Method and apparatus for the planarization of surfaces
US10930514B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 2018 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/31749
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Techniques for planarizing surfaces are disclosed herein. One example includes orienting a surface of a sample to a charged particle beam axis, the sample including a first layer formed from first and second materials, the first material patterned into a plurality of parallel lines and disposed in the second material, where the surface is oriented to form a shallow angle with the charged particle beam axis and to arrange the plurality of parallel lines perpendicular to the charged particle beam axis, providing a charged particle beam toward the surface, providing a gas to the surface, and selectively etching, with ion induced chemical etching, the second material at least down to a top surface of the first material, the charged particle induced etching stimulated due to concurrent presence of the charged particle beam and the gas over the surface of the sample.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.