IP Library Granted Patent US 11,886,122
Granted Patent B2
US 11,886,122 · App. 17/357,666 · Granted Jan 30, 2024

Deep etching substrates using a bi-layer etch mask

Inventors: Jung-Hun Seo (Buffalo, NY); Yixiong Zheng (Amherst, NY); Matthias Muehle (Howell, MI)
Assignees: FRAUNHOFER USA, INC.; THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
G03F7/36C23C14/04C23C14/06C23C14/5873B81C2201/0146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,886,122
App. No.
17/357,666
Granted
Jan 30, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method comprising providing a carbonaceous material, the substrate having a first thermal conductivity. The method further comprises depositing a first masking layer having a second thermal conductivity on at least a portion of the substrate, a ratio of the second thermal conductivity to the first thermal conductivity being less than or equal to 1:30. The method further comprises depositing a second masking layer on the first masking layer to form an etch mask, and etching an exposed portion of the substrate.

Claims (29)

1. A method, comprising:

providing a substrate including a carbonaceous material, the substrate having a first thermal conductivity;

depositing a first masking layer having a second thermal conductivity on at least a portion of the substrate, a ratio of the second thermal conductivity to the first thermal conductivity being less than or equal to 1:30;

depositing a second masking layer in direct contact with the first masking layer to form an etch mask; and

etching an exposed portion of the substrate using the etch mask that includes both the first masking layer and the second masking layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first masking layer and the second masking layer are patterned after being deposited on the substrate so as to form the etch mask.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises a sp-3 containing carbonaceous material, the sp-3 containing carbonaceous material comprising at least one of a monocrystalline diamond, a randomly oriented diamond, a polycrystalline diamond, a microcrystalline diamond, nanocrystalline diamond, an ultrananocrystalline diamond, or a diamond epilayer/film on a heteroepitaxial substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first masking layer has a thermal expansion coefficient below 10 micrometers/(meters·Kelvin) at 25 degrees Celsius.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first masking layer comprises chromium.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an etch selectivity ratio of the substrate to the second masking layer is greater than 1:100.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second masking layer comprises nickel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first masking layer has a first thickness of less than 20 nanometers.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second masking layer has a second thickness, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first thickness is less than 10 nanometers.

11. An etched substrate formed by the process comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate including a carbonaceous material, the substrate having a first thermal conductivity;

depositing a first masking layer having a second thermal conductivity on at least a portion of the substrate, a ratio of the second thermal conductivity to the first thermal conductivity being less than or equal to 1:30;

depositing a second masking layer in direct contact with the first masking layer to form an etch mask; and

etching an exposed portion of the substrates;

wherein the first masking layer has a first thickness and the second masking layer has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness has a minimum value of about 1/30.

12. The etched substrate of claim 11 , wherein the first masking layer and the second masking layer are patterned after being deposited on the substrate so as to form the etch mask.

13. The etched substrate of claim 11 wherein the carbonaceous material comprises a sp-3 containing carbonaceous material, the sp-3 containing carbonaceous material comprising at least one of a monocrystalline diamond, a randomly oriented diamond, a polycrystalline diamond, a microcrystalline diamond, a nanocrystalline diamond, an ultrananocrystalline diamond, or a diamond epilayer/film on a heteroepitaxial substrate.

14. The etched substrate of claim 11 wherein the first masking layer has a thermal expansion coefficient below 10 micrometers/(meters·Kelvin) at 25 degrees Celsius.

15. The etched substrate of claim 14 , wherein the first masking layer comprises chromium.

16. The etched substrate of claim 11 , wherein an etch selectivity ratio of the substrate to the second masking layer is greater than 1:100.

17. The etched substrate of claim 16 , wherein the second masking layer comprises nickel.

18. The etched substrate of claim 11 , wherein the first masking layer has a first thickness of less than 20 nanometers.

19. The etched substrate of claim 18 , wherein the second masking layer has a second thickness, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness.

20. The etched substrate of claim 18 , wherein the first masking layer has a first thickness of less than 10 nanometers.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 10, 2025
From: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070794/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: MUEHLE, MATTHIAS
To: FRAUNHOFER USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 058099/0810 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: SEO, JUNG-HUN; ZHENG, YIXIONG
To: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Reel/Frame 058099/0949 →
Continuity (1)
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