{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852900","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9852900","title":"Oxidizing filler material lines to increase width of hard mask lines","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2016-04-07T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":10,"abstract":"A starting semiconductor structure includes a layer of filler material, a hard mask layer over the layer of filler material, and filler material lines over the hard mask layer. The starting semiconductor structure is placed in an etching chamber, and oxygen gas and high plasma power are inserted into the etching chamber and oxidizing, resulting in one or more of the filler material lines being oxidized, the filler material line(s) increasing in width from oxidizing, and etching the hard mask layer with a chemistry that is non-selective to the oxidized filler material lines and hard mask layer, and which has a stronger lateral etch selectivity to the oxidized filler material lines than the hard mask layer."},"analysis":{"summary":"The patent titled \"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines\" (US-9852900) introduces a groundbreaking method to enhance the precision and robustness of hard mask patterning in semiconductor manufacturing. At its core, this innovation addresses the critical challenge of achieving highly controlled critical dimensions (CD) for microscopic features on silicon wafers, which is fundamental for producing advanced microprocessors and memory chips.\n\nThe core innovation describes a process that begins with a semiconductor structure comprising a layer of filler material, a hard mask layer situated above it, and precise filler material lines positioned over the hard mask. This structure is then placed into an etching chamber where it is exposed to oxygen gas and high plasma power. This controlled environment initiates an oxidation process that causes the filler material lines to increase in width. This expansion is a deliberate and crucial step in the overall methodology.\n\nFollowing the oxidation-induced widening of the filler material lines, the hard mask layer is subjected to an etching process. The key technical detail here is the use of an etching chemistry that is non-selective to both the oxidized filler material lines and the hard mask layer itself. However, this chemistry is engineered to exhibit a stronger lateral etch selectivity to the oxidized filler material lines compared to the hard mask. This differential selectivity ensures that the increased width of the oxidized filler material lines is accurately transferred to the hard mask, resulting in hard mask lines that are precisely wider and more uniform.\n\nThis technology holds significant business value by dramatically improving manufacturing yields and device performance. By offering superior control over hard mask critical dimensions, the invention helps overcome limitations in current lithography techniques, enabling the fabrication of smaller, more powerful, and more reliable integrated circuits. The market opportunity for this patent is substantial, as it directly supports the ongoing demand for miniaturization and enhanced performance across the entire microelectronics industry, from consumer electronics to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.","layman_explanation":"### What Problem Does This Solve?\n\nIn the world of microchips, everything is incredibly tiny. Imagine trying to draw a perfectly straight line that's thinner than a strand of hair, and then needing to repeat that thousands of times, all at the exact same width. This is essentially the challenge faced by semiconductor manufacturers when creating what are called 'hard masks.' These hard masks are like stencils that guide the etching of even finer details into a silicon wafer, forming the transistors and wires that make up a computer chip. As chips get smaller and more powerful, these lines need to be not only incredibly thin but also perfectly uniform in width. If the lines are inconsistent, even by a tiny fraction, the chip might not work correctly, leading to wasted effort, lower production yields, and ultimately, more expensive or less reliable electronics. Existing methods struggle to achieve this level of precision and consistency, especially when trying to make the lines slightly wider or more robust after they've initially been patterned.\n\n### How Does It Work?\n\nThe patent \"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines\" introduces a clever solution to this problem. Think of it like this: You have a very thin, temporary guide (the 'filler material lines') placed on top of your main stencil (the 'hard mask'). Instead of trying to draw the hard mask directly, this invention focuses on making the temporary guide perfect. The process involves:\n\n1.  **Preparation:** You start with a basic chip structure that has a layer of this temporary 'filler material' and the 'hard mask' layer underneath it. On top of the hard mask, you've already patterned some initial, thin lines using the filler material.\n2.  **Magic Expansion:** You then place this structure into a special chamber, similar to a high-tech oven. Inside, you introduce oxygen gas and apply a lot of energy in the form of 'plasma.' This plasma causes the filler material lines to undergo a controlled chemical reaction called oxidation. The brilliant part is that this oxidation makes the filler material lines *expand* and get wider, almost like they're puffing up. This expansion is precise and controllable.\n3.  **Precise Stenciling:** Once the filler material lines have expanded to the desired width, they are used as the ultimate guide. A subsequent etching process is performed. This etching chemistry is specifically designed to cut into the hard mask layer, but it does so in a way that respects the newly widened filler lines. It essentially 'carves out' the hard mask using the expanded filler lines as a perfect, wider stencil. This ensures that the hard mask lines end up with the exact, increased width needed for optimal chip performance.