel can be synthesized from PEG macromers and dendritic peptide crosslinkers, as described, for example, by Wathier et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2004, 126 (40), 12744-12745 (peptide dendron with terminal cysteine residues mixed with PEG dialdehyde), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The polymer is combined with an amphiphilic surfactant (exhibits both hydrophilic and lipophilic (hydrophobic) characteristics) that will form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the hydrophobic surfaces of the trench. Suitable amphiphilic surfactants include, for example, phospholipids (anionic surfactants) such as phosphatidylcholines (PC), phosphatidylserines (PS), phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidic acids, lysophospholipids, among others. Examples of suitable phosphatidylcholines (PC) include dipalmitoyl-PC (DPPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-PC (POPC), dioleoyl-PC (DOPC), and dilinoleoyl-PC (DLiPC), among others. Other useful surfactants include nonionic surfactants such as octylphenol ethoxylates, for example, TRITON™-X Series surfactants such as Triton™-X 100 (C14H22O (C2H4O)n where n=9-10)), among others.
The surfactant is included in the emulsion at a concentration effective to form a monolayer 24 having a thickness of about 10 nm or less or about 3-10 nm. A suitable emulsion can be formulated with an about 5-15 w/w % of the polymer and an about 0.5-5 w/w % of the surfactant, based on the total weight of the emulsion.
Optionally, the emulsion can include a crosslinking adjuvant or catalyst/cocatalyst. For example, in the use of Click chemistry to synthesize a PEG-based hydrogel material, the emulsion can include copper sulfate (e.g., at about 1% w/w) and sodium ascorbate, whereby the emulsion would be directly or about immediately dispensed. In the use of free radical cross-linking chemistry to synthesize the hydrogel material, an appropriate peroxide or photoinitiator can be included, and the emulsion layer can be cross-linked by exposure to UV light, focused e-beam, heat, etc., as appropriate to crosslink the polymer to form a hydrogel.
As a further option, the emulsion can include a compatible organic solvent to modify the thickness of the surfactant layer over a range of about 3 nm to up to about 10 nm. Suitable solvents include, for example, C8-C24 alkanes (e.g., octane, nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, etc.), cycloalkanes (e.g., cyclopentane, cyclohexane, etc.), and aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., benzene, toluene, etc.).
In addition, the emulsion can optionally include one or more hardening agents to fill or strengthen the hydrogel. Suitable hardening agents include, for example, inorganic nanoparticles such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), metal oxides such as zirconium oxide (ZrO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), cerium dioxide (CeO2), aluminum oxide, Al2O3), iron oxide, vanadia and tin oxide, carbonates such as calcium carbonate, and carbon black. Solvated metals that can be precipitated can also be used as hardening agents. For example, in the use of Click chemistry to synthesize the hydrogel, the inclusion of a copper catalyst at about 1% w/w that precipitates after formation of the hydrogel can provide strengthening of the gel. Other examples of solvated metals that can be used as hardening agents are described, for example, in Mindel, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1943, 65, 2112 (using electrochemical reduction of metals under water to produce sols of Pb, Sn, Au, Pt, Bi, Sb, As, Tl, Ag, and Hg), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
An embodiment of a suitable emulsion composition can be formulated with:
-
- about 5-15 w/w % water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer;
- about 1-5 w/w % amphiphilic surfactant;
- about 0-5 w/w % organic solvent;
- about 0-20 (or more) w/w % hardening agent;
- about 0-5 w/w % cross-linking adjuvants; and
- about 94-55 w/w % water.
