Deposition Method and Apparatus

Abstract

A method for depositing a protective layer of material on a localized area on a substrate, such as a pattern of photo resist, includes forming a controlled environment around the substrate and positioning a hollow needle adjacent to the localized area on the substrate. A liquid comprising the material is directed through the hollow needle onto the localized area, so as to deposit a layer of the material on the localized area. The layer of material may act as a Z-contrast forming layer in TEM.

1 . A deposition apparatus for preparing a protective layer on a localized area on a substrate, comprising:
 an arrangement effective to define a controlled environment around the substrate;   a liquid directing device;   a positioning arrangement configured to position the liquid directing device adjacent the localized area on the substrate; and   a liquid injection arrangement configured to enable a liquid comprising a material to be deposited to pass through the liquid directing device onto the localized area, so as to deposit the protective layer of the material on the localized area.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid directing device is a hollow needle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled environment includes water vapor. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material is Ferritin protein complex. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is a KMnO 4  solution in water. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the localized area is a pattern of photo resist formed on the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of lines, each of the plurality of lines has a width of about 32 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of lines has a pitch of about 64 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of lines, each of the plurality of lines has a width of about 40 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of lines has a pitch of about 80 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a contrast difference between the photo resist and the protective layer results in a Z-contrast in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). 
     
     
         12 . A deposition apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber configured to form a controlled environment around a substrate;   a liquid directing device positioned adjacent a localized area on the substrate, the liquid directing device carrying a liquid comprising a material; and   a liquid injection arrangement configured to enable the liquid to pass through the liquid directing device onto the localized area, so as to deposit a protective layer of the material on the localized area.   
     
     
         13 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a container configured to hold another liquid used for the controlled environment.   
     
     
         14 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the other liquid is water and the deposition apparatus further comprises:
 a heater element positioned in the container and configured to vaporize the water in the container; and   a fan configured to distribute the water vapor in the chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the chamber is configured to form a humidity controlled environment around the substrate to prevent a surface of the substrate from drying out during the deposition. 
     
     
         16 . A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate a pattern;   a projection optical system arranged to project an image of the pattern on to a localized area on a substrate; and   a deposition apparatus, comprising:
 an arrangement configured to form a controlled environment around the substrate; 
 a liquid directing device; 
 a positioning arrangement configured to position the liquid directing device adjacent the localized area on the substrate; and 
 a liquid injection arrangement configured to enable a liquid comprising a material to be deposited to pass through the liquid directing device onto the localized area, so as to deposit a protective layer of the material on the localized area. 
   
     
     
         17 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an e-beam deposition apparatus configured to form an electrically conductive layer over the protective layer on the localized area.   
     
     
         18 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the substrate is configured to be inspected by a transmission electron microscope (TEM),   the electrically conductive layer protects the patterned photoresist during the TEM inspection, and   the protective layer of the material on the localized area protects the patterned photoresist during formation of the electrically conductive layer.   
     
     
         19 . The lithographic apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid directing device includes a micropipette. 
     
     
         20 . The deposition apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the arrangement is configured to form a humidity controlled environment around the substrate to prevent a surface of the substrate from drying out during the deposition.