Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor type field effect transistor, comprising the steps of : (a) preparing s semi-insulating substrate with a surface having a gate forming area and a remaining area; (b) forming a gate electrode on the gate forming area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate, said gate electrode having an upper surface and side walls; (c) forming a protection film on the upper surface and the side walls of said gate electrode and the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate; (d) covering said protection film with a material which is different in etching rate from said protection film; (e) forming a filling layer of said material for creating a generally smooth topography by removing a part of said material over said gate electrode and a part of said protection film on the upper surface of said gate electrode, said filling layer having an upper surface substantially coplanar to the upper surface of said gate electrode; (f) forming a conductive layer on the upper surface of said gate electrode and the upper surface of said filling layer; and (g) removing said filling layer so as to cause said conductive layer to be spaced from a part of said protection film on the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor type field effect transistor, comprising the steps of : (a) preparing s semi-insulating substrate with a surface having a gate forming area and a remaining area; (b) forming a gate electrode on the gate forming area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate, said gate electrode having an upper surface and side walls; (c) forming a protection film on the upper surface and the side walls of said gate electrode and the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate; (d) covering said protection film with a material which is different in etching rate from said protection film; (e) forming a filling layer of said material for creating a generally smooth topography by removing a part of said material over said gate electrode and a part of said protection film on the upper surface of said gate electrode, said filling layer having an upper surface substantially coplanar to the upper surface of said gate electrode; (f) forming a conductive layer on the upper surface of said gate electrode and the upper surface of said filling layer; and (g) removing said filling layer so as to cause said conductive layer to be spaced from a part of said protection film on the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 1, in which said protection film is formed by a silicon nitride film deposited by using a plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 2, in which said protection film is covered with said material by a spin coating technique using a silicon oxide in solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 3, in which said silicon oxide is dissolved in an organic solvent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 3, in which said generally smooth topography is created by a dry etching technique using a CF 4 -containing gaseous mixture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 3, in which said filling layer is removed by a wet etching technique using an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid, thereby causing said conductive layer to be spaced from a part of said protection film on the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 6, in which said etching solution contains hydrofluoric acid diluted with water so as to have a hydrofluoric-acid /water ratio about 1:30.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 1, in which said protection film is formed by a silicon nitride film deposited by a photo-excited chemical vapor deposition technique.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 8, in which said material is formed of polymide resin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 9, in which said polymide resin is partially removed by a dry etching technique using a CF 4 --O 2 gaseous mixture, and, thereafter, said protection film of silicon nitride is partially removed by a dry etching technique using a CF 4 etching gas, thereby forming said filling layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process of fabricating a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor as set forth in claim 9, in which said polymide resin is removed in an oxygen plasma, thereby causing said conductive layer to be spaced from a part of said protection film on the remaining area of the surface of said semi-insulating substrate.