In some embodiments, after formation of the hydrogel 26 within the trenches, a liquid filler material can be applied to the surfactant monolayer 24 and hydrogel 26 to reduce the impact of drying on the shape and adherence of the surfactant monolayer to the hydrophobic trench surfaces and to further strengthen and reduce the porosity of the polymer hydrogel such that the shape of the hydrogel shape is retained after removal of the surfactant monolayer and it functions as an adequate mask during a plasma etching process (
For example, in addition to the incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles as hardening agents, a silicon ester such as tetraethoxysilane or tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS, Si(OC2H5)4) (either neat or as solution in organic solvent or water) can be applied and allowed to diffuse into the hydrogel 26 to form a silicon oxide gel via conventional sol-gel reaction to fill in the shape of the hydrogel with an inelastic material. The diffusion process can be expedited by formulating an aqueous solution having either an acidic or basic pH. In embodiments in which the hydrogel includes an oxide hardening agent (e.g., SiO2, TiO2, etc.), the resulting sol (e.g., silica sol) acts to fuse or precipitate the separate particles of the hardening agent into a contiguous mass or suspension within the hydrogel to further harden the hydrogel, which can remain partially porous.
In other embodiments, the surfactant monolayer 24 can be formed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,842 (Soane), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, surfactant monomers containing olefinic group(s) with surface functional head groups that are complementary to a substrate surface, are applied to and self-assemble at a micelle-like interface on the substrate. The positions of the functional groups on the substrate are then stabilized by crosslinking reactive groups on the monomers by a free radical polymerization method to form a thin, insoluble polymer network or mat. The resulting surfactant monolayer 24 has high thermal and solvent stability, is robust against the removal of water, and is not disrupted by organic solvents such as alcohols that are released during formation of a sol. The monomers for forming the surfactant monolayer 24 are structured with a head group (e.g., alcohols, carboxylic acids, amides, amines, phosphates, sugars, disaccharides, etc.), a crosslinking group (e.g., a free radically polymerizable moiety such as acrylates, methacrylates, acrylamides, vinyl ethers, epoxides, etc.), and a tail group fabricated and designed to have surfactant functionality. Examples of compounds include acryloylated sulfosuccinic acid ester surfactants such as (bis(11-acryloylundecyl)sulfosuccinate), (bis-(3-acryloyl-2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate) and (bis-2-acryloyldodecyl sulfosuccinate), and hydroxybenzoic acids such as glycine-headed-tris(11-acryloyloxyundecyloxy)benzamide and ethanolamine-headed-tris(11-acryloyloxyundecyloxy) benzamide, which can be prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,842.
Self-assembly of the monomers to form the surfactant monolayer 24 proceeds by surface aggregation of the head groups at the water interface with the tail groups organized on hydrophobic surfaces 12. Polymerization and crosslinking of the monomers can be accomplished by known reaction methods, including free-radical polymerization, which can include the application of or radiation, such as UV light to accelerate the process. Functional groups such as acrylates can be polymerized by heat or radiation such as UV light. In some embodiments, the polymerization of the crosslinking groups along the backbone after self assembly is conducted. Other crosslinking reactions known in the art such as ring opening, condensation, group transfer, anionic and cationic polymerization can optionally be used. Catalysts and/or photo- or thermal initiators can optionally be used to promote crosslinking. Examples of crosslinking groups include acrylates, methacrylates, acrylamides, vinyl ethers, and epoxides, methacrylamide, vinylbenzene, α-methylvinylbenzene, divinylbenzene, epoxide, vinyl ether, maleic acid derivative, fumaric acid derivative, alkene, diene, alkyne, substituted diene, thiol, alcohol, amine, carboxylic acid, carboxylic anhydride, carboxylic acid halide, aldehyde, ketone, isocyanate, succinimide, carboxylic acid hydrazide, glycidyl ether, silane, siloxane, chlorosilane, alkoxysilane, azide, 2′-pyridyldithiol, phenylglyoxal, iodo, maleimide, aryl halides, imidoester, dibromopropionate, and iodacetyl. In addition to crosslinking, the surfactant layer can be formed by the condensation of polymeric surfactants by changing the solubility of the polymer or the polarity, pH, or temperature of the solvent.
