GOALI: Fundamental Approaches to Atomic Layer Etching

目标：原子层蚀刻的基本方法

• 批准号: 1609973
• 负责人: S. Ismat Shah
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: University of Delaware
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-08-01 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1609973&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GOALI; Fundamental; Approaches; Atomic; Layer

NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This project will develop the science and technology for etching metallic films one atomic later at a time. This know-how is most important in the field of memory devices, specifically based on magnetic principles used in computers, digital cameras, mobile phones and other similar devices. These devices based on the technology developed should demonstrate lower power consumption, smaller sizes, and lower cost of production compared to the other modern alternatives. However, to achieve this goal, very high level of control over making very thin metallic layers is necessary. The thickness of these layers must be highly reproducible to ensure reliable memory performance. For the metal components required, it is difficult to deposit them by traditional methods; however, it is possible to deposit relatively thick layers of these materials and then partially etch them away with the atomic layer precision. In addition to the obvious advantages of capabilities to make simpler, cheaper, faster, and more reliable memory devices this work can affect a wide variety of the systems that are at the core of national interests, including aerospace and military systems, image storage and analysis, data logging and many other applications. The combination of university and industrial research in this grant will offer special educational and training opportunities to the students and facilitate this development to reach the marketplace more quickly.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This GOALI project will target new approaches for removal of deposited metals in a layer-by-layer manner through atomic layer etching (ALEt). One of the prime targets for potential application of ALEt is in the field of Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM). Atomic Layer Etching (ALEt) requires reacting a metallic surface with a precursor molecule that saturates the surface and reduces the binding of the first layer of atoms to the bulk. A second input, be it chemical, energetic, or some combination of the two, will cause the first layer of metal atoms (with their associated ligands) to desorb. The second layer of atoms will now be exposed to the saturating precursor, followed by the desorption steps. As the process proceeds, the atoms will be removed from the surface layer by layer. Fe, Co, Ni, and Pt thin films deposited on a Si substrate will be used as the initial targets. The experimental approach will take two tracks. First, model systems will be designed, modeled, and tested. This approach will build on the understanding obtained through studying atomic layer deposition (ALD). A suite of surface characterization techniques will be coupled with high-resolution microscopies to understand these processes at the atomic level. In the second approach, work with American Air Liquide will study the ALEt process in manufacturing systems including temperature controlled wafer chucks, mass flow controllers for the reactants, and plasma sources. These systems will also be equipped so that the ALEt process can be monitored in operando. A model processing system will be constructed at the University of Delaware so that the composition and chemistry of the surface can be studied at any point in the process, in-situ studies. At the end of the proposal, working processes for various materials, including those of importance in MRAM application, will be developed. A deeper understanding of the physical components of the ALEt process will also be achieved.

非技术摘要：该项目将开发科学技术，用于蚀刻金属胶片一个原子。该专有技术在内存设备领域，特别是基于计算机，数码相机，手机和其他类似设备的磁性原理。与其他现代替代品相比，这些基于开发技术的设备应证明较低的功耗，较小的尺寸和较低的生产成本。但是，为了实现这一目标，必须进行非常高的金属层的控制水平。这些层的厚度必须高度重现，以确保可靠的内存性能。对于所需的金属组件，很难通过传统方法存放它们。但是，可以将这些材料的相对较厚的层沉积，然后用原子层的精度部分蚀刻它们。 除了能够使更简单，更便宜，更快，更可靠的记忆设备的能力的明显优势外，此工作还会影响各种国家利益的系统，包括航空航天和军事系统，图像存储和分析，数据记录和许多其他应用。大学和工业研究在这笔赠款中的结合将为学生提供特殊的教育和培训机会，并促进这一发展以更快地到达市场。技术摘要：该守门员项目将针对新的方法，以通过原子层蚀刻（ALET）（ALET）以逐层的方式去除沉积金属。潜在应用ALET的主要目标之一是在磁随机访问记忆（MRAM）的领域。原子层蚀刻（Alet）需要将金属表面与前体分子反应，该前体分子饱和表面并减少第一层原子与大块的结合。第二个输入，无论是化学，能量还是两者的某种组合，都会导致第一层金属原子（及其相关的配体）解开。现在，第二层原子将暴露于饱和的前体，然后是解吸步骤。随着过程的进行，原子将逐层从表面上取出。沉积在Si基板上的Fe，Co，Ni和Pt薄膜将用作初始目标。实验方法将采用两条轨道。首先，将设计，建模和测试模型系统。这种方法将基于通过研究原子层沉积（ALD）获得的理解。一套表面表征技术将与高分辨率显微镜结合，以了解原子水平的这些过程。在第二种方法中，与美国空气的合作将研究制造系统中的ALET过程，包括温度控制的晶圆Chuck，反应物的质量流量控制器和等离子体来源。这些系统也将配备配备，以便可以在Operando中监视Alet过程。在特拉华大学将构建模型处理系统，以便可以在此过程中的任何时刻研究表面的组成和化学。在提案结束时，将开发各种材料的工作过程，包括在MRAM应用中的重要性。还将深入了解Alet过程的物理成分。