Method of patterning ultra-small structures

Abstract

We describe a process to produce ultra-small structures of between ones of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers in size, in which the structures are compact, nonporous and exhibit smooth vertical surfaces. Such processing is accomplished with pulsed electroplating techniques using ultra-short pulses in a controlled and predictable manner.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 917,571, filed on Aug. 13, 2004, entitled “Patterning Thin Metal Film by Dry Reactive Ion Etching,” which is commonly owned at the time of filing, and the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.COPYRIGHT NOTICE [0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright or mask work protection. The copyright or mask work owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright or mask work rights whatsoever. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0003] This disclosure relates to patterning ultra-small structures using pulsed electroplating. INTRODUCTION [0004] Electroplating is well known and is used in a variety of applications, including the production of microelectronics...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

At high current density, the reaction rate becomes limited by diffusion of ions in the solution.

The production of compact, nonporous and smooth vertical surfaces is difficult with existing electroplating techniques.

However, with these techniques, patterned structures are known to cause a shadowing effect to occur during coating such that material deposition is uneven across the breadth of the patterned surface.

Direct current electro-plating processing tends to produce non-uniform structures across a die or wafer.

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