Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Coating for Semiconductor Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carbon-based coatings used in semiconductor applications often require metal doping for conductivity, leading to potential contamination issues as feature sizes shrink, and existing coatings are hydrophobic, making them difficult to clean with non-volatile solvents.
Innovation Solution
A conductive, metal-free, hydrophilic carbon-based coating doped with nitrogen is applied, which increases wettability and allows for easy cleaning with deionized water, reducing the risk of contamination and eliminating the need for volatile organic compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal doping is used to achieve conductivity in carbon-based coatings, then electrical conductivity is improved, but metal contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the carbon-based coating by incorporating nitrogen and oxygen elements, creating a metal-free conductive coating. This parameter change allows the coating to achieve electrical conductivity through non-metallic doping, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving conductivity and preventing metal contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite carbon-based coating containing multiple elements (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen) with specific concentration ranges. This composite structure provides both electrical conductivity and hydrophilicity without requiring metal dopants, thus eliminating metal contamination risks while maintaining required electrical properties
2Strength
If traditional carbon-based coatings are used, then wear resistance and low friction are achieved, but wettability and ease of cleaning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surface chemical composition by incorporating nitrogen and oxygen elements into the carbon-based coating, changing the surface energy parameters. This creates a hydrophilic surface that improves wettability and enables easy cleaning with deionized water, while the underlying carbon matrix maintains wear resistance and low friction properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a coating with differentiated local properties: the bulk provides wear resistance and low friction (traditional DLC properties), while the surface layer enriched with nitrogen and oxygen provides hydrophilicity and ease of cleaning. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between durability and cleanability
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
The coating provides a wear-resistant, low-friction, thermally stable, and conductive surface suitable for semiconductor components, preventing metal contamination while enabling effective cleaning with deionized water, thus addressing the challenges of contamination and solvent use in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive, metal free, hydrophilic carbon based coating... the carbon based coating is doped with nitrogen... the wettability of the substrate is increased as the surface is more hydrophilic
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method to increase the wettability of a substrate by providing said substrate at least partially with a conductive, metal free, hydrophilic carbon based coating. The carbon based coating is doped with nitrogen and has an electrical resistivity lower than 108 ohm-cm. The invention further relates to a substrate coated at least partially with a conductive metal free, hydrophilic carbon based coating.