Method and apparatus for forming a patterned layer of carbon, method of forming a patterned layer of material

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for forming a patterned layer of carbon are disclosed. In one arrangement, a selected portion of a surface of a solid structure is irradiated with extreme ultraviolet radiation in the presence of a carbon-containing precursor. The radiation interacts with the solid structure in the selected portion to cause formation of a layer of carbon in the selected portion from the carbon-containing precursor. The layer of carbon is formed in a pattern defined by the selected portion.

1 . A method comprising:
 irradiating, with extreme ultraviolet radiation, a selected region of an absorption layer and a monolayer of material formed on the absorption layer;   generating, based on the radiation interacting with the absorption layer, either or both of photo-electrons and hot electrons at an interface between the monolayer of material and the absorption layer that modify the monolayer of material in the selected region; and   using a difference in properties in the selected region caused by the modification to grow a barrier layer on the monolayer of material in a pattern defined by the selected region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing an etching process in which the absorption layer is removed where the barrier layer is absent and is not removed where the barrier layer is present, thereby forming a patterned layer of material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monolayer of material comprises a self-assembled monolayer of material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the absorption layer comprises one or both of the following: a metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monolayer of material comprises a plurality of organic molecules each having an anchoring functional group, the anchoring functional group being a functional group effective to attach the organic molecules to the absorption layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anchoring functional group comprises a thiol group, a silane group, or a phosphate group. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein growing the barrier layer comprises replacing a first material in the monolayer of material in the selected region with a second material, the replacement being favored in the selected region by the modification of the monolayer of material in the selected region. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein growing the barrier layer further comprises performing a growth process in which either:
 the barrier layer grows on the first material and not on the second material; or   the barrier layer grows on the second material and not on the first material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise organic molecules having different terminal functional groups. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise organic molecules having a same anchoring functional group, the anchoring functional group being a functional group effective to attach the organic molecules to the absorption layer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the replacement of the first material with the second material is performed by immersion in a solution containing the second material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the monolayer of material comprises a plurality of organic molecules each having a capping functional group; and   the modification of the monolayer of material comprises removing the capping functional group from at least a subset of the organic molecules in the selected region.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein growing the barrier layer comprises performing a growth process in which the barrier layer grows preferentially in the selected region due to interaction with organic molecules from which the capping functional group has been removed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the preferential growth comprises selective deposition of either or both of metal-containing and metal-organic hybrid materials in the selected region. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the interaction with organic molecules from which the capping functional group has been removed comprises interaction with one or more of the following terminal functional groups having affinity for metallic species: carboxylates; phosphates; sulfonates; and amines, pyridine, piperidine, or other amine-based groups. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 an irradiation system configured to irradiate a selected region of an absorption layer and a monolayer of material formed on the absorption layer with extreme ultraviolet radiation; and   an environment control system configured to control an environment including the selected region of the absorption layer and the monolayer of material,   wherein the radiation interacts with the absorption layer to generate either or both of photo-electrons and hot electrons at an interface between the monolayer of material and the absorption layer that modify the monolayer of material in the selected region; and   wherein a difference in properties in the selected region caused by the modification to grow a barrier layer on the monolayer of material in a pattern defined by the selected region is used.   
     
     
         17 . A device comprising:
 a substrate; and   a patterned layer of material,
 wherein the patterned layer of material is formed by irradiating with extreme ultraviolet radiation a selected region of an absorption layer deposited on the substrate and a monolayer of material formed on the absorption layer, 
   wherein the radiation interacts with the absorption layer to generate either or both of photo-electrons and hot electrons at an interface between the monolayer of material and the absorption layer that modify the monolayer of material in the selected region, and   wherein a difference in properties in the selected region caused by the modification to grow a barrier layer on the monolayer of material in a pattern defined by the selected region is used.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a structure, wherein the patterned layer of material is formed on the structure.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the patterned layer of material is a patterned layer of carbon. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the patterned layer of carbon is a patterned layer of graphene.