Patent · US Expired

Process for forming sub-micrometer patterns using silylation of resist side walls

US4803181A · kind A · utility

88Cited by
11References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1987
Grant dateFeb 7, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/95
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A process for forming sidewalls for use in the fabrication of semiconductor structures, where the thin, vertical sidewalls are "image transferred" to define sub-micron lateral dimensions. First, a patterned resist profile with substantially vertical edges is formed on a substrate on which the sidewalls are to be created. Then, the profile is soaked in a reactive organometallic silylation agent to silylate the top and the vertical edges of the resist to a predetermined depth, thereby rendering the profile surfaces highly oxygen etch resistant. In a subsequent anisotropic RIE process, the horizontal surfaces of the silylated profile and the unsilylated resist are removed, leaving the silylated vertical edges, that provide the desired free-standing sidewalls, essentially unaffected.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.