US4139401A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of producing electrically isolated semiconductor devices on common crystalline substrate
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1968-04-26
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Granted: 1979-02-13
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Expires: 1988-04-26
Abstract
Abstract Semiconductor segments are embedded in a crystalline substrate. Each of the segments are insulated from each other and from the substrate so that they can be used in fabricating semiconductor devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald A. McWilliams
- 👤 Charles H. Fa
- 👤 George A. Larchian
- 👤 Oral F. Maxwell, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 07:44
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/40; H10W74/43; H10D; H10D99/00; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/60; H10P50/64; H10P50/642; H10P50/69; H10P50/691; H10P95/00; H10W10/00; H10W10/01; H10W10/011; H10W10/019; H10W10/10; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6322; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/69; H10P14/6903; H10P14/6905; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/903; Y10S438/928
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of making an integrated circuit structure having circuit devices in semiconductor islands which are isolated from each other by insulating material, said method including the steps of: selectively removing semiconductor material from one side of a monocrystalline semiconductor element about regions thereof where said islands are to be formed to form recesses surrounding the islands, applying insulating material to said one side of said element to a thickness which is insufficient to fill the recesses surrounding the islands and applying material of a type differing from said insulating material to fill the recesses surrounding the islands and to cover said one side to form a supporting substrate for said islands, removing enough semiconductor material from the entire side of said semiconductor element opposite said one side to expose said insulating material at said opposite side while leaving monocrystalline semiconductor islands of a desired thickness available at said opposite side, and fabricating circuit devices in said islands.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of making an integrated circuit structure having circuit devices in semiconductor islands which are isolated from each other by insulating material, said method including the steps of: selectively removing semiconductor material from one side of a monocrystalline semiconductor element about regions thereof where said islands are to be formed to form recesses surrounding the islands, applying insulating material to said one side of said element to a thickness which is insufficient to fill the recesses surrounding the islands and applying material of a type differing from said insulating material to fill the recesses surrounding the islands and to cover said one side to form a supporting substrate for said islands, removing enough semiconductor material from the entire side of said semiconductor element opposite said one side to expose said insulating material at said opposite side while leaving monocrystalline semiconductor islands of a desired thickness available at said opposite side, and fabricating circuit devices in said islands.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
152 words
A process for forming a composite semiconductor body having a plurality of semiconductor regions separated by insulation comprising: forming a first layer of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type having an upper and a lower surface; forming a substantially planar second layer adjacent and adherent to the upper surface of said first layer, said second layer comprising a material that protects said upper surface from unwanted contamination; forming a third layer of supporting material adjacent and adherent to the exposed portion of said second layer, said third layer capable of being removed by a substance that will not affect said second layer; selectively removing portions of said first layer from the lower surface thereof, the removed portions extending through to said second layer; forming a fourth layer of insulating material along the lower surface of said first layer including said removed portions, whereby semiconductor regions separated by electrical insulation are formed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
152 words
A process for forming a composite semiconductor body having a plurality of semiconductor regions separated by insulation comprising: forming a first layer of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type having an upper and a lower surface; forming a substantially planar second layer adjacent and adherent to the upper surface of said first layer, said second layer comprising a material that protects said upper surface from unwanted contamination; forming a third layer of supporting material adjacent and adherent to the exposed portion of said second layer, said third layer capable of being removed by a substance that will not affect said second layer; selectively removing portions of said first layer from the lower surface thereof, the removed portions extending through to said second layer; forming a fourth layer of insulating material along the lower surface of said first layer including said removed portions, whereby semiconductor regions separated by electrical insulation are formed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process recited in claim 2 wherein said first layer of semiconductor material is monocrystalline, the step of forming said third layer comprises growing a layer of polycrystalline semiconductor material upon said second layer, and, the step of selectively removing portions of said first layer comprises mesa etching with a substance that is non-reactive with said second layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process recited in claim 1 wherein said supporting crystalline material is polycrystalline and said semiconductor body is comprised of a single crystal semiconductor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of forming electrical conductors interconnecting devices in different islands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
149 words
A process for forming a composite semiconductor body having a plurality of semiconductor regions separated by insulation comprising: forming a first layer of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type having an upper and a lower surface; forming a substantially planar second layer adjacent and adherent to the upper surface of said first layer, said second layer comprising a material that protects said upper surface from unwanted contamination; forming a third layer of supporting material adjacent and adhherent to the exposed portion of said second layer, said supporting material being a different material than the material comprising the second layer; selectively removing portions of said first layer from the lower surface thereof, the removed portions extending through to said second layer; forming a fourth layer of insulating material along the lower surface of said first layer including said removed portions, whereby semiconductor regions separated by electrical insulation are formed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
A process for forming a composite semiconductor body having a plurality of semiconductor regions separated by insulation comprising: forming a first layer of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type having an upper and a lower surface; forming a substantially planar second layer adjacent and adherent to the upper surface of said first layer, said second layer comprising a material that protects said upper surface from unwanted contamination; forming a third layer of supporting material adjacent and adhherent to the exposed portion of said second layer, said supporting material being a different material than the material comprising the second layer; selectively removing portions of said first layer from the lower surface thereof, the removed portions extending through to said second layer; forming a fourth layer of insulating material along the lower surface of said first layer including said removed portions, whereby semiconductor regions separated by electrical insulation are formed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
138 words
