Photoresist lift-off process for fabricating semiconductor devices

Claim 2

A photoresist lift-off process for fabricating semiconductor devices comprising the steps of: applying a first layer of positive photoresist on the surface of a semiconductor substrate; exposing said first photoresist layer to light through a mask having at least one aperture located where at least one hole is to be formed in said first photoresist layer; developing said exposed first photoresist layer to remove portions of said first photoresist layer, which are exposed to light to form at least one hole in said first photoresist layer where a first part of a device is to be formed; performing a first process step through said hole to form a first part of a device in said hole, said first process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching, and deposition; oxidizing the surface of said first layer; applying a second layer of negative photoresist containing imidazole which is at least light transmissive over the entire semiconductor device, parts of said second layer being disposed on said first layer and at least a part thereof being present within said hole; exposing the device, including said second layer and said remaining first layer to light; developing said first and second layers with a solvent to remove said first layer and overlying portions of said second layer, leaving portions of said second layer within said hole; and performing a second process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching and deposition to form a second part of the device on said exposed surface adjacent said hole; whereby said first and second parts are self-aligned.

Claim 3

A photoresist lift-off process for fabricating semiconductor devices comprising the steps of: applying a first layer of positive photoresist on the surface of a semiconductor substrate; exposing said first photoresist layer to light through a mask having at least one aperture located where at least one hole is to be formed in said first photoresist layer; developing said exposed first photoresist layer to remove portions of said first photoresist layer which are exposed to light to form at least one hole in said first photoresist layer where a first part of a device is to be formed, said hole having sidewall angles in the range 80 to 110 degrees; performing a first process step through said hole to form a first part of a device in said hole, said first process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching, and deposition; oxidizing the surface of said first layer; applying a second layer of negative photoresist containing imidazole which is at least light transmissive over the entire semiconductor device, parts of said second layer being disposed on said first layer and at least a part thereof being present within said hole, the sidewall angles of said second layer being complementary to the hole in which it was deposited, the total angle being 180 degrees; exposing the device, including said second layer and said remaining first layer to light; developing said first and second layers with a solvent to remove said first layer and overlying portions of said second layer, leaving portions of said second layer within said hole; and performing a second process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching and deposition to form a second part of the device on said exposed surface adjacent said hole; whereby said first and second parts are self-aligned.

Claim 4

A photoresist lift-off process for fabricating semiconductor devices comprising the steps of: applying a first layer of positive photoresist on the surface of a semiconductor substrate; exposing said first photoresist layer to light through a mask having at least one aperture located where at least one hole is to be formed in said first photoresist layer; developing said exposed first photoresist layer to remove portions of said first photoresist layer which are exposed to light to form at least one hole in said first photoresist layer where a first part of a device is to be formed, said hole having sidewall angles in the range 80 to 110 degrees; performing a first process step through said hole to form a first part of a device in said hole, said first process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching, and deposition; oxidizing the surface of said first layer; applying a second layer of negative photoresist containing imidazole which is at least light transmissive over the entire semiconductor device, parts of said second layer being disposed on said first layer and at least a part thereof being present within said hole, the sidewall angles of said second layer being complementary to the hole in which it was deposited, the total angle being 180 degrees; exposing the device, including said second layer and said remaining first layer to light; developing said first and second layers with a solvent to remove said first layer and overlying portions of said second layer, leaving portions of said second layer within said hole; and performing a second process step selected from the group consisting of ion implantation, etching and deposition to form a second part of the device on said exposed surface adjacent said hole; whereby said first and second parts are self-aligned.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the first masking layer of photoresist is, diazo-novolak photoresist containing 0.5 to 5.0% by weight of imidazole, where such level is processed as a positive acting photoresist, and the second masking layer of photoresist is diazo-novolak photoresist containing 0.5 to 5.0% of imidazole additive.