Method of patterning polysilicon

Claim 1

A method of forming a layer of electrically isolated elements of polysilicon separated by regions of silicon oxide, comprising: A. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on an electrically insulating substrate surface; and B. selectively oxidizing spaced regions of said polysilicon layer through the entire depth thereof while inhibiting oxidation of the remaining regions of said layer so that said remaining regions form elements of polysilicon separated from each other by spaced regions of silicon oxide that are thicker than said polysilicon elements.

Claim 2

A method of forming a layer of electrically isolated elements of polysilicon separated by regions of silicon oxide, comprising: A. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on an electrically insulating substrate surface; and B. selectively oxidizing spaced regions of said polysilicon layer through the entire depth thereof while inhibiting oxidation of the remaining regions of said layer so that said remaining regions form elements of polysilicon separated from each other by spaced regions of silicon oxide that are thicker than said polysilicon elements.

Claim 5

A method of selectively implanting impurity ions in a semiconductor, comprising: A. forming an insulating coating on a semiconductor substrate; B. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on said coating; C. depositing a masking layer of relatively non-oxidizable material on said polysilicon layer; D. selectively etching said masking layer to expose predetermined regions of said polysilicon layer; E. selectively oxidizing said polysilicon layer through the entire depth of said exposed regions to form regions of silicon oxide separating elements of polysilicon, with said silicon oxide regions being thicker than said polysilicon elements; F. removing said masking layer; and G. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and silicon oxide regions to a first beam of impurity ions of sufficient energy to penetrate through said polysilicon elements and into the regions of said semiconductor substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said thick silicon oxide regions.

Claim 6

A method of selectively implanting impurity ions in a semiconductor, comprising: A. forming an insulating coating on a semiconductor substrate; B. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on said coating; C. depositing a masking layer of relatively non-oxidizable material on said polysilicon layer; D. selectively etching said masking layer to expose predetermined regions of said polysilicon layer; E. selectively oxidizing said polysilicon layer through the entire depth of said exposed regions to form regions of silicon oxide separating elements of polysilicon, with said silicon oxide regions being thicker than said polysilicon elements; F. removing said masking layer; and G. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and silicon oxide regions to a first beam of impurity ions of sufficient energy to penetrate through said polysilicon elements and into the regions of said semiconductor substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said thick silicon oxide regions.

Claim 12

A method of fabricating a charge coupled device, comprising: A. forming an insulating coating on a semiconductor substrate of given impurity type; B. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on said coating; C. depositing a masking layer of relatively non-oxidizable material on said polysilicon layer; D. selectively ethcing said masking layer to expose predetermined strip-like regions of said polysilicon layer; E. selectively oxidizing said polysilicon layer through the entire depth of said exposed regions to form strip-like regions of silicon oxide separating strip elements of polysilicon, with said silicon oxide regions being thicker than said polysilicon elements; F. removing said masking layer; G. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and silicon oxide regions to a first beam of ions of said given impurity type and of sufficient energy to penetrate through said polysilicon elements and implant a moderate concentration of ions in the regions of said semiconductor substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said thick silicon oxide regions; H. removing said silicon oxide regions and the underlying insulating coating to form void regions between said polysilicon elements; I. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and said void regions to a second beam of ions of said given impurity type differing from said first beam and of sufficient energy to pass through said void regions and implant a heavy concentration of ions in the regions of said substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said polysilicon elements; J. growing a thermal oxide coating to cover the entire structure thus formed; and K. depositing and patterning a metal electrode structure over said thermal oxide coating that is interleaved with said polysilicon strip elements, said polysilicon strip elements serving as one group of electrodes and said metal electrode structure serving as the other group of electrodes of a two phase charge coupled device.

Claim 13

A method of fabricating a charge coupled device, comprising: A. forming an insulating coating on a semiconductor substrate of given impurity type; B. forming a continuous layer of polysilicon on said coating; C. depositing a masking layer of relatively non-oxidizable material on said polysilicon layer; D. selectively ethcing said masking layer to expose predetermined strip-like regions of said polysilicon layer; E. selectively oxidizing said polysilicon layer through the entire depth of said exposed regions to form strip-like regions of silicon oxide separating strip elements of polysilicon, with said silicon oxide regions being thicker than said polysilicon elements; F. removing said masking layer; G. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and silicon oxide regions to a first beam of ions of said given impurity type and of sufficient energy to penetrate through said polysilicon elements and implant a moderate concentration of ions in the regions of said semiconductor substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said thick silicon oxide regions; H. removing said silicon oxide regions and the underlying insulating coating to form void regions between said polysilicon elements; I. exposing said layer of polysilicon elements and said void regions to a second beam of ions of said given impurity type differing from said first beam and of sufficient energy to pass through said void regions and implant a heavy concentration of ions in the regions of said substrate aligned therewith without penetrating said polysilicon elements; J. growing a thermal oxide coating to cover the entire structure thus formed; and K. depositing and patterning a metal electrode structure over said thermal oxide coating that is interleaved with said polysilicon strip elements, said polysilicon strip elements serving as one group of electrodes and said metal electrode structure serving as the other group of electrodes of a two phase charge coupled device.