Referring now to
Excess material can then be removed, as shown in
Referring now to
The resulting structure is composed of a pair of channels (lines) 30 up to about 10 nm wide (e.g., about 3-10 nm wide) and registered to the trench sidewalls 16. Each pair of channels 30 within a trench 14 is separated from each other by the width (wh) of the hydrogel within the trench, and from a channel in an adjacent trench by the width (ws) of the spacer 12a between the trenches 14. The hydrogel film can be then used, for example, as a lithographic template or mask to pattern (arrows ↓↓) the underlying substrate 10 in a semiconductor processing, for example, by a non-selective RIE etching process, to define a series of channel or grooves 32 (shown in phantom in
Another method according to an embodiment of the invention, illustrated with reference to
To produce a polymer film within the first trench using a lamellar-phase block copolymer, the surfaces of the sidewalls and ends of the trench are preferential wetting by the one block of the copolymer and the trench floor is neutral wetting (equal affinity for both blocks of the copolymer) to allow both blocks of the copolymer material to wet the floor of the trench. Entropic forces drive the wetting of a neutral wetting surface by both blocks, resulting in the formation of a single layer of lamellae across the width of the trench.
In some embodiments, the second trenches are structured with hydrophilic floors and ends such that the aqueous phase of the emulsion wets both of those surfaces, and hydrophobic sidewalls such that the surfactant layer forms solely along that surface (as in
For example, in an embodiment shown in
As shown, silicon layer 10″ has been etched lithographically to form trenches 11″ to the underlying sub-SiOx layer 34″, and the trenches filled with a SiOx layer 13″ as described with reference to
A neutral wetting layer 36″ is formed on the substrate 10″ prior to forming the overlying material layer 12″. As illustrated in
A neutral wetting surface can be provided, for example, by applying a neutral wetting polymer to form a layer 36″ on the surface of the substrate 10″. In the use of a self-assembling (SA) diblock copolymer composed of PS-b-PMMA, a random PS:PMMA copolymer brush layer (PS-r-PMMA)) which exhibits non-preferential or neutral wetting toward PS and PMMA can be applied by spin-coating onto the surface of substrate 10″. The brush can be affixed by grafting (on an oxide substrate or native oxide layer) or by cross-linking (any surface) using UV radiation or thermal processing. For example, a random copolymer solution composed of PS and PMMA with hydroxyl end groups (e.g., about 58% PS) can be applied to the surface of the substrate 10″ as a layer about 5-10 nm thick and end-grafted by heating at about 160° C. for about 48 hours.
A trench floor that is neutral wetting to PS-b-PMMA can also be prepared by spin coating a photo- or thermally cross-linkable random copolymer such as benzocyclobutene- or azidomethylstyrene-functionalized random copolymers of styrene and methyl methacrylate (e.g., poly(styrene-r-benzocyclobutene-r-methyl methacrylate (PS-r-PMMA-r-BCB) onto the surface of the substrate 10″ and thermally crosslinking the polymer (e.g., about 200° C., 4 hours) to form a cross-linked polymer mat as a neutral wetting layer 36″.
Another neutral wetting surface for PS-b-PMMA can be provided by hydrogen-terminated silicon, which can be prepared by a conventional process, for example, by a fluoride ion etch of a silicon substrate 10″ (with native oxide present, about 12-15 Å) for example by immersion in aqueous solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) and buffered HF or ammonium fluoride (NH4F), by HF vapor treatment, by exposure to hot H2 vapor or by a hydrogen plasma treatment (e.g., atomic hydrogen).
