Patent · US Expired

Method for reducing surface protrusions in the fabrication of lilac films

US6709910B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
3References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 18, 2002
Grant dateMar 23, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 18, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/02675
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method are provided for reducing film surface protrusions in the fabrication of LILAC films. The method comprises: forming an amorphous film with a first thickness; annealing the film using a LILAC process, with beamlets having a width in the range of 3 to 10 microns; in response to annealing, forming protrusions on the film surface; optionally oxidizing the film surface; thinning the film; and, in response to thinning the film, smoothing the film surface. Typically, the film surface is smoothed to a surface flatness of 300 å, or less. In some aspects of the method, oxidizing the film surface includes oxidizing the film surface to a depth. Then, thinning the film includes thinning the film to a third thickness equal to the first thickness minus the depth.

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