Patent EP0542481A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0542481A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method for reducing dielectric contamination in integrated circuits
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1992-11-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-11-05
Abstract
Abstract Contamination of dielectric layers(e.g. 5) is reduced by removing a surface layer of the dielectric material(e.g. 5) by a chemical reaction with neutral species. The process proceeds at low temperature, and low energy and does not substantially attack any material underneath a patterned dielectric(e.g. 5).
Inventors
- 👤 Felicia Garrett Herring
- 👤 Michael Scott Twiford
- 👤 Daniel Joseph Vitkavage
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:44
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacture comprising the steps of: forming patterns on a substrate(e.g. 1); depositing a dielectric(e.g. 5) on said patterns; processing said dielectric(e.g. 5), said processing exposing said dielectric(e.g. 5) to a source of contamination; and removing a surface layer of said dielectric(e.g. 5) by chemical reaction with a vapor phase neutral atomic species.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 in which said processing comprises the step of patterning said dielectric(e.g. 5) to expose portions of the underlying material(e.g. 3).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 2 in which said underlying material(e.g. 3) comprises a metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 3 in which said metal comprises aluminum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 in which said atomic species is fluorine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of washing said dielectric(e.g. 5) in a solvent after said removing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 6 in which said solvent comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of water and isopropyl alcohol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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