Carbon Implantation for Selective Substrate Etching

The invention extracts and eliminates the hard mask layer from the conventional structuring process. Instead of depositing a separate hard mask layer (such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide) and performing lithography to define patterns, the method directly implants carbon ions into the substrate to create the desired relief structures. This removal of the hard mask step significantly reduces the number of manufacturing steps while maintaining etching precision through the controlled carbon implantation process that creates modified layers with different etching rates.

The invention replaces the mechanical/chemical deposition process of hard mask layers with an ion implantation process. Instead of depositing material to form a mask layer that is then patterned through lithography, carbon ions are directly implanted into the substrate to create the structural modifications needed for etching. This substitution eliminates the need for separate mask deposition, lithography, and mask removal steps, reducing process complexity while achieving the same functional outcome.

The invention merges the functions of hard mask deposition, lithography pattern definition, and etching protection into a single carbon implantation step. The carbon implantation process simultaneously creates the pattern definition and the protective modified layer that will guide subsequent etching, eliminating the need for separate mask deposition, lithography exposure/development, and mask removal steps. This consolidation maintains pattern definition accuracy through precise ion implantation control while significantly reducing manufacturing time.

The invention performs the pattern definition action directly through carbon implantation before any etching process begins. The carbon ions are implanted to create modified layers with specific concentration profiles that will determine the final relief structure geometry. This preliminary action of direct implantation eliminates the need for subsequent mask removal steps, as the carbon-modified layers themselves serve as the etching masks throughout the process.

The invention extracts and eliminates the expensive hard mask deposition and lithography equipment and materials from the manufacturing process. By using direct carbon ion implantation to create the structuring patterns, the method removes the need for separate photolithography tools, photoresist materials, and hard mask deposition equipment. This extraction of unnecessary steps directly reduces production cost while maintaining substrate structuring capability through the precise control of ion implantation parameters.

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of how patterns are defined on the substrate. Instead of using optical lithography parameters (wavelength, numerical aperture, photoresist chemistry), the method uses ion implantation parameters (ion energy, ion dose, implantation angle) to directly create the patterned modified layers. This parameter change enables a more direct and cost-effective manufacturing approach that eliminates multiple intermediate steps while achieving the same structuring results.