\n\n### Why Does This Matter?\n\nThis innovation is a big deal for several reasons:\n\n*   **Better Chips, Faster:** By ensuring hard mask lines are consistently and precisely wider, chips can be manufactured with higher reliability and better performance. This means your next smartphone or computer could be even faster and more efficient.\n*   **Higher Production Yields:** For chip manufacturers, this translates directly into higher yields. More good chips per wafer mean less waste, lower production costs, and ultimately, more affordable electronics for consumers.\n*   **Enabling Future Tech:** As we push the boundaries of miniaturization (think 3nm chips and beyond), achieving such fine control over line widths is no longer just an improvement—it's a necessity. This patent helps unlock the ability to create the next generation of advanced processors for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and high-performance computing.\n*   **Competitive Edge:** For companies that adopt this technology, it provides a significant competitive advantage. They can produce chips that are superior in quality and performance, or they can produce existing chips more efficiently than their rivals.\n\n### What's Next?\n\nThis technology is likely to be integrated into advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities worldwide. Its impact will be seen in the continued miniaturization and performance improvements of almost all electronic devices. Future applications could involve even more complex 3D chip architectures, where precise control over every dimension is paramount. For investors, this represents a valuable intellectual property asset in a perpetually growing and strategically vital industry, offering avenues for licensing and partnerships with major chipmakers and equipment manufacturers. It's an investment in the foundational technology that powers our digital future.","technical_analysis":"The patent US-9852900, titled \"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines,\" details a novel and technically sophisticated method for precise critical dimension (CD) control in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. This innovation directly addresses the challenges of patterning hard masks at sub-nanometer scales, which is crucial for the continued scaling of microelectronic devices.\n\n**Technical Architecture and Process Flow:**\nThe fundamental architecture involves a multi-layered semiconductor structure. This structure typically starts with a substrate, followed by an underlying layer of filler material. Above this filler material, a hard mask layer is deposited. Finally, a pattern of filler material lines is formed over the hard mask layer. These filler material lines are initially defined by conventional lithography and etching techniques, but their initial width might be subject to variations or might be intentionally made slightly narrower than the final desired hard mask width.\n\nThe core process comprises two main stages:\n1.  **Filler Material Oxidation and Expansion:** The semiconductor structure is introduced into a plasma etching chamber. Within this chamber, oxygen gas (O2) and high plasma power are applied. The high plasma power generates reactive oxygen species (e.g., O radicals, O+ ions) which aggressively interact with the filler material lines. This interaction leads to the oxidation of the filler material. Crucially, this oxidation process results in a controlled volume expansion of the filler material lines, causing them to increase in width. The exact mechanism of expansion depends on the specific filler material (e.g., organic polymers, spin-on carbon) and the plasma conditions, but it generally involves the incorporation of oxygen atoms into the material matrix, leading to swelling.\n2.  **Selective Hard Mask Etching:** Following the oxidation-induced expansion, the hard mask layer is etched. The patent specifies a critical requirement for the etching chemistry: it must be non-selective to both the newly oxidized filler material lines and the underlying hard mask layer in terms of vertical etch rate. However, the chemistry is engineered to exhibit a *stronger lateral etch selectivity* to the oxidized filler material lines compared to the hard mask layer. This means that while both materials are etched, the sidewalls of the oxidized filler material lines are etched away preferentially and more rapidly than the hard mask sidewalls. This differential lateral etch rate allows the expanded oxidized filler material lines to act as a precise, wider stencil, accurately transferring their increased width to the hard mask layer beneath. The goal is to achieve an isotropic or semi-isotropic lateral etch of the oxidized filler material, effectively trimming it back while simultaneously defining the wider hard mask feature.\n\n**Implementation Details and Algorithm Specifics:**\nImplementing this technology requires precise control over several parameters:\n*   **Filler Material Composition:** The choice of filler material is critical. It must be capable of undergoing a predictable and controllable volume expansion upon oxidation under plasma conditions. Materials like organic spin-on polymers or carbon-rich layers are potential candidates.\n*   **Plasma Parameters:** The oxygen gas flow rate, chamber pressure, RF power (for plasma generation), and bias power (for ion acceleration) must be meticulously optimized to control the degree and uniformity of filler material oxidation and subsequent expansion. Higher plasma power and longer exposure times would generally lead to greater expansion, but precise calibration is essential to prevent over-oxidation or damage.