Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Chemical etching – Vapor phase etching
Reexamination Certificate
2005-08-23
2005-08-23
Goudreau, George A. (Department: 1763)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Chemical etching
Vapor phase etching
C438S710000, C438S718000, C216S067000, C216S075000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06933242
ABSTRACT:
A substrate whose elemental constituents are selected from Groups III and V of the Periodic Table, is provided with pre-defined masked regions. Etching of the substrate comprising the steps of: a) forming a gas containing molecules having at least one methyl group (CH3) linked to nitrogen into a plasma; and b) etching the unmasked regions of the substrate by means of the plasma. For a substrate whose elemental constituents are selected from Groups II and VI of the Periodic Table, the plasma etching gas used is trimethylamine. Since the methyl compound of nitrogen has a lower bond energy than for hydrocarbon mixtures, free methyl radicals are easier to obtain and the gas is more efficient as a methyl source. In addition, compared with hydrocarbon mixtures, reduced polymer formation can be expected due to preferential formation of methyl radicals over polymer-generating hydrocarbon radicals because of the lower bond energy for the former.
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patent: 11-16896 (1999-01-01), None
C.F. Carlstrom, et al., “Trimethylamine: Novel source for low damage reactive ion beam etching of InP” Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, vol. 17, No. 6, Nov. 1999, pp. 2660-2663, XP002150318.
Elkind J L et al., “Reactive Ion Etching of HGCDTE with Methane and Hydrogren” Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology: Part A, US, American Institute of Physics, new Yrok, vo. 10, No. 4, PT I, Jul. 1, 1992, pp. 1106-1112, XP000296215 ISSSN: 0734-2101 p. 1106, left-hand column, line 12-line 14.
Carlstrom Carl-Fredrik
Landgren Gunnar
Srinivasan Anand
Goudreau George A.
Surface Technology Systems PLC
Volentine Francos & Whitt PLLC
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