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US5094978A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of patterning a transparent conductor

Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
•
Filing: 1990-07-19
•
Granted: 1992-03-10
•
Expires: 2010-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract A method of forming a pattern of a transparent conducting film such as an indium tin oxide film, formed on the surface of a substrate including Si and being heated. A two-step etching method is employed, in which the transparent conducting film is wet-etched by an aqueous solution of a halogenide and thereafter an interfacial reacted layer generated at the interface of the transparent conducting film and substrate including Si is etched by a plasma etching method using a halogen.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shinji Miyagaki
  • 👤 Seigen Ri

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 01:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/138; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/963

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film in a fabrication of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a transparent conducting film on a substrate including silicon, said transparent conducting film including an interfacial reacted layer adjacent to said substrate; (b) patterning a resist film after forming said resist film on said transparent conducting film; (c) wet-etching said transparent conducting film so as to expose said interfacial reacted layer by using an etchant including a halogenide and by using the patterned resist film as a mask; and (d) dry-etching the exposed interfacial reacted layer by using a reactive gas including a halogen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 106 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film in a fabrication of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a transparent conducting film on a substrate including silicon, said transparent conducting film including an interfacial reacted layer adjacent to said substrate; (b) patterning a resist film after forming said resist film on said transparent conducting film; (c) wet-etching said transparent conducting film so as to expose said interfacial reacted layer by using an etchant including a halogenide and by using the patterned resist film as a mask; and (d) dry-etching the exposed interfacial reacted layer by using a reactive gas including a halogen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said transparent conducting film includes at least any one of indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ), tin oxide (SnO 2 ), and zinc oxide (ZnO).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is formed by any one of silicon (Si), siliconcarbide (SiC), silicon-germanium (SiGe), spin on glass (SOG), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), boro-phosphosilicate glass (BPSG).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said etchant is any one of an aqueous solution of ferric chloride (FeCl 3 ), hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydroiodic acid (HI), hydrobromic acid (HBr), and a mixed acid of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 4, wherein said etchant is a 30 to 40% aqueous solution of ferric chloride (FeCl 3 ) and wherein step (c) is carried out at the temperature of 30° to 60° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 85 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said reactive gas is any one of fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ), tetrafluoromethane (CF 4 ), hexafluoroethane (C 2 F 6 ), octafluoropropane (C 3 H 8 ), hydrogen fluoride (HF), chlorine (Cl 2 ), tetrachloromethane (CCl 4 ), hydrogen chloride (HCl), diclorosilane (SiH 2 Cl 2 ), tetrachloro-difluoroethane (C 2 F 2 Cl 4 ), trifluoromethane (CHF 3 ), bromine (Br 2 ), hydrogen bromide (HBr).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 55 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 6, wherein said reactive gas is nitrogen triluroide (NF 3 ) and wherein step (d) is carried out by a plasma etching method under the conditions that pressure is 0.3 to 1.0 Torr and frequency power is 0.05 to 0.3 W/cm 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said etchant is a 30 to 40% aqueous solution of ferric chloride (FeCl 2 ) and wherein step (c) is carried out at the temperature of 30° to 60° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 55 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein said reactive gas is nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) and wherein step (d) is carried out by a plasma etching method under the conditions that pressure is 0.3 to 1.0 Torr and frequency power is 0.05 to 0.3 W/cm 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method of forming a patterned transparent conducting film according to claim 1, wherein step (a) includes the substep of: forming said transparent conducting film on a surface of said substrate while said substrate is being heated at a temperature of more than 100° C.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US4544444A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-03-10 1995-09-09 1996-03-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-03-10 1999-09-09 2000-03-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-03-10 2003-09-09 2004-03-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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