Patent US4046606A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4046606A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Simultaneous location of areas having different conductivities
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1976-05-10
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Granted: 1977-09-06
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Expires: 1996-05-10
Abstract
Abstract The process employs both silicon dioxide and silicon nitride layers used for selectively masking areas to be etched in order to allow a single photomask to be used for defining areas having different conductivities simultaneously, thereby eliminating problems caused by misregistry between photomasks.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert Paul Lambert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 21:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D84/00; H10D84/01; H10D84/0123; H10D84/0126; H10D84/0165; H10D84/0191; H10D84/02; H10D84/03; H10D84/038; H10P; H10P76/00; H10P76/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
The process of introducing impurities into a substrate of material in the manufacture of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: a. forming a first layer of a first material over said substrate; b. forming a second layer of a second material over said first layer, said second material being different from said first material; c. preferentially etching portions of said second layer by an etchant which preferentially etches said second material with respect to said first material to expose the underlying portions of said first layer; d. removing said exposed portions of said first layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate; e. forming a third layer of said second material over said exposed portions of said substrate; f. simultaneously defining selected portions of said second and said third layers, then removing said selected portions of said third layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate while simultaneously removing said selected portions of said second layer to expose the underlying portions of said first layer, the removal of said selected portions being accomplished by an etchant which preferentially etches said second material with respect to said first material; g. depositing impurities of a first conductivity type onto the exposed portions of said substrate and introducing said impurities into said substrate; h. forming fourth layers of said second material only over the exposed portions of said substrate by reacting said exposed portions of said substrate; i. removing the remaining said exposed portions of said first layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate; and j. depositing impurities of a second conductivity type different from said first conductivity type into said exposed portions of said substrate and introducing said impurities into said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
The process of introducing impurities into a substrate of material in the manufacture of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: a. forming a first layer of a first material over said substrate; b. forming a second layer of a second material over said first layer, said second material being different from said first material; c. preferentially etching portions of said second layer by an etchant which preferentially etches said second material with respect to said first material to expose the underlying portions of said first layer; d. removing said exposed portions of said first layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate; e. forming a third layer of said second material over said exposed portions of said substrate; f. simultaneously defining selected portions of said second and said third layers, then removing said selected portions of said third layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate while simultaneously removing said selected portions of said second layer to expose the underlying portions of said first layer, the removal of said selected portions being accomplished by an etchant which preferentially etches said second material with respect to said first material; g. depositing impurities of a first conductivity type onto the exposed portions of said substrate and introducing said impurities into said substrate; h. forming fourth layers of said second material only over the exposed portions of said substrate by reacting said exposed portions of said substrate; i. removing the remaining said exposed portions of said first layer to expose the underlying portions of said substrate; and j. depositing impurities of a second conductivity type different from said first conductivity type into said exposed portions of said substrate and introducing said impurities into said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor material comprises silicon and said step of forming a first layer of a first material and said substrate comprises the step of forming a layer of silicon nitride over said substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said step of forming a second layer of a second material over said first layer comprises the step of forming a layer of silicon dioxide over said layer of silicon nitride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said step of forming fourth layers comprises the step of growing silicon dioxide outward from said silicon substrate by placing said substrate into a furnace in an oxidizing ambient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said step of simultaneously defining selected portions of said second and said third layers comprises the step of using a single photomask to expose a layer of photoresist and then preferentially etching silicon dioxide with respect to silicon nitride and silicon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 5 wherein said step of introducing said impurities of one conductivity type comprises the step of diffusing acceptor type impurities into the exposed portions of said substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the step of introducing impurities of a conductivity type different from the conductivity type of the impurities introduced into said third layer comprises the step of diffusing donor type impurities into said exposed portions of said substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-09-05 | 1981-03-07 | 1981-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-05 | 1985-03-07 | 1985-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-05 | 1989-03-07 | 1989-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |