IP Library Granted Patent US 7,488,661
Granted Patent B2
US 7,488,661 · App. 11/369,391 · Granted Feb 10, 2009

Device and method for improving interface adhesion in thin film structures

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,488,661
App. No.
11/369,391
Granted
Feb 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device and method for improving adhesion for thin film layers includes applying a diblock copolymer on a surface where adhesion to subsequent layers is needed and curing the diblock copolymer. Pores are formed in the diblock copolymer by treating the diblock copolymer with a solvent. The surface is etched through the pores of the diblock copolymer to form adhesion promoting features. The diblock copolymer is removed, and a layer is deposited on the surface wherein the adhesion promoting features are employed to promote adhesion between the layer and the surface.

Claims (26)

1. A method for improving adhesion for thin film layers, comprising:

applying a diblock copolymer on a surface where adhesion to subsequent layers is needed and curing the diblock copolymer;

wherein the surface includes structures formed thereon, forming spacers on the sides of the structures and forming the diblock copolymer on the spacers and structures;

forming pores in the diblock copolymer by treating the diblock copolymer with a solvent;

etching the surface through the pores of the diblock copolymer to form adhesion promoting features such that during etching the sides of the structures are protected by the spacers;

removing the diblock copolymer; and

depositing a layer on the surface wherein the adhesion promoting features are employed to promote adhesion between the layer and the surface.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface includes an adhesion layer and etching includes transferring a pattern formed by the pores into the adhesion layer.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the pattern is transferred through the adhesion layer to an underlying layer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface includes a substrate and the layer is formed as one of a dielectric layer and a metal layer.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface includes structures formed thereon and the diblock copolymer is formed on the structures.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the structures form magnetic memory devices or portions thereof.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising depositing a hard mask dielectric layer prior to the diblock copolymer; transferring a pore pattern from the diblock copolymer to the hard mask layer and etching a layer below the hard mask layer using the hard mask layer to transfer the pore pattern.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface includes one of a dielectric layer and a metal plate.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising applying a random copolymer layer on the surface before the diblock copolymer.

10. A method for improving adhesion, comprising:

applying a random copolymer layer on a surface, wherein the surface includes magnetic memory devices or portions thereof formed on the surface;

applying a diblock copolymer layer on the random copolymer layer;

forming spacers on the sides of the magnetic memory devices and forming the random and diblock copolymer layers on the spacers and magnetic memory devices such that during etching the sides of the magnetic memory devices are protected by the spacers;

forming pores in the random and diblock copolymer layers by treating the layers with a solvent;

etching the surface through the pores of the random and diblock copolymer layers to form adhesion promoting features on the surface;

removing the random and diblock copolymer layers; and

depositing a layer on the surface wherein the adhesion promoting features are employed to promote adhesion between the layer and the surface.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the surface includes an adhesion layer and etching includes transferring a pattern formed by the pores into the adhesion layer.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising depositing a hard mask dielectric layer prior to the random and diblock copolymer layers; transferring a pore pattern from the diblock copolymer layer to the hard mask layer and etching a layer below the hard mask layer using the hard mask layer to transfer the pore pattern.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the surface includes a metal plate.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2020
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ELPIS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 052620/0961 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2006
From: MILKOVE, KEITH RAYMOND; GAIDIS, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017365/0024 →