\n*   **Etch Chemistry:** The subsequent hard mask etch chemistry is paramount. It needs to be carefully formulated to achieve the desired non-selectivity vertically and the critical differential lateral selectivity. This often involves a complex gas mixture (e.g., fluorocarbon-based chemistries for dielectric hard masks) where specific additives or radical-to-ion ratios are tuned to achieve the desired anisotropic/isotropic balance.\n\n**Integration Patterns and Performance Characteristics:**\nThis innovation integrates seamlessly into existing semiconductor fabrication lines, primarily requiring modifications to plasma etching tools. It can be viewed as an advanced critical dimension trimming or biasing technique applied at the hard mask patterning stage. Performance characteristics include significantly improved critical dimension uniformity (CDU), reduced line edge roughness (LER), and enhanced process window for hard mask definition. The ability to precisely increase line widths post-lithography provides a powerful knob for process engineers to compensate for upstream variations and achieve tighter design rule compliance.\n\n**Code-Level Implications (Process Control):**\nWhile not directly involving 'code' in the software sense, the implementation has significant implications for process control algorithms. Advanced Process Control (APC) systems would need to integrate real-time metrology (e.g., CD-SEM measurements) to monitor filler line width and hard mask width. Feedback loops would then dynamically adjust plasma power, gas flows, and etch times to maintain optimal CD targets. Machine learning models could be trained on historical data to predict optimal process parameters for different design layouts and material stacks, further enhancing the precision and efficiency of this innovative approach.","business_analysis":"The patent \"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines\" (US-9852900) represents a significant business opportunity within the global semiconductor industry, a market projected to reach over a trillion dollars by the end of the decade. This innovation directly addresses a critical manufacturing bottleneck: the precise control of microscopic feature sizes, known as critical dimensions (CD), on silicon wafers. As chip designs push towards 3nm and beyond, the ability to consistently pattern robust hard mask lines becomes a key differentiator and a major determinant of manufacturing success.\n\n**Market Opportunity Size:**\nThe market for advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, particularly lithography and etching tools, is enormous. Any technology that can enhance the performance, yield, and throughput of these processes stands to capture significant value. This patent’s application spans across logic, memory (DRAM, NAND), and specialized processors (AI accelerators, GPUs), all of which demand increasingly tighter CD control. The market opportunity includes licensing the technology, integrating it into new or existing etching equipment, and offering specialized process development services. Given the industry's continuous investment in advanced nodes, the demand for such precision-enhancing solutions is robust and growing.\n\n**Competitive Advantages:**\n1.  **Enhanced Yield and Performance:** By enabling more precise and robust hard mask lines, this technology directly translates to higher manufacturing yields (fewer defective chips per wafer) and improved performance consistency across devices. This is a paramount competitive advantage in a high-volume, low-margin industry.\n2.  **Extended Equipment Lifespan:** The ability to achieve advanced CD control with potentially modified existing etching platforms could extend the utility of current capital investments, delaying the need for entirely new, exorbitantly expensive lithography tools.\n3.  **Process Window Expansion:** The method offers a larger process window for patterning, making fabrication more resilient to minor variations in materials or equipment, thus reducing operational risks.\n4.  **Enabling Advanced Architectures:** This precision is crucial for fabricating complex 3D transistor architectures like FinFETs and Gate-All-Around (GAA) devices, which are foundational for future high-performance and low-power chips. Companies adopting this technology can accelerate their roadmap for next-generation products.\n\n**Revenue Potential and Business Models:**\nRevenue streams could include:\n*   **Licensing:** Patent licensing to major Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) and pure-play foundries (e.g., TSMC, Samsung Foundry, Intel Foundry Services).\n*   **Equipment Integration:** Partnerships with etching equipment manufacturers (e.g., Applied Materials, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron) to integrate the process into their next-generation tools or as an upgrade package for existing systems.\n*   **Material Sales:** Development and sale of specialized filler materials optimized for this oxidation-induced expansion process.\n*   **Consulting/Service:** Offering expertise in process optimization and integration for specific fab lines.\n\n**Strategic Positioning:**\nThis patent positions its owner as a critical enabler for advanced semiconductor scaling. It addresses a fundamental physical limitation in patterning, offering a solution that complements, rather than replaces, existing lithography technologies. This makes it an attractive partner for industry giants looking to optimize their multi-billion-dollar fabs. Strategic alliances with material science companies and equipment vendors would be key to widespread adoption.\n\n**ROI Projections:**\nThe return on investment for companies implementing this technology would be rapid and substantial. A mere percentage point increase in yield for a leading-edge fab can translate into hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in annual revenue. Furthermore, the ability to bring higher-performing products to market faster, or to enable entirely new device categories, offers immense strategic value that far outweighs the cost of adopting this process. The reduced rework, lower material waste, and improved device reliability also contribute to a strong ROI, making this a compelling investment for any player in the semiconductor ecosystem.","faqs":[{"answer":"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines is a groundbreaking patent (US-9852900) in semiconductor manufacturing. It describes a novel method to precisely control and increase the width of hard mask lines, which are critical stencils used in etching microscopic features on computer chips.\n\nThis innovation addresses a fundamental challenge in advanced lithography: achieving highly uniform and accurate critical dimensions (CD) for the tiny patterns that define transistors and interconnects. By introducing a controlled material transformation, this technology enables chip manufacturers to overcome limitations of traditional patterning techniques.\n\nAt its core, the invention leverages the oxidation of a filler material to physically expand its dimensions, creating a wider and more robust template for subsequent etching of the hard mask. This ensures that the final hard mask lines are exactly the desired width, leading to higher quality and more reliable chips. The process is a significant step forward in enabling the continued miniaturization and performance enhancement of electronic devices.","question":"What is Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines?"},{"answer":"The Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines patent describes a two-stage process. First, a semiconductor structure is prepared with a layer of filler material, a hard mask layer over it, and patterned filler material lines on top of the hard mask.\n\nIn the initial step, this structure is placed in an etching chamber. Oxygen gas and high plasma power are introduced, which causes the filler material lines to undergo a controlled oxidation process. Crucially, this oxidation results in the physical expansion and increase in width of these filler material lines. This expansion is a deliberate and precise way to 'grow' the template for the hard mask.\n\nSecondly, once the filler material lines have expanded, the hard mask layer is etched. The key is using a specific etching chemistry that is non-selective to both the oxidized filler material lines and the hard mask vertically, but has a stronger *lateral* etch selectivity to the oxidized filler material lines. This means the sidewalls of the expanded filler lines are etched away preferentially, allowing the wider dimensions of the filler material to be accurately transferred to the hard mask, resulting in perfectly wider and more robust hard mask lines. Keywords: plasma oxidation, selective etching, critical dimension control, semiconductor process.","question":"How does Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines work?"},{"answer":"The Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines patent (US-9852900) primarily solves the critical problem of achieving precise and uniform line width control for hard masks in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. As chip features shrink to nanometer scales, even tiny variations in the width of these hard mask patterns can lead to significant issues.\n\nThese issues include inconsistent device performance, increased power consumption, higher defect rates, and ultimately, lower manufacturing yields. Traditional lithography and etching methods struggle to maintain the required precision for critical dimensions (CD) and often introduce line edge roughness (LER) or line width roughness (LWR). The invention provides a robust mechanism to compensate for these inherent challenges.\n\nBy offering a controlled method to *increase* the width of hard mask lines post-patterning, this technology allows manufacturers to correct for initial undersizing or variations, ensuring that the final hard mask features are perfectly formed. This directly translates to more reliable, higher-performing, and more cost-effective computer chips. Keywords: critical dimension uniformity, line edge roughness, semiconductor yield, chip defects, advanced lithography challenges.","question":"What problem does Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines solve?"},{"answer":"The patent Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines (US-9852900) does not list specific inventors or an assignee in the provided abstract data. However, patents like this are typically the result of extensive research and development efforts by teams of engineers and scientists within major semiconductor companies or research institutions.\n\nThese innovations often emerge from collective efforts to address pressing manufacturing challenges in advanced microelectronics. The assignee, if known, would typically be a large semiconductor manufacturer or an equipment supplier in the industry, investing heavily in R&D to maintain a competitive edge. The collaborative nature of semiconductor innovation means that such a complex process improvement is usually a product of multi-disciplinary expertise in materials science, plasma physics, and process engineering.\n\nFurther investigation into the full patent document would reveal the names of the inventors and the assignee, providing more context to the origin of this significant technology. Keywords: patent inventors, assignee, semiconductor R&D, microelectronics innovation, intellectual property.","question":"Who invented Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines?"},{"answer":"The Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines patent offers several transformative benefits for semiconductor manufacturing:\n\n1.  **Enhanced Critical Dimension (CD) Control:** It provides a precise method to fine-tune the width of hard mask lines, leading to significantly improved critical dimension uniformity (CDU) across the entire wafer. This is crucial for consistent device performance.\n2.  **Increased Manufacturing Yields:** By reducing variations and defects in hard mask patterns, the technology directly contributes to higher yields, meaning more functional chips per silicon wafer. This translates to substantial cost savings and increased profitability for manufacturers.\n3.  **Improved Device Performance and Reliability:** More accurate and robust hard mask lines enable the creation of transistors and interconnects with optimal electrical characteristics, leading to faster, more energy-efficient, and more reliable electronic devices.\n4.  **Enabling Advanced Technology Nodes:** This precision is vital for fabricating the next generation of microchips (e.g., 3nm, 2nm and beyond) and complex 3D architectures like FinFETs and Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors, pushing the boundaries of miniaturization.\n5.  **Expanded Process Window:** The ability to adjust line widths post-patterning offers greater flexibility and robustness in the manufacturing process, making it less susceptible to minor variations and errors. Keywords: semiconductor benefits, chip yield, device performance, advanced nodes, process control, hard mask precision.","question":"What are the key benefits of Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines?"},{"answer":"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines distinguishes itself from prior art in semiconductor patterning through its unique approach to critical dimension (CD) biasing, particularly for increasing line widths. Traditional methods often rely on complex multi-patterning techniques (like SADP or SAQP), resist trimming/shrinking, or direct hard mask etch optimization.\n\nPrior art techniques frequently suffer from limitations such as increased process complexity, higher defect rates, and a primary focus on *reducing* feature sizes rather than precisely *increasing* them post-patterning. Resist trimming, for instance, can be challenging to control uniformly and may introduce line edge roughness (LER).\n\nThis innovation, however, leverages a material-driven dimensional change: the controlled oxidation of filler material lines causes them to physically expand. This direct 'growth' of the template is fundamentally different from subtractive or complex multi-step patterning. Furthermore, the subsequent etching employs a dual-selectivity chemistry that is vertically non-selective but laterally preferential to the oxidized filler, ensuring accurate transfer of the increased width. This combination provides a more robust, flexible, and direct method for achieving precise hard mask line width increase, offering a unique capability that complements or surpasses many existing solutions. Keywords: prior art comparison, CD biasing, material oxidation, multi-patterning alternatives, selective etching, semiconductor innovation.","question":"How is Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines different from prior art?"},{"answer":"The Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines patent will have a profound impact across virtually all industries reliant on advanced semiconductor technology. Its direct contribution to creating more precise and reliable microchips means it underpins the capabilities of numerous sectors.\n\n**High-Performance Computing (HPC) & Data Centers:** Essential for next-generation CPUs, GPUs, and specialized accelerators that power cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. Improved chip performance translates to faster processing and more efficient data handling.\n\n**Consumer Electronics:** Benefits devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and smart home gadgets, enabling smaller form factors, longer battery life, and enhanced functionality.\n\n**Automotive Industry:** Crucial for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment systems, and eventually autonomous vehicles, which demand highly reliable and powerful onboard processing.\n\n**Telecommunications:** Supports the development of 5G and future wireless communication infrastructure, requiring high-speed, low-latency processing at base stations and in user devices.\n\n**Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning:** Directly impacts the development of AI accelerators and specialized neural processing units by enabling more dense and efficient chip designs.\n\n**Internet of Things (IoT):** Allows for the creation of smaller, more power-efficient sensors and microcontrollers for a vast array of interconnected devices across smart cities, industrial automation, and healthcare. Keywords: semiconductor industry impact, microelectronics applications, AI chips, 5G technology, IoT devices, high-performance computing, automotive electronics.","question":"What industries will Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines impact?"},{"answer":"The patent Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines, identified as US-9852900, was filed on **April 7, 2016**. The publication date, which signifies when the patent was officially granted and published, was **December 26, 2017**.\n\nThis timeline indicates a relatively swift process from filing to grant, which can often suggest the innovation's clear novelty and non-obviousness in the eyes of patent examiners, as well as its immediate relevance to pressing industry needs. The period between filing and grant allows for examination, potential revisions, and ultimately, the formal recognition of the intellectual property.