A process for forming electrically isolated segments of semiconductor material in a common substrate comprising the steps of: forming grooves in a preselected pattern in one surface of a semiconductor body; producing an adherent thin film of electrically isolating material on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill the grooves; depositing electrically insulating crystalline material sufficient to form a substrate in said grooves on said thin film, said electrically insulating crystalline material having thermal expansion characteristics compatible with said semiconductor body and being a different material than said thin film; and removing from the resulting structure enough material from the side opposite said one surface to expose said electrically isolating material at said opposite side, while leaving electrically isolated semiconductor segments of a desired thickness exposed at said opposite side.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
138 words
A process for forming electrically isolated segments of semiconductor material in a common substrate comprising the steps of: forming grooves in a preselected pattern in one surface of a semiconductor body; producing an adherent thin film of electrically isolating material on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill the grooves; depositing electrically insulating crystalline material sufficient to form a substrate in said grooves on said thin film, said electrically insulating crystalline material having thermal expansion characteristics compatible with said semiconductor body and being a different material than said thin film; and removing from the resulting structure enough material from the side opposite said one surface to expose said electrically isolating material at said opposite side, while leaving electrically isolated semiconductor segments of a desired thickness exposed at said opposite side.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process recited in claim 7 wherein the electrically insulating crystalline support material is selected from the group consisting alumina and beryllium oxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process recited in claim 7 wherein said producing step comprises producing an adherent thin film of electrically insulating material on the surface of said grooves.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
160 words
A process for forming electrically isolated segments of semiconductor material in a common substrate comprising the steps of: forming grooves in a preselected pattern in one surface of a semiconductor body; producing an adherent thin film of electrically insulating material on said one surface of said semiconductor body and on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill the grooves; depositing crystalline material sufficient to form a substrate in said grooves and on the surface of said thin film, said crystalline material having thermal expansion characteristics compatible with said semiconductor body and being a different material than said thin film; and removing from the resulting structure enough material from the side opposite said one surface to expose at said opposite side a portion of said electrically insulating thin film which was formed on the surface of said grooves, while leaving electrically isolated semiconductor segments of a desired thickness exposed at said opposite side.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
160 words
A process for forming electrically isolated segments of semiconductor material in a common substrate comprising the steps of: forming grooves in a preselected pattern in one surface of a semiconductor body; producing an adherent thin film of electrically insulating material on said one surface of said semiconductor body and on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill the grooves; depositing crystalline material sufficient to form a substrate in said grooves and on the surface of said thin film, said crystalline material having thermal expansion characteristics compatible with said semiconductor body and being a different material than said thin film; and removing from the resulting structure enough material from the side opposite said one surface to expose at said opposite side a portion of said electrically insulating thin film which was formed on the surface of said grooves, while leaving electrically isolated semiconductor segments of a desired thickness exposed at said opposite side.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said producing stem comprises converting the surface of the semiconductor material to an insulating composition in situ.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process recited in claim 11 wherein said producing step is accomplished by oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process recited in claim 11 wherein said producing step is accomplished by nitridizing the surface of the semiconductor body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said forming step is accomplished by etching the semiconductor body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said removing step is accomplished by lapping said opposite side of said resulting structure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said depositing step comprises depositing electrically insulating crystalline material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process recited in claim 10 further comprising the steps of: fabricating devices in the individual semiconductor segments; and forming electrical conductors interconnecting devices in different segments.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and intermetallic compounds.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said thin insulating film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide and other thermally compatible electrically insulating materials which may be produced as a thin film.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the crystalline support material is selected from the group consisting of silicon, alumina and beryllium oxide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said thin film of electrically insulating material comprises a compound of silicon, said process further comprising the additional steps of: depositing carbon on the insulating film; and heating the insulating film to form silicon carbide nucleation centers for the growth of the crystalline substrate; both additional steps being performed prior to performing the depositing step.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process recited in claim 10 wherein said crystalline material is vapor deposited.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for producing from a semiconductor body electrically isolated segments thereof on a common substrate comprising the steps of: producing a first film of electrically isolating material on one side of said semiconductor body; depositing a substrate material on said first film; forming grooves through said semiconductor in a pattern outlining desired segments, said grooves being made from the other side of said semiconductor to said first film; producing a second film of electrically isolating material on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill said grooves; and depositing substrate material on said second film in said grooves until they are filled, said substrate material being a different material than either of said films.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for producing from a semiconductor body electrically isolated segments thereof on a common substrate comprising the steps of: producing a first film of electrically isolating material on one side of said semiconductor body; depositing a substrate material on said first film; forming grooves through said semiconductor in a pattern outlining desired segments, said grooves being made from the other side of said semiconductor to said first film; producing a second film of electrically isolating material on the surface of said grooves, said film having a thickness which is insufficient to fill said grooves; and depositing substrate material on said second film in said grooves until they are filled, said substrate material being a different material than either of said films.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process recited in claim 23 further comprising the step of: removing a part of the resulting structure on said other side of said semiconductor to expose the semiconductor segments and the isolating material in the grooves between the semiconductor segments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3391023A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-02-12 | 1982-08-14 | 1983-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-02-12 | 1986-08-14 | 1987-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-02-12 | 1990-08-14 | 1991-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |