US4630094A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Use of metallic glasses for fabrication of structures with submicron dimensions
Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
•
Filing: 1985-03-08
•
Granted: 1986-12-16
•
Expires: 2005-03-08
Abstract
Abstract Patterned structures of submicron dimension formed of supported or unsupported amorphous metals having submicron feature sizes characterized by etching behavior sufficient to allow delineation of sharp edges and smooth flat flanks, resistance to time-dependent dimensional changes caused by creep, flow, in-diffusion of unwanted impurities, out-diffusion of constituent atoms, void formation, grain growth or phase separation and resistance to phase transformations or compound formation.
Inventors
- 👤 John D. Wiley
- 👤 John H. Perepezko
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 06:21
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/20; G03F7/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/922; Y10S428/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
Patterned structures in contact with semiconductor regions having physical, geometric features of submicron dimension formed of amorphous metals having submicron feature sizes characterized by etching behavior sufficient to allow delineation of sharp edges and smooth flat flanks and without grain boundaries or other microscopic inhomogeneities which could cause anisotropic or locally enhanced etching.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
Patterned structures in contact with semiconductor regions having physical, geometric features of submicron dimension formed of amorphous metals having submicron feature sizes characterized by etching behavior sufficient to allow delineation of sharp edges and smooth flat flanks and without grain boundaries or other microscopic inhomogeneities which could cause anisotropic or locally enhanced etching.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 characterized by resistance to time-dependent dimensional changes caused by creep, flow, in-diffusion of unwanted impurities, out-diffusion of constituent atoms, void formation, grain growth or phase separation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 characterized by resistance to phase transformations or compound formation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the amorphous metal is characterized by a lack of crystallinity on a distance scale of 10-20 angstroms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the amorphous metal has a binary composition having the formula T x N 1-x in which x is approximately 0.8, T is a transition metal and N is a normal metal or metalloid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 5 in which T is selected from the group consisting of Pd, Au and Co.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 5 in which N is selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge and B.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the amorphous metal has a pseudobinary composition having the formula (T 1 ) n (T 2 ) 0 .8-n N 2 in which T 1 and T 2 are transition metals, N is a normal metal or metalloid and 0.2≦n≧0.8.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 8 in which T 1 and T 2 are selected from the group consisting of Pd, Au and Co.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 8 in which N is selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge and B.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the patterned structure is in the form of holes, channels, grooves or other recessed surface features formed in a planar surface of an amorphous metal layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the patterned structure is in the form of mesas, stripes, islands or other raised structures of amorphous metal bonded onto the surface of a substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the patterned structure is a combination of holes, channels, grooves or other recessed surface features and mesas, stripes, islands or other raised structures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the patterned structure is a combination of holes, channels, grooves or other recessed surface features in a first layer and mesas, stripes, islands or other raised structures in a second layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
Patterned structures of submicron dimension as claimed in claim 1 in which the amorphous metal contains crystallites in a volume fraction not exceeding 25%.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3675090A
Cited
US3699543A
Cited
US3735145A
Cited
US3965463A
Cited
US3886577A
Cited
US4006276A
Cited
US3996571A
Cited
US3988722A
Cited
US4098917A
Cited
DE2833891A1
Cited
US4272348A
Cited
US4325733A
Cited
US4330848A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-15 | 1990-06-16 | 1990-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-15 | 1994-06-16 | 1994-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-15 | 1998-06-16 | 1998-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |