Substrate Temperature Control for IC Radiation Damage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As integrated circuits shrink, they become increasingly vulnerable to radiation during fabrication processes, leading to line width roughness and line edge roughness issues that affect dimensional stability and electrical properties, limiting the ability to form devices of acceptable quality below 100 nm.
Innovation Solution
The method involves controlling the substrate temperature to below room temperature, typically between −30° C. and −100° C., during exposure to radiation in processes like deposition, etching, and inspection to prevent undesirable changes in IC structures, using a substrate support assembly with temperature control and a radiation source to manage the temperature rise and minimize adverse effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If radiation exposure is increased during inspection or processing, then measurement precision and inspection quality improve, but line width roughness and line edge roughness increase, degrading manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the substrate during radiation exposure. By cooling the substrate to temperatures below room temperature (e.g., −30° C. to −100° C.), the material properties of the IC structures are altered to become more resistant to radiation-induced damage, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while allowing effective inspection
2Productivity
If feature size is reduced to increase IC capacity, then productivity and capacity improve, but dimensional stability deteriorates under radiation exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies temperature parameter changes by cooling the substrate during radiation exposure. This parameter modification allows smaller features to maintain their dimensional stability under radiation by reducing thermal motion and material susceptibility, enabling higher IC capacity without sacrificing stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to the substrate before radiation exposure occurs. This pre-action counteracts the potential harmful effects of radiation on small features by putting the material in a more stable, less susceptible state before the damaging exposure occurs
3Reliability
If substrate temperature is reduced to prevent radiation damage, then reliability improves, but process complexity increases due to temperature control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temperature control system as an intermediary between the radiation source and the IC structures. This mediator (cooling system) protects the sensitive structures by creating a thermal buffer, absorbing excess heat and maintaining stable temperatures during radiation exposure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces the adverse effects of radiation on IC structures, maintaining their physical and electrical properties by keeping the temperature below the threshold for material degradation, thereby improving the reliability and quality of smaller IC features.
Implementation Method 1
controlling the substrate temperature to below room temperature, typically between −30° C. and −100° C., during exposure to radiation
Implementation Method 2
using a substrate support assembly with temperature control
Implementation Method 3
exposing a region of a surface of the chucked substrate to an amount of radiation, wherein the exposed region achieves a first peak temperature due to the exposure to the amount of radiation
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and a method for reducing the adverse effects of exposing portions of an integrated circuit (IC) device to various forms of radiation during one or more operations found within the IC formation processing sequence by controlling the environment surrounding and temperature of an IC device during one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence. The provided energy may include the delivery of radiation to a surface of a formed or a partially formed IC device during a deposition, etching, inspection or post-processing process operation. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the temperature of the substrate on which the IC device is formed is controlled to a temperature that is below room temperature (e.g., <20° C.) during the one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence.