US3873341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rapid conversion of an iron oxide film
Assignee: Material Sciences Corp
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Filing: 1972-12-26
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract Amorphous iron oxide is deposited on the surface of a substrate at a temperature within 7% of its crystallization temperature to provide a layer thereof which can be crystallized in 10 milliseconds or less. In a particular embodiment, the amorphous ferric oxide is deposited on a semiconductor surface to provide a mask therefor for subsequent diffusion processing, or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan R Janus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6329; B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; C23C14/04; C23C14/042; C23C14/06; C23C14/08; C23C14/085; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; C23C14/5846; C23C14/5873; C23C16/00; C23C16/04; C23C16/042; C23C16/22; C23C16/30; C23C16/40; C23C16/406; C30; C30B; C30B31/00; C30B31/06; C30B31/18; C30B31/185; G; G03; G03C; G03C1/00; G03C1/705; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/004; G03F7/0042; G03F7/0043; H10P14/6334; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6536; H10P14/6539; H10P14/6542; H10P14/6544; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A PROCESS FOR FORMING A SELECTED PATTERN OF AN IRON OXIDE ON THE SURFACE OF A SUBSTRATE, COMPRISING: DEPOSITING ON SAID SUBSTRATE UNIFORM LAYER OF AN AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO A THICKNESS OF UP TO 3,000 A AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW, BUT WITHIN 7% OF, THE CRYSTALIZATION TEMPERATURE IN *K OF SAID AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE, HEATING SELECTED REGIONS OF SAID LAYER BY EXPOSURE TO A SOURCE OF THERMAL ENERGY IMPARTING SAID REGIONS AT LEAST 100 JOULES/CM2 IN LESS THAN 10 MILLISECONDS TO SELECTIVELY CONVERT SAID AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO A CRYSTALLINE FORM; AND THEN REMOVING REMAINING AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO FORM A
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A PROCESS FOR FORMING A SELECTED PATTERN OF AN IRON OXIDE ON THE SURFACE OF A SUBSTRATE, COMPRISING: DEPOSITING ON SAID SUBSTRATE UNIFORM LAYER OF AN AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO A THICKNESS OF UP TO 3,000 A AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW, BUT WITHIN 7% OF, THE CRYSTALIZATION TEMPERATURE IN *K OF SAID AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE, HEATING SELECTED REGIONS OF SAID LAYER BY EXPOSURE TO A SOURCE OF THERMAL ENERGY IMPARTING SAID REGIONS AT LEAST 100 JOULES/CM2 IN LESS THAN 10 MILLISECONDS TO SELECTIVELY CONVERT SAID AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO A CRYSTALLINE FORM; AND THEN REMOVING REMAINING AMORPHOUS IRON OXIDE TO FORM A
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said deposition temperature is below but within 2% of the crystallization temperature in *K of said amorphous iron oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said substrate comprises semiconductor material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process according to claim 3 including the step, after removing said remaining amorphous iron oxide, of treating the portions of said semiconductor material exposed through said pattern to modify the electrical properties of said exposed portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said source of thermal energy is a suitably energized source selected from the class consisting essentially of electron beam, laser beam and xenon flash.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said iron oxide is undoped ferric oxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said deposition temperature is less than 160*C and at least 130*C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 7 in which said layer of amorphous oxide is deposited to a thickness of about 250 A - 3, 000 A.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process according to claim 7 in which said deposition temperature is at least 152*C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 9 in which said thickness is about 500 A - 1,500 A.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said depositing step comprises applying iron pentacarbonyl in combination with an oxidant therefor to a surface of said substrate while heating said substrate at said temperature to thermally decompose said iron pentacarbonyl to said amorphous iron oxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 1 in which said depositing step comprises sputtering a metal precursor of said iron oxide onto said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process for forming a pattern mask of an iron oxide on the surface of a semiconductor body, comprising: depositing on said body a uniform layer of about 250 A - 3,000 A thick of an amorphous iron oxide at a temperature less than 160*C and at least 130*C; subjecting selected regions of said layer to a source of thermal energy imparting to said selected regions at least 100 Joules/cm2 for a time sufficient to convert said amorphous metal oxide in said selected regions to a crystalline form; and then removing remaining amorphous iron oxide to form a pattern mask of said crystalline iron oxide on said substrate surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process for forming a pattern mask of an iron oxide on the surface of a semiconductor body, comprising: depositing on said body a uniform layer of about 250 A - 3,000 A thick of an amorphous iron oxide at a temperature less than 160*C and at least 130*C; subjecting selected regions of said layer to a source of thermal energy imparting to said selected regions at least 100 Joules/cm2 for a time sufficient to convert said amorphous metal oxide in said selected regions to a crystalline form; and then removing remaining amorphous iron oxide to form a pattern mask of said crystalline iron oxide on said substrate surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 13 in which said layer thickness is about 500-1,500 A and said deposition temperature is at least 152*C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3615953A
Cited
US3695908A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |