Lee J Chen

US Patent:

52863310, Feb 15, 1994

Filed:

Nov 1, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/786448

Inventors:

Lee Chen - New York NY
Shwu-Jen Jeng - Fishkill NY
Wesley C. Natzle - Wappingers Falls NY
Chienfan Yu - Highland Mills NY

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H01L 2100

US Classification:

156345

Abstract:

In supersonic molecular beam etching, the reactivity of the etchant gas and substrate surface is improved by creating etchant gas molecules with high internal energies through chemical reactions of precursor molecules, forming clusters of etchant gas molecules in a reaction chamber, expanding the etchant gas molecules and clusters of etchant gas molecules through a nozzle into a vacuum, and directing the molecules and clusters of molecules onto a substrate. Translational energy of the molecules and clusters of molecules can be improved by seeding with inert gas molecules. The process provides improved controllability, surface purity, etch selectivity and anisotropy. Etchant molecules may also be expanded directly (without reaction in a chamber) to produce clusters whose translational energy can be increased through expansion with a seeding gas.

US Patent:

54239400, Jun 13, 1995

Filed:

Aug 31, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/114710

Inventors:

Lee Chen - New York NY
Shwu-Jen Jeng - Fishkill NY
Wesley C. Natzle - Wappingers Falls NY
Chienfan Yu - Highland Mills NY

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H01J 2100

US Classification:

216 66

Abstract:

In supersonic molecular beam etching, the reactivity of the etchant gas and substrate surface is improved by creating etchant gas molecules with high internal energies through chemical reactions of precursor molecules, forming clusters of etchant gas molecules in a reaction chamber, expanding the etchant gas molecules and clusters of etchant gas molecules through a nozzle into a vacuum, and directing the molecules and clusters of molecules onto a substrate. Translational energy of the molecules and clusters of molecules can be improved by seeding with inert gas molecules. The process provides improved controllability, surface purity, etch selectivity and anisotropy. Etchant molecules may also be expanded directly (without reaction in a chamber) to produce clusters whose translational energy can be increased through expansion with a seeding gas.