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US3873361A
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US
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Method of depositing thin film utilizing a lift-off mask
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1973-11-29
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A method for use in depositing thin films in the fabrication of integrated circuits which avoids edge tearing of the films. The method involves depositing a non-photosensitive organic polymeric material on a substrate, and forming on said polymeric layer a masking layer of an inorganic material, preferably metal, having openings in a selected pattern. Then, forming, by reactive sputter etching, utilizing the metallic mask as a barrier, openings through the polymeric layer extending to the substrate, the openings in the polymeric layer being aligned with and laterally wider than the corresponding openings in the metallic masking layer. The thin film to be deposited is then applied over the structure; it is, thereby, deposited on the substrate in said openings. Then, the remaining polymeric layer is removed, lifting off the masking layer and the thin film above the polymeric layer to leave thin film deposited in a selected pattern in the openings.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack R Franco
- 👤 Janos Havas
- 👤 Harold A Levine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:33
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/04; C23C14/042; H; H10; H10P; H10P76/00; H10P76/20; H10P76/202; G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/004; G03F7/09; G03F7/094; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/04; H05K3/046; H05K3/048; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/68; H10P14/683; H10P95/00; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A METHOD OF DEPOSITING PATTERNED THIN FILMS ON AN INORGANIC SUBSTRATE COMPRISING: FORMING ON SAID SUBSTRATE A FIRST LAYER OF NON-PHOTOSENSITIVE ORGANIC POLYMERIC MATERIAL WHICH IS ADHERENT TO SAID SUBSTRATE, FORMING, ON SAID FIRST LAYER, A MASKING LAYER OF AN INORGANIC MATERIAL, ADHERENT TO SAID FIRST LAYER, HAVING OPENINGS IN A SELECTED PATTERN, FORMING, BY SPUTTER ETCHING, OPENINGS THROUGH SAID FIRST LAYER EXTENDING TO SAD SUBSTRATE, SAID FIRST LAYER OPENINGS BEING ALIGNED WITH AND LATERALLY WIDER THAN SAID MASKING LAYER OPENINGS, AND DEPOSITING SAID THIN FILMS ONTO SAID SUBSTRATE THROUGH SAID ALIGNED OPENINGS USING SAID MASKING LAYER AS A DEPOSITION MASK.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A METHOD OF DEPOSITING PATTERNED THIN FILMS ON AN INORGANIC SUBSTRATE COMPRISING: FORMING ON SAID SUBSTRATE A FIRST LAYER OF NON-PHOTOSENSITIVE ORGANIC POLYMERIC MATERIAL WHICH IS ADHERENT TO SAID SUBSTRATE, FORMING, ON SAID FIRST LAYER, A MASKING LAYER OF AN INORGANIC MATERIAL, ADHERENT TO SAID FIRST LAYER, HAVING OPENINGS IN A SELECTED PATTERN, FORMING, BY SPUTTER ETCHING, OPENINGS THROUGH SAID FIRST LAYER EXTENDING TO SAD SUBSTRATE, SAID FIRST LAYER OPENINGS BEING ALIGNED WITH AND LATERALLY WIDER THAN SAID MASKING LAYER OPENINGS, AND DEPOSITING SAID THIN FILMS ONTO SAID SUBSTRATE THROUGH SAID ALIGNED OPENINGS USING SAID MASKING LAYER AS A DEPOSITION MASK.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said sputter etching is reactive sputter etching.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said masking layer is metallic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said substrate is a metallic oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said substrate is silicon dioxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said reactive sputter etching step is conducted utilizing oxygen as the reactive gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said reactive sputter etching step is conducted utilizing oxygen as the reactive gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the masking layer is formed by the steps of: applying a metallic layer on said first layer, and forming the selected pattern of opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said openings in said metallic layer are formed by the steps of: forming a photoresist mask having openings corresponding to said selected pattern over said metallic layer, and selectively removing exposed portions of said metallic layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said metallic layer is applied at a temperature above 100*C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said substrate is silicon dioxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2, including the further step of remocing the first layer and the masking layer after the deposition of said thin films on said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11, including the further step of removing the first layer and the masking layer after the deposition of said thin films on said substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said first layer is formed by the steps of: applying a polymeric photoresist layer to said substrate, and heating to render said photoresist layer non-photosensitive.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said first layer is formed by the steps of: applying a polymeric photoresist layer to said substrate, and heating to render said photoresist layer non-photosensitive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3700497A
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 |