Patent ID: 9165788
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: C23C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing a stack structure for an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: (a) depositing a stack of at least one repeating group, the group having two or more layers, wherein at least two layers in the group comprise different materials, wherein the material of at least one of the layers in the group is unactivated silicon, and wherein the stack comprises at least about four layers, each of substantially similar thickness; (b) performing a soft anneal on the stack to reduce internal stress in the stack; (c) after (b), patterning the stack by defining a pattern on the stack and vertically etching the stack to impart the pattern to the stack; (d) after (c), selectively etching the patterned stack to selectively remove portions of at least one of the different materials in the stack; and (e) after (d), activating the silicon in the at least one layer in the group to convert the silicon to a polycrystalline state, wherein the soft anneal is performed under conditions that do not activate the silicon in the at least one layer in the group.