In another embodiment shown in
As shown in
The trench sidewalls 42″ and ends 44″ are preferential wetting by one block of the copolymer to induce formation of lamellar polymer domains as the blocks self-assemble. The material layer 12″ defining the trench surfaces can be an inherently preferential wetting material, or in other embodiments, a layer of a preferential wetting material can be applied onto the surfaces of the trench. For example, in the use of poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA), the material layer 12″ can be composed of an oxide (e.g., silicon oxide, SiOx) or a clean silicon surface (with native silicon oxide), which exhibits preferential wetting toward the PMMA block to result in the assembly of a thin (e.g., ¼ pitch) interface layer of PMMA and alternating PMMA and PS lamellae (e.g., ½ pitch) within the trench in the use of a lamellar-phase block copolymer material. Other preferential wetting surfaces to PMMA can be provided, for example, by silicon nitride, silicon oxycarbide, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer grafted to a sidewall material such as silicon oxide, and resist materials such as methacrylate-based resists. For example, a PMMA that is modified with a moiety containing one or more hydroxyl (—OH) groups (e.g., hydroxyethylmethacrylate) can be applied by spin coating and then heated (e.g., to about 170° C.) to allow the OH groups to end-graft to the oxide sidewalls 42″ and ends 44″ of the trench. Non-grafted material can be removed from the neutral wetting layer 36″ by rinsing with an appropriate solvent (e.g., toluene). See, for example, Mansky et al., Science, 1997, 275, 1458-1460, and In et al., Langmuir, 2006, 22, 7855-7860, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The trench sidewalls, ends and floor influence the structuring of the array of lamellae within the trench. The boundary conditions of the trench sidewalls in both the x- and y-axis impose a structure such that the trench contains n number of lamellae. Factors in forming a single array or layer of lamellae within the trench include the width and depth of the trench, the formulation of the block copolymer to achieve the desired pitch (Lo), and the thickness (t) of the copolymer film.
The trench 38″ is constructed with a width (w) such that a lamellar-forming block copolymer (or blend) will self assemble upon annealing into a single layer of “n” lamellae spanning the width (w) of the trench, with each lamellar domain being separated by a value of Lo (from center-to-center). The width (w) of the first trench 38″ is a multiple of the inherent pitch value (Lo) of the block copolymer being equal to or about nLo (“n*Lo”), typically ranging from about n*10 to about n*100 nm (with n being the number of features or structures). In embodiments of the inventions, the depth (D) of the trench 38″ is greater than or at about Lo, as illustrated in
Referring now to
The lamellar-phase block copolymer material is deposited into the trench 38″ to a thickness (t) less than the trench depth (D), for example, at about one-half of the trench depth, and at or about the Lo value of the block copolymer material such that the copolymer film layer will self assemble upon annealing to form a single layer of lamellae across the width (wt) of the trench. A typical thickness (t) of the block copolymer film 46″ is about ±20% of the Lo value of the polymer (e.g., about 10-100 nm) to form alternating polymer-rich lamellar blocks, each with a width of about Lo (e.g., 25-35 nm) across the width (w) of the trench 38″. The thickness (t) of the film 46″ can be measured, for example, by ellipsometry techniques. As shown, a thin film of less than Lo of the block copolymer material can be deposited onto the surface of the material layer 12″; this thin film will not self-assemble as it is not thick enough to form structures.
The volume fractions of the two blocks (AB) of the lamellar-forming diblock copolymer are generally at a ratio between about 50:50 and 60:40. An example of a lamellae-forming symmetric diblock copolymer is poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA), with a weight ratio of about 50:50 (PS:PMMA) and total molecular weight (Mn) of about 51 kg/mol.
Although diblock copolymers are used in the illustrative embodiment, other types of block copolymers (i.e., triblock or triblock or multiblock copolymers) can be used. Examples of diblock copolymers include poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA), polyethyleneoxide-polyisoprene, polyethyleneoxide-polybutadiene, polyethyleleoxide-polystyrene, polyetheleneoxide-polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene-polyvinylpyridine, polystyrene-polyisoprene (PS-b-PI), polystyrene-polybutadiene, polybutadiene-polyvinylpyridine, and polyisoprene-polymethylmethacrylate, among others. Examples of triblock copolymers include poly(styrene-block methyl methacrylate-block-ethylene oxide). One of the polymer blocks of the block copolymer should be selectively and readily removable in order to fabricate an etch mask or template from the annealed film.
The block copolymer material can also be formulated as a binary or ternary blend comprising a SA block copolymer and one or more homopolymers of the same type of polymers as the polymer blocks in the block copolymer, to produce blends that swell the size of the polymer domains and increase the Lo value of the polymer. The volume fraction of the homopolymers can range from 0 to about 40%. An example of a ternary diblock copolymer blend is a PS-b-PMMA/PS/PMMA blend, for example, 46K/21K PS-b-PMMA containing 40% 20K polystyrene and 20K poly(methylmethacrylate). The Lo value of the polymer can also be modified by adjusting the molecular weight of the block copolymer, e.g., for lamellae, Lo˜(MW)2/3.
