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US4314874A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for forming a fine pattern of an aluminum film

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1980-09-24
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Granted: 1982-02-09
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Expires: 2000-09-24
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Abstract

Abstract A thin aluminum film 3 is formed on the top surface of a substrate 2, 1. Selected areas of the aluminum film are irradiated by an oxygen ion beam 6 to form implanted regions 7. The surface is then plasma etched, with the oxygen ion implanted regions serving as a mask to thereby prevent the removal of the underlying areas of the aluminum film.

Inventors

  • 👤 Haruhiko Abe
  • 👤 Yoji Mashiko
  • 👤 Hiroshi Harada
  • 👤 Sotoju Asai
  • 👤 Kazuo Mizuguchi
  • 👤 Sumio Nomoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 20:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6304; H10P14/6314; H10P32/00; H10P32/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for forming a fine pattern of an aluminum film, comprising the following steps: (a) coating a surface of a substrate with an aluminum film, (b) selectively irradiating said aluminum film with an oxygen ion beam to form an oxygen ion implanted region, and (c) plasma etching said aluminum film using said implanted region as a mask, whereby unimplanted areas of the aluminum film are removed while areas thereof underlying the implanted region are left substantially intact.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 78 words
A method for forming a fine pattern of an aluminum film, comprising the following steps: (a) coating a surface of a substrate with an aluminum film, (b) selectively irradiating said aluminum film with an oxygen ion beam to form an oxygen ion implanted region, and (c) plasma etching said aluminum film using said implanted region as a mask, whereby unimplanted areas of the aluminum film are removed while areas thereof underlying the implanted region are left substantially intact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum film is approximately 1 μm thick, and the thickness of said implanted region is greater than 100 A.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 16 words
A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said aluminum film includes an aluminum alloy.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 30 words
A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the plasma etching is performed with a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon tetrachloride, bromine trichloride or ethylene trichloride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising exposing the aluminum film to the atmosphere before its selective irradiation to form a thin film of alumina thereon, whereafter the selective irradiation forms a thickened region of the alumina film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein both the selectively irradiating and plasma etching steps are performed in a vacuum chamber after the coating step.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3436327A Cited
US3682729A Cited
DE2723933A1 Cited
US4093503A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-02-08 1985-08-10 1986-02-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-02-08 1989-08-10 1990-02-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-02-08 1993-08-10 1994-02-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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