Patent ID: 8398872
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: C30B

Abstract:
1. A method including: providing a substrate of a first composition, the substrate having a stepped surface; placing the substrate into a vessel; evacuating the vessel; providing a vapor composed of a second composition, the second composition being different than the first composition of the substrate; exposing the substrate, while within the evacuated vessel, to the vapor for a time sufficient to hetero-epitaxially form a plurality of 3D islands of the second composition over the stepped surface of the substrate; heating the substrate during the exposing operation to grow the 3D islands to where the height of the 3D islands at their highest point exceed the maximum variation in step height of the stepped surface; after heating the substrate during the exposing operation, heating and cooling the substrate to melt and re-solidify the second composition; and etching the deposited second composition and the substrate for a period of time sufficient to remove all of the deposited second composition from the substrate, wherein the stepped surface of the substrate is atomically flat after the etching operation.