Method and apparatus for planarizing a polymer layer
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B29C-059/02
H01L-021/3105
H01L-021/67
출원번호
US-0137259
(2008-06-11)
등록번호
US-9330933
(2016-05-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Lin, Burn Jeng
출원인 / 주소
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
Haynes and Boone, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
3
초록▼
A method for planarizing a polymer layer is provided which includes providing a substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon, providing a structure having a substantially flat surface, pressing the flat surface of the structure to a top surface of the polymer layer such that the top surface of
A method for planarizing a polymer layer is provided which includes providing a substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon, providing a structure having a substantially flat surface, pressing the flat surface of the structure to a top surface of the polymer layer such that the top surface of the polymer layer substantially conforms to the flat surface of the structure, and separating the flat surface of the structure from the top surface of the polymer material layer.
대표청구항▼
1. A method for planarizing a polymer layer, comprising: providing a substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon;providing a structure having a flexible contact layer with a surface, the surface being substantially flat when the contact layer is in a non-flexed state and providing a nanometer-
1. A method for planarizing a polymer layer, comprising: providing a substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon;providing a structure having a flexible contact layer with a surface, the surface being substantially flat when the contact layer is in a non-flexed state and providing a nanometer-scale smoothness, wherein the structure includes a non-vacuumed chamber containing a liquid, wherein the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber prior to any engagement of the structure with the substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon, andwherein the structure is attached to a pressing arm by a pivotal interface allowing the flexible contact layer to pivot with respect to the substrate;softening the polymer layer, wherein softening the polymer layer includes heating the liquid within the non-vacuumed chamber to facilitate softening of the polymer layer, wherein the heating the liquid occurs prior to any engagement of the structure with the substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon;pressing the surface of the contact layer to a top surface of the softened polymer layer such that the top surface of the polymer layer is substantially flattened by the surface of the contact layer, wherein, during the pressing, the pressing arm exerts pressure on the substrate via the pivotal interface,wherein the contact layer flexes during the pressing,wherein the structure prevents the liquid from physically contacting the substrate having the polymer layer formed thereon when the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber of the structure and the surface of the contact layer is pressed to the top surface of the softened polymer layer, the liquid not generating the pressure to press the surface of the contact layer to the top surface of the softened polymer layer, andwherein the pressure to press the surface of the contact layer to the top surface is provided via the structure having the contact layer;separating the flat surface of the contact layer from the top surface of the softened polymer layer, wherein the liquid remains in the non-vacuumed chamber of the structure after separating the flat surface of the contact layer from the top surface of the softened polymer layer; andcooling the polymer layer after the separating of the flat surface of the contact layer. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressing the surface of the contact layer is performed in a vacuum environment to prevent air from being trapped between the surface of the contact layer and the top surface of the polymer layer. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the softening the polymer layer includes heating the polymer layer to a temperature from about 50 to about 250 degree C. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the softening the polymer layer includes heating the polymer layer to a temperature range, wherein a glass transition temperature of the polymer layer is within the temperature range. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface is a non-adhesive surface. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer layer is of a type selected from the group consisting of: a photoresist layer, an antireflection coating (ARC) layer, and a planarizing layer. 7. A method for planarizing a material layer formed over a substrate, the method comprising: supporting the substrate on a table with a compressible support;providing a flattening block having a flexible contact layer that has a substantially flat and non-adhesive coated surface, the coated surface including a film comprising at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), or fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), wherein the flattening block further includes a non-vacuumed chamber containing a liquid, wherein the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber prior to any engagement of the flattening block with the material layer, and wherein the flattening block is secured to a pressing arm by a pivotal interface such that the flexible contact layer pivots with respect to the supported substrate;softening the material layer, wherein softening the material layer includes heating the liquid within the non-vacuumed chamber to facilitate softening of the material layer, wherein the heating occurs prior to any engagement of the flattening block with the material layer;contacting the flat and non-adhesive coated surface of the contact layer to a top surface of the material layer and applying a pressure by the pressing arm through the pivotal interface and through the flattening block to the top surface of the material