Method of forming multilayer film

• US 7,375,012 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mardilovich, Peter, Ramamoorthi, Sriram, Kornilovich, Pavel
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, THANH V
• Application Number:
  US11/068,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20060194420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 438/531, 438/584, 438/652, 438/674, 438/690, 438/694, 438/699, 438/761, 438/782, 438/FOR.170, 216/40, 148/DIG.26
• US Class Current: 438/531
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/081 of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/165 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/768 Applying interconnections to be used for carrying current between separate components within a device comprising conductors and dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76802 by forming openings in dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5283 Cross-sectional geometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/048 using a lift-off resist pattern or a release layer pattern
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/026 Deposition thru hole in mask
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/932 for electronic or optoelectronic application

Abstract

This disclosure describes system(s) and/or method(s) enabling contacts for individual nanometer-scale-thickness layers of a multilayer film.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a multilayer film, comprising:

applying a second layer of nanometer-scale-thickness over a first layer covered in part by a mask having a first protrusion, the first protrusion effective to prohibit application of the second layer over a first contact region of the first layer and where the first protrusion is oriented a first application distance away from the first contact region so as to permit a shadow effect to occur while the second layer is being applied thereby causing the first contact region to have an area smaller than that of the first protrusion; and

applying a third layer over the applied second layer while the first protrusion is oriented at a second application distance away from the first contact region, where the second application distance is less than that of the first application distance and prohibits application of the third layer to the first contact region as well as a region of the applied second layer that at least partially surrounds the first contact region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer and the third layer are both conductive and the second layer is insulative.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to applying the second layer:

applying the first layer over an insulative layer covered in part with the mask, the mask effective to leave exposed an insulative region adjacent the first contact after creation of the first contact region.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the act of applying the first layer over the insulative layer covered in part with the mask comprises orienting the mask substantially without an application distance between the mask and the insulative region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first contact region'"'"'s area'"'"'s outer dimensions are both at least about one magnitude greater than the thickness of the first layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first contact region'"'"'s area'"'"'s outer dimensions are about one to about 100 microns.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the applied second layer that at least partially surrounds the first contact region is effective to insulate the first contact region from the third layer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a fourth layer of nanometer-scale-thickness over the third layer covered in part by the first protrusion of the mask, the first protrusion effective to prohibit application of the fourth layer over a second contact region of the third layer and where the first protrusion is oriented a third application distance away from the second contact region so as to permit a shadow effect to occur while the fourth layer is being applied thereby causing the second contact region to have an area smaller than that of the first protrusion.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying a fifth layer over the applied fourth layer while the first protrusion is oriented at a fourth application distance away from the second contact region, where the fourth application distance is less than that of the third application distance and prohibits application of the fifth layer to the second contact region as well as a region of the applied fourth layer that surrounds at least a portion of the second contact region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mask comprises a second protrusion and the act of applying the fifth layer comprises applying the fifth layer over the second protrusion, the second protrusion effective to prohibit the fifth layer from being applied over the first contact region.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the mask comprises a second protrusion and the act of applying the fourth layer comprises applying the fourth layer over the second protrusion, the second protrusion effective to prohibit the fourth layer from being applied over substantially all of the first contact region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers using the mask, alternating acts of applying the additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers comprising:

altering a prior application distance of the mask; and

altering a prior application distance of the mask and a prior transverse location of the mask.

22. The method of claim 8, wherein the first contact region and the second contact region are separated by a least 1 micron.

13. A method comprising:

applying, over an underlying layer, a first nanometer-scale-thickness layer using a mask oriented at a first distance over the underlying layer and a first transverse location transverse to the underlying layer, the mask and its orientation effective to prohibit application of the first nanometer-scale-thickness layer over a portion of the underlying layer;

applying, over the first nanometer-scale-thickness layer, a second nanometer-scale-thickness layer using the mask oriented at about the first transverse location and a second distance over the underlying layer, the second distance being less than the first distance, the mask and its orientation effective to prohibit contact between the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer and the portion of the underlying layer; and

applying, over the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer, a third nanometer-scale-thickness layer using the mask oriented at a second transverse location and a third distance over the underlying layer, the third application distance being greater than the second application distance, the mask and its orientation effective to prohibit application of the third nanometer-scale-thickness layer over all of the portion of the underlying layer and over a portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mask comprises at least two protrusions, a first protrusion effective to prohibit application of the first nanometer-scale-thickness layer over the portion of the underlying layer and a second protrusion effective to prohibit application of the third nanometer-scale-thickness layer over the portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second transverse location is at least about one micron distant from the first transverse location effective to prohibit contact between the portion of the underlying layer and the portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the underlying layer is conductive, the first nanometer-scale-thickness layer is insulative, the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer is conductive, the portion of the underlying layer comprises a contact region enabling electrical communication with the underlying layer, and the portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer comprises a contact region enabling electrical communication with the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the portion of the underlying layer and the portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer comprise areas, each of the areas having two dimensions both of which are at least about one micron.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the portion of the underlying layer has an exposed area having two dimensions both of which are at least about an order of magnitude greater than the thickness of the underlying layer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the portion of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer has an exposed area having two dimensions both of which are at least about an order of magnitude greater than the thickness of the second nanometer-scale-thickness layer.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising applying additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers using the mask, alternating acts of applying the additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers comprising:

altering a distance over the underlying layer; and

altering a distance over the underlying layer and a transverse location.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mask and its orientations are effective to prohibit application of additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers over a portion of at least some of the additional nanometer-scale-thickness layers, each portion electrically isolated from other portions.

23. A method comprising:

applying a first insulative material onto a first electrically conductive layer to form a second insulative layer through a first opening in a mask opposite a first region of the first layer, the mask being spaced from the first electrically conductive layer by a first distance; and

applying a second electrically conductive material onto the second layer to form a third electrically conductive layer through the first opening in the mask opposite the region of the first electrically conductive layer, the mask being spaced from the second layer by a second distance less than the first distance; and

applying a second insulative material onto the third electrically conductive layer through the first opening in the mask opposite the first region of the first electrically conductive layer and a second opening in the mask opposite a second region of the first electrically conductive layer, the mask being spaced from the third electrically conductive layer by a third distance greater than the second distance.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second layer has a nanometer-scale-thickness.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first distance is such that the mask is substantially adjacent the first layer.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the second distance is such that the mask is substantially adjacent the second layer.

27. A method comprising:

forming a stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and insulative layers by applying different materials through openings of a mask; and

adjusting an application distance of the mask to vary an extent to which the layers overlap one another so as to form openings extending into the stack to each electrically conductive layer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the multiple layers have a nanometer-scale-thickness.