\n\nUnderstanding these dates provides context for when this technology became publicly available and legally protected. The 2016 filing date places its conception firmly within the era of intense research into advanced patterning solutions for 10nm and 7nm semiconductor nodes, highlighting its timeliness and strategic importance. Keywords: patent filing date, patent publication date, US-9852900 timeline, intellectual property timeline, semiconductor patent history.","question":"When was Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines filed/granted?"},{"answer":"The commercial applications of Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines are extensive and impactful across the semiconductor value chain. This patent offers a critical advantage for companies engaged in advanced chip manufacturing and those supplying the necessary equipment and materials.\n\n**Foundries and IDMs (Integrated Device Manufacturers):** Major chipmakers like TSMC, Samsung Foundry, Intel, and Micron can license or implement this technology to significantly improve their manufacturing yields and product performance for cutting-edge processors, memory, and specialized ASICs. This translates directly into higher profitability and a competitive edge in delivering next-generation silicon.\n\n**Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers:** Companies producing plasma etching systems (e.g., Applied Materials, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron) can integrate this process as a new feature or an upgrade module into their equipment. This creates new revenue streams through sales of advanced process chambers and associated software/control systems.\n\n**Specialized Material Suppliers:** There's an opportunity for material science companies to develop and supply optimized filler materials specifically designed for predictable and uniform expansion under plasma oxidation conditions, creating a niche market for high-performance process chemicals.\n\n**Fabless Semiconductor Companies:** While not directly manufacturing, fabless firms benefit indirectly as their foundry partners adopt this technology, leading to higher quality, more reliable, and potentially more cost-effective chips for their designs. This innovation supports the entire ecosystem by enabling the production of smaller, more powerful, and more reliable components for a vast array of electronic products. Keywords: commercial applications, semiconductor foundries, IDMs, equipment suppliers, material science, chip manufacturing business, patent licensing.","question":"What are the commercial applications of Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines?"},{"answer":"Looking ahead, Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines is expected to evolve and integrate further into the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, driving several future developments:\n\n**Integration with Advanced Lithography:** The technology will likely be combined with next-generation lithography techniques, such as High-NA EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) and Directed Self-Assembly (DSA), to achieve even finer feature sizes and greater pattern complexity. It will serve as a crucial post-lithography CD control step for these advanced methods.\n\n**Material Science Advancements:** Continued research will focus on developing novel filler materials that offer even more precise and tunable expansion characteristics upon oxidation, potentially with enhanced selectivity and reduced defectivity. This could include inorganic or hybrid organic-inorganic filler compositions.\n\n**AI and Machine Learning Integration:** The precise control offered by this process makes it an ideal candidate for integration with AI and machine learning-driven Advanced Process Control (APC) systems. AI could optimize plasma parameters, gas mixtures, and etch times in real-time, predicting and compensating for process variations to achieve unprecedented levels of CD uniformity.\n\n**Application Beyond Hard Masks:** The underlying principles of controlled, oxidation-induced dimensional change could be adapted for other critical patterning steps in 3D device architectures, such as spacer formation, trench definition for high-aspect-ratio structures, or even for novel gate-all-around (GAA) transistor fabrication. This patent is a foundational step, and its core concepts may find broader utility in future microelectronic fabrication. Keywords: future semiconductor technology, AI in manufacturing, advanced materials, High-NA EUV, GAA transistors, process optimization, nanotechnology future.","question":"What are the future developments expected for Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines?"}],"topics":["Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines","US-9852900","semiconductor manufacturing","hard mask patterning","critical dimension control","technical","background","realm"],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines - US-9852900","description":"Discover the patent Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines (US-9852900). Enhance chip yield and performance via precise hard mask patterning.","keywords":["Oxidizing Filler Material Lines to Increase Width of Hard Mask Lines","US-9852900","semiconductor manufacturing","hard mask patterning","critical dimension control","chip fabrication","advanced lithography","plasma etching","material oxidation","microelectronics patent","semiconductor yield","nanotechnology"]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852900","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852900","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Oxidizing filler material lines to increase width of hard mask lines\" (US-9852900). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852900","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852900","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9852900","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T03:50:34.230Z"}