such that the top surface of the material layer becomes planarized, wherein the compressible support is compressed and the contact layer flexes during the application of the pressure, wherein the flattening block prevents the liquid from physically contacting the material when the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber of the flattening block and the flat and non-adhesive coated surface of the contact layer contacts the top surface of the material layer, wherein the liquid not generating the pressure to press the surface of the contact layer to the top surface of the softened polymer layer;separating the contact layer of the flattening block from the top surface of the material layer, wherein the liquid remains in the non-vacuumed chamber of the flattening block after separating the contact layer of the flattening block from the top surface of the material layer; andcooling the material layer after the separating of the contact layer. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the material layer is selected from the group consisting of: a photoresist layer, an antireflection coating (ARC) layer, and a planarizing layer. 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising performing the method in a vacuum environment. 10. A method for planarizing a material layer formed over a substrate, the method comprising: providing a flattening block having a flexible contact layer that has a substantially flat and non-adhesive surface, wherein the flattening block further includes a non-vacuumed chamber containing a liquid, wherein the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber prior to any engagement of the flattening block with the material layer;supporting the substrate on a table with a compressible support;heating the material layer to a temperature, wherein heating the material layer includes heating the liquid within the non-vacuumed chamber to facilitate heating of the material layer, wherein the heating occurs prior to any engagement of the flattening block with the material layer;bringing the flat and non-adhesive surface of the contact layer to a top surface of the material layer using a pivotal support attached to the flattening block that allows the flat and non-adhesive surface to pivot with respect to the top surface;pressing the flat and non-adhesive surface of the contact layer to the top surface of the material layer such that the top surface of the material layer substantially conforms to the flat surface of the contact layer, wherein the compressible support is compressed and the contact layer flexes during the pressing,wherein the flattening block prevents the liquid from physically contacting the material layer when the liquid is within the non-vacuumed chamber of the flattening block and the flat and non-adhesive surface of the contact layer is pressed to the top surface of the material layer, the liquid not generating the pressure to press the flat and non-adhesive surface of the contact layer to the top surface of the material layer, andwherein the pressure to press the flat non-adhesive surface of the contact layer to the top surface of the material layer is provided via the pivotal support;separating the contact layer of the flattening block from the top surface of the material layer, wherein the liquid remains in the non-vacuumed chamber of the flattening block after separating the contact layer of the flattening block from the top surface of the material layer; andcooling the material layer after the separating of the contact layer. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressing includes one of: maintaining the substrate stationary and moving the flattening block to contact the top surface of the material layer; andmaintaining the flattening block stationary and moving the substrate to contact the top surface of the material layer to the flattening block. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature of the heating is predetermined in consideration of a pressure that is to be applied to the flattening block during the pressing. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the contacting is performed in a vacuum environment to prevent air from being trapped between the flat surface of the flattening block and the top surface of the material layer. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the flattening block is formed of a material having a hardness substantially higher than that of the material layer. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the material of the flattening block is of a type selected from the group consisting of: a quartz material, a glass material, a metal material, and combinations thereof. 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the material layer is selected from the group consisting of: a photoresist layer, an antireflection coating (ARC) layer, and a planarizing layer. 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-adhesive surface includes a perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) material. 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the thickness and rigidity of the contact layer such that the surface of the contact layer can conform to macro-surface irregularities of the polymer layer during the pressing. 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the flexible contact layer includes at least one from the group consisting of quartz, glass, and metal. 20. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressing includes moving the flattening block to contact the top surface of the material layer and moving the substrate to contact the top surface of the material layer to the flattening block. 21. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-adhesive surface includes a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) material. 22. The method of claim 7, wherein the flattening block includes at least one of a quartz material, a glass material, or a metal material. 23. The method of claim 7, wherein the heating of the liquid is configured to heat the material layer to a temperature between about 50° C. and about 250° C.
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