Patent US4267012A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4267012A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for patterning metal connections on a semiconductor structure by using a tungsten-titanium etch resistant layer

Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp
•
Filing: 1979-04-30
•
Granted: 1981-05-12
•
Expires: 1999-04-30
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A process for patterning regions on a semiconductor structure comprises the steps of forming a first layer of an alloy of tungsten and titanium on the semiconductor structure, forming a conductive layer of aluminum or chemically similar material on the surface of the tungsten-titanium alloy, removing the undesired portions of the conductive layer by etching with a plasma and removing the thereby exposed portions of the tungsten-titanium alloy layer by chemical etching.

Inventors

  • 👤 John M. Pierce
  • 👤 William I. Lehrer
  • 👤 Kenneth J. Radigan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 18:33
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; H10P50/268; H10P50/60; H10P50/66; H10P50/663; H10P50/667; H10P50/69; H10P50/691; H10P50/692; H10P50/693; H10P50/694

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 181 words
A process for patterning a layer of conductive material formed on a semiconductor structure comprising; depositing a first layer of an alloy of tungsten and titanium on the semiconductor structure; depositing the layer of conductive material onto the first layer; removing undesired portions of the layer of conductive material by etching said layer with a plasma containing chlorine, wherein the plasma etching is substantially stopped by the first layer after etching through the layer of conductive material; removing the thereby exposed portions of the first layer with an etchant other than the plasma etchant used to etch the layer of conductive material; removing selected portions of the first layer, said selected portions lying beneath the layer of conductive material and contiguous to the edge of the layer of conductive material; and treating at least those portions of the layer of conductive material from beneath which the first layer has been removed to cause those portions to come into contact with the underlying material, the treating including forming a layer of dielectric material over the surface of the layer of selected material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 181 words
A process for patterning a layer of conductive material formed on a semiconductor structure comprising; depositing a first layer of an alloy of tungsten and titanium on the semiconductor structure; depositing the layer of conductive material onto the first layer; removing undesired portions of the layer of conductive material by etching said layer with a plasma containing chlorine, wherein the plasma etching is substantially stopped by the first layer after etching through the layer of conductive material; removing the thereby exposed portions of the first layer with an etchant other than the plasma etchant used to etch the layer of conductive material; removing selected portions of the first layer, said selected portions lying beneath the layer of conductive material and contiguous to the edge of the layer of conductive material; and treating at least those portions of the layer of conductive material from beneath which the first layer has been removed to cause those portions to come into contact with the underlying material, the treating including forming a layer of dielectric material over the surface of the layer of selected material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process as in claim 1, wherein the alloy comprises between 50% and 100% by weight of tungsten.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process as in claim 2, wherein the alloy comprises 90% by weight tungsten.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A process as in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the exposed portions of the first layer is performed by a chemical etch which comprises hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process as in claim 4, wherein the chemical etch includes ammonium hydroxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process as in claim 1, wherein the first layer is between 500 and 2000 Angstroms thick.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process as in claim 6, wherein the first layer is 1500 Angstroms thick.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the step of removing the exposed portions of the first layer is preceded by a step of forming a coating resistant to plasma etching over those portions of the conductive layer which are not to be plasma etched.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 11 words
A process as in claim 8 wherein the coating is photoresist.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 12 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the conductive material includes aluminum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process as in claim 10 wherein the conductive material also includes at least one of chromium, silicon, and copper.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process as in claim 1 preceded by the step of forming a layer of titanium on the semiconductor structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as in claim 12 wherein the thickness of the layer of titanium is less than the thickness of the first layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process as in claim 13 wherein the layer of titanium is approximately 200 Angstroms thick.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 32 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the step of removing the exposed portions of the first layer and the step of removing selected portions of the first layer are performed simultaneously.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process as in claim 15 wherein the steps are performed using a chemical etching solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 12 words
A process as in claim 16 wherein the solution includes hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the step of treating includes heating the layer of selected material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process as in claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is vapor deposited silicon dioxide.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3480412A Cited
US3615956A Cited
US3881971A Cited
US3881884A Cited
US3900944A Cited
US4073669A Cited
US4094732A Cited
US4021270A Cited
US4057460A Cited
US4141022A Cited
US4172004A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-05-11 1984-11-10 1985-05-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-05-11 1988-11-10 1989-05-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-05-11 1992-11-10 1993-05-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag