Making Tiny Microchips with Gas-Infused Dry Resist
This patent describes a way to make incredibly tiny features on microchips by using a special gas to treat a 'dry resist' material, making it sensitive to extreme ultraviolet light, and then recovering unused materials.
Original patent title: “Apparatus and process for EUV dry resist sensitization by gas phase infusion of a sensitizer”
This patent describes a way to make incredibly tiny features on microchips by using a special gas to treat a 'dry resist' material, making it sensitive to extreme ultraviolet light, and then recovering unused materials. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This technology focuses on creating very small patterns on semiconductor wafers, a crucial step in making microchips. It involves a 'stack' that includes a 'sensitized resist film.' Instead of using liquid chemicals, a 'sensitizer' is delivered in a 'gas form' to infuse the dry resist, making it reactive to 'EUV' light. A key part of the process is recovering any 'unreacted sensitizer precursors' after the deposition step, which can reduce waste and cost. For example, a silicon wafer coated with a dry resist could be placed in a chamber, and a sensitizer gas flowed over it to prepare the resist for patterning with EUV light.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover liquid-based methods for applying sensitizers to resist films.
- Does not cover 'wet resist' processes where the resist itself is applied as a liquid solution.
- Does not cover lithography techniques that do not use Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) light.
- Does not cover methods that do not include a step for recovering unreacted sensitizer precursors.
- Does not cover resist films that are not 'dry resists' or are not sensitized by gas phase infusion.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in using a sensitizer in gas form to infuse a dry resist, rather than traditional liquid-based methods. This approach allows for precise control and the clever addition of recovering unreacted sensitizer precursors, which minimizes waste and improves process efficiency.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Advanced microprocessors in smartphones
High-density memory chips (DRAM, NAND)
Graphics processing units (GPUs)
Specialized AI accelerators
Modern semiconductor manufacturing foundries
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a critical challenge in semiconductor manufacturing: making ever-smaller features on microchips. Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is essential for producing the most advanced processors and memory chips. Improving the resist materials and their application, especially through dry processes and material recovery, can lead to more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly chip production, directly impacting the performance and price of consumer electronics.
Filed
March 24, 2021
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies at the forefront of semiconductor manufacturing, such as Intel, Samsung, and TSMC, are continuously investing in and developing advanced lithography techniques. Equipment manufacturers like ASML, a dominant player in EUV lithography, and material suppliers like JSR Corporation and Fujifilm, are actively researching and producing new resist materials and processes to enable next-generation chip production.
Market impact
The development of more efficient and precise EUV resist sensitization methods, like the one described, directly impacts the ability to scale down chip features. This enables the creation of more powerful and energy-efficient microchips, which are critical for advancements in computing, artificial intelligence, and mobile technology. Innovations in this area help maintain the pace of Moore's Law, driving competition and allowing for smaller, faster, and cheaper electronic devices across various industries.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This technology focuses on creating very small patterns on semiconductor wafers, a crucial step in making microchips. It involves a 'stack' that includes a 'sensitized resist film.' Instead of using liquid chemicals, a 'sensitizer' is delivered in a 'gas form' to infuse the dry resist, making it reactive to 'EUV' light. A key part of the process is recovering any 'unreacted sensitizer precursors' after the deposition step, which can reduce waste and cost. For example, a silicon wafer coated with a dry resist could be placed in a chamber, and a sensitizer gas flowed over it to prepare the resist for patterning with EUV light.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in using a sensitizer in gas form to infuse a dry resist, rather than traditional liquid-based methods. This approach allows for precise control and the clever addition of recovering unreacted sensitizer precursors, which minimizes waste and improves process efficiency.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover liquid-based methods for applying sensitizers to resist films.
- Does not cover 'wet resist' processes where the resist itself is applied as a liquid solution.
- Does not cover lithography techniques that do not use Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) light.
- Does not cover methods that do not include a step for recovering unreacted sensitizer precursors.
- Does not cover resist films that are not 'dry resists' or are not sensitized by gas phase infusion.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$18K – $58K
Midpoint $36K · 14.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). Making Tiny Microchips with Gas-Infused Dry Resist (U.S. Patent No. 12,736,874). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12736874/apparatus-and-process-for-euv-dry-resist-sensitization-by-gas-phase-infusion-of
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Making Tiny Microchips with Gas-Infused Dry Resist cover?
This patent describes a way to make incredibly tiny features on microchips by using a special gas to treat a 'dry resist' material, making it sensitive to extreme ultraviolet light, and then recovering unused materials.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a critical challenge in semiconductor manufacturing: making ever-smaller features on microchips. Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is essential for producing the most advanced processors and memory chips. Improving the resist materials and their application, especially through dry processes and material recovery, can lead to more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly chip production, directly impacting the performance and price of consumer electronics.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover liquid-based methods for applying sensitizers to resist films.
Patent monitoring