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EP0377101A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A reference mark structure for guiding the alignment of unfinished semiconductor integrated circuits topographies to successive masks

Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL
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Filing: 1989-11-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-11-17
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Abstract

Abstract A reference mark (20) structure for guiding the alignment and true superposition of unfinished topographies of semiconductor integrated circuits (3) to respective masks (21) during the manufacturing process of such circuits, consists of a substantially step-like uneveness produced on the surface of a silicon wafer (2) affected by said topography and comprises first (7) and second (10) layers of polycrystalline silicon overlying each other and being covered with a layer (11) of metallic silicide. Advantageously, said layers (7,10,11) are formed over a field oxide surface region (5), and the resulting structure can be readily identified by means of a laser beam optical scanner apparatus (15).

Inventors

  • 👤 Marco Ivano Buraschi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 19:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W46/00; H10W46/501

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 95 words
A reference mark structure for guiding the alignment and true superposition of unfinished semiconductor integrated circuit (3) topographies to successive masks (21) during the manufacturing process of said circuits, said mark (20) being of a type which comprises a substantially step-like uneveness produced on the surface of a silicon wafer (2) affected by said topography, characterized in that it comprises first (7) and second (10) layers of polycrystalline silicon arranged to overlie each other and being covered with a layer (11) of metallic silicide, said layers being formed over a field oxide surface region (5).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 95 words
A reference mark structure for guiding the alignment and true superposition of unfinished semiconductor integrated circuit (3) topographies to successive masks (21) during the manufacturing process of said circuits, said mark (20) being of a type which comprises a substantially step-like uneveness produced on the surface of a silicon wafer (2) affected by said topography, characterized in that it comprises first (7) and second (10) layers of polycrystalline silicon arranged to overlie each other and being covered with a layer (11) of metallic silicide, said layers being formed over a field oxide surface region (5).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A structure according to Claim 1, characterized in that said layers (7,10,11) overlie a gate oxide layer (6) placed over the field oxide region (5).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
A structure according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is elevated above the field oxide region (5) by at least 8000 Ångstrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 34 words
A structure according to Claim 1, characterized in that said layers (7,10,11) overlie a gate oxide layer (6) placed over a monocrystalline silicon region, said gate oxide (6) overlying an active area region (4).

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