Methods and equipment for anisotropic, patterned conversion of copper into selectively removable compounds and for removal of same

Claim 1

A method for patterning a copper-based layer comprising the steps of: (a) providing said cooper-based layer on a substrate where said substrate has pre-defined conductivity regions formed therein: (b) anisotropically introducing, while said substrate is at a first temperature of approximately 100° C. or less, a reactant for converting preselected portions of the copper-based layer into a selectively removable compound; (c) converting said preselected portions of the copper-based layer that include the introduced reactant into said selectively removable compound: and (d) selectively removing at a second temperature, the removable compound while leaving behind nonconverted portions of the copper-based layer, said second temperature being greater than the first temperature: and further wherein: (b.1) said step (b) of anisotropically introducing is carried out in a first processing area that is thermally isolated from a second processing area; and (d.1) said step (d) of selectively removing at a second temperature is carried out in the second processing area.

Claim 2

A method for patterning a copper-based layer comprising the steps of: (a) providing said cooper-based layer on a substrate where said substrate has pre-defined conductivity regions formed therein: (b) anisotropically introducing, while said substrate is at a first temperature of approximately 100° C. or less, a reactant for converting preselected portions of the copper-based layer into a selectively removable compound; (c) converting said preselected portions of the copper-based layer that include the introduced reactant into said selectively removable compound: and (d) selectively removing at a second temperature, the removable compound while leaving behind nonconverted portions of the copper-based layer, said second temperature being greater than the first temperature: and further wherein: (b.1) said step (b) of anisotropically introducing is carried out in a first processing area that is thermally isolated from a second processing area; and (d.1) said step (d) of selectively removing at a second temperature is carried out in the second processing area.

Claim 3

A method for patterning a copper-based layer comprising the steps of: (a) providing said copper-based layer on a substrate where said substrate has pre-defined conductivity regions formed therein: (b) anisotropically introducing, while said substrate is at a first temperature of approximately 100° C. or less, a reactant for converting preselected portions of the copper-based layer into a selectively removable compound, the first temperature being essentially insignificant relative to a prespecified thermal budget of said substrate and its conductivity regions: (c) converting said preselected portions of the copper-based layer that include the introduced reactant into said selectively removable compound; and (d) selectively removing at a second temperature, the removable compound while leaving behind nonconverted portions of the copper-based layer, said second temperature being greater than the first temperature: and further wherein: said step (d) of selectively removing includes: (d.1) applying a solvent specific to the removable compound so as to selectively remove material from said preselected portions of the copper-based layer: said removable compound is a chloride of copper and said step (d.1) of applying a specific solvent includes using hot water having a temperature greater than 50° C. in the solvent: and said step of applying hot water is followed by an ethanol rinse.

Claim 4

A method for patterning a copper-based layer comprising the steps of: (a) providing said copper-based layer on a substrate where said substrate has pre-defined conductivity regions formed therein: (b) anisotropically introducing, while said substrate is at a first temperature of approximately 100° C. or less, a reactant for converting preselected portions of the copper-based layer into a selectively removable compound, the first temperature being essentially insignificant relative to a prespecified thermal budget of said substrate and its conductivity regions: (c) converting said preselected portions of the copper-based layer that include the introduced reactant into said selectively removable compound; and (d) selectively removing at a second temperature, the removable compound while leaving behind nonconverted portions of the copper-based layer, said second temperature being greater than the first temperature: and further wherein: said step (d) of selectively removing includes: (d.1) applying a solvent specific to the removable compound so as to selectively remove material from said preselected portions of the copper-based layer: said removable compound is a chloride of copper and said step (d.1) of applying a specific solvent includes using hot water having a temperature greater than 50° C. in the solvent: and said step of applying hot water is followed by an ethanol rinse.