Method for manufacturing semiconductor device utilizing selective etching and diffusion

Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (i) forming, in a surface layer or inside a semiconductor layer of first conductivity type, a first impurity region of second conductivity type, and thereafter forming a second impurity region of first conductivity type within said first impurity region or in part of said semiconductor layer on said first impurity region; (ii) etching part of said semiconductor layer excluding part thereof on at least said second impurity region to at least a depth of said first impurity region to form a semiconductor region, said semiconductor region including said first and second impurity regions and having a projecting shape with vertical or substantially vertical side surfaces, thus defining an etched part; (iii) selectively forming an insulating film on a bottom surface of the etched part; and (iv) forming an electrode on said semiconductor region, said electrode being connected to said first impurity region through the side surfaces of said semiconductor region; wherein step (i) for forming said second impurity region comprises depositing, on part of said semiconductor layer on said first impurity region, a conductive pattern containing an impurity of first conductivity type to serve as an impurity diffusion source for said second impurity region and an electrode for said second impurity region; and step (ii) for etching the part of said semiconductor layer excluding the part on at least said second impurity region comprises etching the first mentioned part using said conductive pattern or an insulating film formed by the insulating treatment of the conductive pattern as a mask.

Claim 2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (i) forming, in a surface layer or inside a semiconductor layer of first conductivity type, a first impurity region of second conductivity type, and thereafter forming a second impurity region of first conductivity type within said first impurity region or in part of said semiconductor layer on said first impurity region; (ii) etching part of said semiconductor layer excluding part thereof on at least said second impurity region to at least a depth of said first impurity region to form a semiconductor region, said semiconductor region including said first and second impurity regions and having a projecting shape with vertical or substantially vertical side surfaces, thus defining an etched part; (iii) selectively forming an insulating film on a bottom surface of the etched part; and (iv) forming an electrode on said semiconductor region, said electrode being connected to said first impurity region through the side surfaces of said semiconductor region; wherein step (i) for forming said second impurity region comprises depositing, on part of said semiconductor layer on said first impurity region, a conductive pattern containing an impurity of first conductivity type to serve as an impurity diffusion source for said second impurity region and an electrode for said second impurity region; and step (ii) for etching the part of said semiconductor layer excluding the part on at least said second impurity region comprises etching the first mentioned part using said conductive pattern or an insulating film formed by the insulating treatment of the conductive pattern as a mask.

Claim 7

A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein step (ii) further comprises an insulating treatment of said conductive pattern prior to etching.

Claim 8

A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein etching in step (ii) is performed in two substeps, said first substep comprising selectively etching to a depth of said second impurity region, and said second substep comprising forming an insulating film on the etched part formed in said first substep, selectively removing said insulating film on the bottom surface of said etched part to leave said insulating film on the side surfaces of said semiconductor region, and etching the bottom surface of said etched part to at least a depth of said first impurity region using the remaining part of said insulating film as a mask.

Claim 9

A method according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein etching in step (ii) and formation of said insulating film in step (iii) are performed prior to the insulating treatment of said conductive pattern.