Abstract:
The invention relates to an semiconductor device comprising a first surface and neighboring first and second electric elements arranged on the first surface, in which each of the first and second elements extends from the first surface in a first direction, the first element having a cross section substantially perpendicular to the first direction and a sidewall surface extending at least partially in the first direction, wherein the sidewall surface comprises a first section and a second section adjoining the first section along a line extending substantially parallel to the first direction, wherein the first and second sections are placed at an angle with respect to each other for providing an inner corner wherein the sidewall surface at the inner corner is, at least partially, arranged at a constant distance R from a facing part of the second element for providing a mechanical reinforcement structure at the inner corner.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a plasma etching method for producing positive etching profiles (4) in silicon substrates (1) whose features (11), etched using a mask (2), have a feature overhang (5) at the edge in the region of the feature entrance opening (8), said feature overhang being oriented toward the centre of the feature entrance opening (8), where a first etching operation is performed using first isotropic etching and using first anisotropic etching in a first time ratio (Z1). The object is to remove the feature overhangs which are produced when etching using masks and which are produced directly beneath the mask in the surface region of the treated patterned silicon substrates. The object is achieved by removing the feature overhang (5) by performing a maskless second etching operation with the following steps: A) second anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate (1) which has the feature overhang, with a polymer layer being produced on the side walls (3), B) removal of the polymer layer from the side walls (3) using an O2 plasma, C) second isotropic etching of the silicon substrate (1), with the second etching operation being performed using a second time ratio (Z2) on the basis of equation (II), linked to a change of etching profile which is free of any feature overhang, until at least one feature entrance angle (α), where α = 0°, is achieved in the region of the feature entrance opening (8), the period of time (tisotrop - 2) for the second isotropic etching and the period of time (tanisotrop - 2 ) for the second anisotropic etching being prescribed.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for producing a component with a first face of a plate-shaped structure (2) involving the following steps: engraving a second face of the structure, which is opposite the first face, on a portion of its surface in order to define an area of reduced thickness (22), and; inclining the area of reduced thickness (22) with regard said structure (2). A composite of this type has a recess between the plate-shaped structure and the inclined area of reduced thickness. The inclined area can thus support active elements (10, 12) that function according to a direction defined by the inclination.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for the production of very small trenches in semiconductor devices. The formation of these small trenches is based on chemically changing the properties of a first dielectric layer locally, such that the side walls of a patterned hole in said first dielectric layer are converted locally and become etchable by a first etching substance. Subsequently a second dielectric material is deposited in the patterned structure and the damaged part of the first dielectric material is removed such that small trenches are obtained. The small trenches obtained by chemically changing the properties of a dielectric layer can be used as test vehicle to study barrier deposition, copper plating and seedlayer deposition within very small trenches (order 10-30 nm).
Abstract:
A method for fabrication of microscopic structures that uses a beam process, such as beam-induced decomposition of a precursor, to deposit a mask in a precise pattern and then a selective, plasma beam is applied, comprising the steps of first creating a protective mask upon surface portions of a substrate using a beam process such as an electron beam, focused ion beam (FIB), or laser process, and secondly etching unmasked substrate portions using a selective plasma beam etch process. Optionally, a third step comprising the removal of the protective mask may be performed with a second, materially oppositely selective plasma beam process.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for establishing endpoint during an alternating cyclical etch process or time division multiplexed process. A substrate is placed within a plasma chamber and subjected to an alternating cyclical process having an etching step and a deposition step. A variation in plasma emission intensity is monitored using known optical emission spectrometry techniques. An amplitude information is extracted from a complex waveform of the plasma emission intensity using an envelope follower algorithm. The alternating cyclical process is discontinued when endpoint is reached at a time that is based on the monitoring step.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a package which includes: an etching step of etching a silicon substrate (101; 201), and forming a via hole (103, 106; 203, 203A, 207) penetrating through the silicon substrate; and a step of embedding an electrically conductive material in the via hole (106; 207), and forming a viaplug (107; 208), characterized in that the etching step includes a first etching step of forming the via hole in a straight shape, and a second etching step of forming the via hole in a taper shape.
Abstract:
A technique (500) for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) structure includes a number of steps. Initially, a substrate is provided (502). Next, a plurality of trenches are etched into the substrate with a first etch (508). Then, a charging layer is formed at a bottom of each of the trenches to form undercut trenches (510). Finally, a second etch is provided into the undercut trenches. The charging layer causes the second etch to laterally etch foots in the substrate between the undercut trenches (512). The footers undercut the substrate to release a portion of the substrate for providing a movable structure between the undercut trenches and above the footers.
Abstract:
A process for making a microelectromechanical device having a moveable component defined by a gap pattern in a semiconductor layer of a silicon-on-insulator wafer (10) involves the use of a plurality of deep reactive ion etching steps at various etch depths that are used to allow a buried oxide layer (14) of the silicon-on-insulator wafer (10) to be exposed in selected areas before the entire moveable component of the resulting device is freed for movement. This method allows wet release techniques to be used to remove the buried oxide layer (14) without developing stiction problems. This is achieved by utilizing deep reactive ion etching to free the moveable component after a selected portion of the buried oxide layer (14) has been removed by wet etching.