High resolution deposition and etching in polymer films

Claim 1

A method for producing a pattern of sub-micron-size deposit features, comprising the steps of: forming a conducting film on a conductive substrate to make a film-covered substrate having an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that will, in an electrochemical reaction, deposit a desired product; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the outer film surface; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction that will cause the desired product to be deposited in the conducting film; and moving the SECH tip across the surface of the conducting film to form a pattern of sub-micron-sized deposit features.

Claim 2

A method for producing a pattern of sub-micron-size deposit features, comprising the steps of: forming a conducting film on a conductive substrate to make a film-covered substrate having an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that will, in an electrochemical reaction, deposit a desired product; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the outer film surface; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction that will cause the desired product to be deposited in the conducting film; and moving the SECH tip across the surface of the conducting film to form a pattern of sub-micron-sized deposit features.

Claim 3

A method for producing X-ray lithography masks comprising the steps of: forming a conducting film on a conductive substrate to form a film-covered substrate having an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that will deposit metal upon electrochemical reaction; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the conducting film; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate with the tip being negative so that the SECM tip can track the outer film surface via standard feedback control; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction which will deposit metal at the outer film surface; moving the tip of the SECM across the outer film surface in a predetermined pattern with the height of the SECM tip maintaining constant contact with the conducting film via standard feedback control, said movement, in combination with the electrochemical reaction, leaving a metal deposit pattern at the outer film surface of the conducting film; depositing a layer of a substantially X-ray translucent support material over the outer film surface of the conducting film; and separating the conducting film and support layer from the conductive substrate, said separated film with metal deposit pattern and support layer being usable as an X-ray lithograph mask.

Claim 4

A method for producing X-ray lithography masks comprising the steps of: forming a conducting film on a conductive substrate to form a film-covered substrate having an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that will deposit metal upon electrochemical reaction; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the conducting film; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate with the tip being negative so that the SECM tip can track the outer film surface via standard feedback control; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction which will deposit metal at the outer film surface; moving the tip of the SECM across the outer film surface in a predetermined pattern with the height of the SECM tip maintaining constant contact with the conducting film via standard feedback control, said movement, in combination with the electrochemical reaction, leaving a metal deposit pattern at the outer film surface of the conducting film; depositing a layer of a substantially X-ray translucent support material over the outer film surface of the conducting film; and separating the conducting film and support layer from the conductive substrate, said separated film with metal deposit pattern and support layer being usable as an X-ray lithograph mask.

Claim 5

A method for producing X-ray lithography masks, comprising the steps of: forming a conductive substrate which has a metallic overlayer and a conductive underlaying material, said underlaying material having minimal X-ray absorption characteristics; forming a conducting film on the conductive substrate to form a film-covered substrate having an interface surface between the film and substrate and an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that deposits a particular product upon electrochemical reaction; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the conducting film; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate with the tip positive so that the tip of the SECM can track the outer film surface via standard feedback control; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction which will deposit the particular product at the interface directly beneath the SECM tip; moving the SECM tip across the outer film surface in a predetermined pattern with the height of the SECM tip maintaining constant contact with the conducting film via standard feedback control, said movement, in combination with the electrochemical reaction, leaving a pattern of product deposits at the interface between the conducting film and the conductive substrate; removing the conducting film to leave a pattern of product deposits on the conductive substrate; and removing the metallic overlayer from the conductive substrate to leave the pattern of product deposits on the conductive underlayer, said pattern and conductive underlayer being usable as an X-ray lithograph mask.

Claim 6

A method for producing X-ray lithography masks, comprising the steps of: forming a conductive substrate which has a metallic overlayer and a conductive underlaying material, said underlaying material having minimal X-ray absorption characteristics; forming a conducting film on the conductive substrate to form a film-covered substrate having an interface surface between the film and substrate and an outer film surface, said film containing a reactant that deposits a particular product upon electrochemical reaction; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the conducting film; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate with the tip positive so that the tip of the SECM can track the outer film surface via standard feedback control; passing a faradaic current between the SECM tip and the conductive substrate and through the conducting film to induce an electrochemical reaction which will deposit the particular product at the interface directly beneath the SECM tip; moving the SECM tip across the outer film surface in a predetermined pattern with the height of the SECM tip maintaining constant contact with the conducting film via standard feedback control, said movement, in combination with the electrochemical reaction, leaving a pattern of product deposits at the interface between the conducting film and the conductive substrate; removing the conducting film to leave a pattern of product deposits on the conductive substrate; and removing the metallic overlayer from the conductive substrate to leave the pattern of product deposits on the conductive underlayer, said pattern and conductive underlayer being usable as an X-ray lithograph mask.

Claim 7

A method for high resolution deposition of metal on a conductive object comprising the steps of: coating the conductive object with a layer of an ionic conductor containing metal ions; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the ionic conductor; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive object so that a faradaic current passes between the SECM tip and the conductive object and through the ionic conductor to reduce the metal ions out of the ionic conductor and deposit the ions on the conductive object; scanning the SECM tip over the ionic conductor directly above a region of intended deposition to leave a high resolution deposition of metal on the conductive object; and removing the ionic conductor to leave behind a high resolution deposition of metal on the conductive object.

Claim 8

A method for high resolution deposition of metal on a conductive object comprising the steps of: coating the conductive object with a layer of an ionic conductor containing metal ions; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the ionic conductor; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive object so that a faradaic current passes between the SECM tip and the conductive object and through the ionic conductor to reduce the metal ions out of the ionic conductor and deposit the ions on the conductive object; scanning the SECM tip over the ionic conductor directly above a region of intended deposition to leave a high resolution deposition of metal on the conductive object; and removing the ionic conductor to leave behind a high resolution deposition of metal on the conductive object.

Claim 22

A method to repair a mask defect or a defective contact in an integrated circuit, the method involving high resolution deposition of metal on a defective region of the circuit or mask, and comprising the steps of: coating the circuit or mask with a layer of an ionic conductor containing metal ions; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the ionic conductor; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive object so that a faradaic current passes between the SECM tip and the circuit or mask and through the ionic conductor to reduce the metal ions out of the ionic conductor and deposit the ions on the conductive circuit or mask; scanning the SECM tip over the ionic conductor directly above the defective region of the circuit or mask to leave a high resolution deposition of metal on the circuit or mask; and removing the ionic conductor to leave behind a circuit or mask repaired by a high resolution deposition of metal on the defective region thereof.

Claim 23

A method to repair a mask defect or a defective contact in an integrated circuit, the method involving high resolution deposition of metal on a defective region of the circuit or mask, and comprising the steps of: coating the circuit or mask with a layer of an ionic conductor containing metal ions; placing a very fine scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) tip in contact with the ionic conductor; applying a bias voltage between the SECM tip and the conductive object so that a faradaic current passes between the SECM tip and the circuit or mask and through the ionic conductor to reduce the metal ions out of the ionic conductor and deposit the ions on the conductive circuit or mask; scanning the SECM tip over the ionic conductor directly above the defective region of the circuit or mask to leave a high resolution deposition of metal on the circuit or mask; and removing the ionic conductor to leave behind a circuit or mask repaired by a high resolution deposition of metal on the defective region thereof.