Referring now to
The constraints provided by the width (w) of the first trench 38″ and the character of the block copolymer composition combined with preferential and neutral wetting surfaces within the trench results, upon annealing, in a single layer of n perpendicular-oriented, alternating lamellar polymer-rich blocks extending the length (l) and spanning the width (w) of the trench 38″ at an average pitch value of at or about Lo (center-to-center). The number “n” or pitches of lamellar blocks within the trench is according to the width (w) of the trench and the molecular weight (MW) of the copolymer. For example, depositing and annealing an about 50:50 PS:PMMA block copolymer film (Mn=51 kg/mol; Lo=32 nm) in an about 250 nm wide trench will subdivide the trench into about eight (8) lamellar structures. The perpendicular orientation of lamellae can be examined, for example, using atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), or scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
The annealed and ordered film 48″ can then be treated to crosslink the polymer segments to fix and enhance the strength of the self-assembled polymer blocks 50″, 52″ within the trench 38″ (e.g., to crosslink the PS segments). The polymers can be structured to inherently crosslink (e.g., upon UV exposure through a reticle), or one or both of the polymer blocks of the copolymer material can be formulated to contain a crosslinking agent. The substrate can then be washed with an appropriate solvent such as toluene, to remove the non-crosslinked portions of the film 48″ on surfaces outside the trench (e.g., on the crest 12a″) leaving the registered, self-assembled film 48″ within the first trench 38″ (
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the resulting film 54″ will have a corrugated surface that defines a linear pattern of fine, nanometer-scale parallel slits (openings) 56″ about 10-60 nm wide and extending the length of the first trench 38″, the individual slits separated by a polymer matrix 52″ (e.g., of PS) about 10-60 nm wide. For example, removal of the PMMA domains (from PS-b-PMMA of MW 51K) affords a PS mask of sublithographic dimensions, for example, a pitch of about 32 nm (16 nm PS domain). A smaller pitch can be dialed in by using lower molecular weight diblock copolymers.
The film 54″ can then be used as a lithographic template or etch mask to pattern (arrows ↓↓) the underlying substrate 10″ (e.g., silicon), for example, by a non-selective RIE etching process, to delineate a series of trenches (grooves, channels) 14″ as illustrated in
Etching through the substrate 10″ (e.g., silicon) to form the trenches 14″ exposes the underlying sub-material layer 34″, which is oxide in the illustrated example, as the floor or bottom surface 20″ of the trenches 14″, the oxide layer 13″ as the ends 18″, and substrate 10″, which is silicon in the illustrated example, as the sidewalls 16″. In some embodiments, the dimension of the trenches 14″ is about 10-60 nm wide (wt) and with a depth (Dt) of about 10-100 nm.
As previously described with reference to
As described with reference to
Another method according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated with reference to
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring now to
As depicted in
The resulting structure is composed of a pair of channels (lines) 30′″ up to about 10 nm wide (e.g., about 3-10 nm wide) and registered to the trench sidewalls 16′″. Each pair of channels 30′″ within a trench 14′″ is separated from each other by the width (wx) of the inorganic material layer 60′″ within the trench, and from a channel in an adjacent trench by the width (ws) of the spacer 12a′″ between the trenches 14′″. The inorganic material layer 60′″ can be then used, for example, as a lithographic template or mask to pattern (arrows ↓↓) the underlying substrate 10′″, for example, by a non-selective RIE etching process, to define a series of channels or grooves 32′″ (shown in phantom in
The described films are useful as lithographic templates or etch masks for producing close pitched, ordered and registered, nanoscale channel and grooves that are sub-10 nm wide and several nanometers in length, for producing features such as floating gates for NAND flash with nanoscale dimensions. By comparison, photolithography techniques are unable to produce channels much below 60 nm wide without high expense. Resolution can exceed other techniques for forming channels and grooves, including self-assembling block copolymer processing and conventional photolithography. Fabrication costs utilizing methods of the disclosure are far less than electron beam (E-beam) or EUV photolithographies which have comparable resolution.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations that operate according to the principles of the invention as described. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. The disclosures of patents, references and publications cited in the application are incorporated by reference herein.
Claims
1. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a layer of an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer in a trench having sidewalls and a floor, wherein the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls of the trench and the polymer selectively wets the floor of the trench;
- causing the polymer to form a hydrogel; and
- removing the layer of the amphiphilic agent to form an opening between the hydrogel and the sidewalls of the trench and expose the floor of the trench.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls is up to about 10 nm.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls is about 3-10 nm.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a portion of the hydrogel to expose the layer of the amphiphilic agent within the trench.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising drying the hydrogel prior to removing the hydrogel.
6. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- depositing an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic surfactant and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer into a trench having hydrophobic sidewalls and a hydrophilic floor defined by a substrate, such that the surfactant forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the trench;
- forming the polymer into a hydrogel; and
- removing the surfactant layer to form a gap between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls and expose the substrate at the floor of the trench.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(ethylene glycol).
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(saccharide).
9. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- selectively forming a hydrophobic layer on sidewalls of a trench and a hydrophilic layer on a floor of the trench;
- forming a layer of an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer in the trench, wherein the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls of the trench and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the trench;
- causing the polymer to form a hydrogel; and
- selectively removing the layer of the amphiphilic agent to form an opening between the hydrogel and the sidewalls of the trench and expose the floor of the trench.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trench sidewalls comprise hydrogen-terminated silicon.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the trench floor comprise a hydrophilic polymer.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein forming the hydrophilic layer comprises grafting a hydrophilic polymer to the floor of the trench with reactive groups of the hydrophilic polymer oriented toward the center of the trench.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein ends of the trench are hydrophilic.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the emulsion further comprises an organic solvent.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the emulsion further comprises a hardening agent.
16. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying a silicon ester to the hydrogel to effect a sol-gel reaction.
17. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- selectively forming a hydrophobic layer on sidewalls of a trench and a hydrophilic layer on a floor of the trench;
- forming a layer of an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer in the trench, wherein the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls of the trench and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the trench;
- crosslinking the polymer to form a hydrogel; and
- removing the layer of the amphiphilic agent to form an opening between the hydrogel and the sidewalls of the trench and expose the floor of the trench.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein crosslinking the polymer comprises applying a catalyst onto the emulsion within the trench.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising crosslinking the layer of the amphiphilic agent.
20. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a layer of a self-assembled lamellar-phase block copolymer within a first trench having sidewalls and a floor defined by a substrate;
- selectively removing one of the blocks of the self-assembled layer to form openings in the layer exposing the substrate at the floor of the trench;
- etching through the openings to form second trenches in the substrate, the second trenches having hydrophobic sidewalls and a hydrophilic floor;
- depositing an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer into the second trenches such that the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the second trenches;
- forming the polymer into a hydrogel; and
- removing the amphiphilic agent layer to form a gap between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls and expose the substrate at the floor of the second trenches.
21. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a layer of a self-assembled, lamellar-phase block copolymer within a first trench defined by a substrate and having sidewalls that are preferential wetting to one block of the block copolymer, a floor that is neutral wetting to both blocks of the block copolymer, a width and a length, the self-assembled polymer layer comprising alternating lamellar blocks spanning the width of the trench and oriented perpendicular to the trench floor and substantially parallel to the sidewalls;
- selectively removing one of the blocks of the self-assembled layer to form openings in the polymer layer exposing the substrate at the floor of the trench;
- etching through the openings to form second trenches in the substrate, the second trenches having hydrophobic sidewalls and a hydrophilic floor;
- depositing an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer into the second trenches such that the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the second trenches;
- forming the polymer into a hydrogel; and
- removing the amphiphilic agent layer to form a gap between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls and expose the substrate at the floor of the second trenches.
22. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a film comprising a self-assembled lamellar-phase block copolymer within a first trench in a substrate to a thickness of about Lo, the block copolymer comprising first and second polymer blocks, and the trench having sidewalls that are preferential wetting to one block of the block copolymer, a floor that is neutral wetting to both blocks of the block copolymer, a width of about nLo and a length; the self-assembled polymer film comprising a single array of perpendicular-oriented lamellar polymer domains spanning the width and extending the length of the trench in a substantially parallel orientation to the sidewalls;
- selectively removing one of the blocks of the self-assembled layer to form openings in the polymer layer exposing the substrate at the floor of the trench;
- etching through the openings to form second trenches in the substrate, the second trenches having hydrophobic sidewalls and a hydrophilic floor;
- depositing an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer into the second trenches such that the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls and the polymer orients selectively to the floor of the second trenches;
- forming the polymer into a hydrogel; and
- removing the amphiphilic agent layer to form a gap between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls and expose the substrate at the floor of the second trenches.
23. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a material layer over a substrate having a surface being neutral wetting to both blocks of a lamellar-phase block copolymer;
- forming a first trench in the material layer having a floor, sidewalls, ends, a width and a length, to expose the neutral wetting surface of the substrate at the floor of the first trench, the sidewalls being preferential wetting to one of the blocks of the lamellar-phase block copolymer;
- forming a layer of the lamellar-phase block copolymer within the first trench;
- causing the copolymer layer to self-assemble into a film comprising alternating lamellar blocks spanning the width of the trench and oriented perpendicular to the trench floor and substantially parallel to the sidewalls;
- selectively removing one of the lamellar blocks of the self-assembled film to form openings exposing the substrate at the floor of the trench;
- etching through the openings to form second trenches in the substrate, the second trenches having hydrophobic sidewalls and a hydrophilic floor;
- depositing an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer into the second trenches wherein the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls and the polymer selectively wets the floor of the second trenches;
- causing the polymer to form a hydrogel; and
- removing the layer of the amphiphilic agent to form a gap between the hydrogel and the trench sidewalls and expose the substrate at the floor of the second trenches.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the neutral wetting surface on the substrate comprises hydrogen-terminated silicon.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the neutral wetting surface on the substrate comprises a random copolymer.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the sidewalls of the first trench comprise oxide.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the sidewalls of the first trench comprise silicon nitride or silicon oxycarbide.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the sidewalls of the first trench comprise a methacrylate-based moiety.
29. A method for fabricating channels in a substrate, comprising:
- forming a layer of an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic agent and a water-soluble, hydrogel-forming polymer in a trench having sidewalls and a floor, wherein the amphiphilic agent forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls of the trench and the polymer selectively wets the floor of the trench;
- causing the polymer to form a hydrogel;
- removing the layer of the amphiphilic agent to form an opening between the hydrogel and the sidewalls of the trench and expose the floor of the trench; and
- etching an underlying substrate through the openings to form the channels in the substrate.
30. A method for fabricating an etch mask on a substrate, comprising:
- forming a layer of an aqueous emulsion comprising an amphiphilic material in a trench having hydrophobic sidewalls and a floor, wherein the amphiphilic material forms a layer selectively on the sidewalls of the trench;
- crosslinking the amphiphilic material layer;
- drying the amphiphilic material layer;
- filling the trench with an inorganic material; and
- removing the amphiphilic material layer to form an opening between the inorganic material and the sidewalls of the trench and expose the floor of the trench.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the inorganic material comprises a dielectric material.
32. The method of claim 30, further comprising, after filling the trench, removing a portion of the inorganic material and amphiphilic material above the trench to expose the amphiphilic material layer on the sidewalls of the trench.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 22, 2007
Date of Patent: Feb 28, 2012
Patent Publication Number: 20080274413
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc. (Boise, ID)
Inventor: Dan B. Millward (Boise, ID)
Primary Examiner: Anita K Alanko
Attorney: Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek SC
Application Number: 11/726,674
International Classification: H01L 21/302 (20060101); B82B 3/00 (20060101); B82Y 40/00 (20060101);