US4878993A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of etching thin indium tin oxide films
Assignee: Philips North America LLC
•
Filing: 1988-12-22
•
Granted: 1989-11-07
•
Expires: 2008-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A thin layer of indium tin oxide is deposited on a substrate and etched by ion reactive etching with a plasma consisting of disassociated argon.
Inventors
- 👤 Barbara A. Rossi
- 👤 Udayanath Mitra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:31
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B41/00; C04B41/009; C04B41/45; C04B41/50; C04B41/5025; C04B41/53; C04B41/5338; C04B41/5346; C04B41/80; C04B41/81; C04B41/85; C04B41/87; C04B41/91; H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/138; C04B2111/00; C04B2111/00474; C04B2111/00844; C04B2111/80; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
A method of etching a thin layer of indium tin oxide deposited on a substrate comprising subjecting said layer of indium tin oxide to ion reactive etching in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
34 words
A method of etching a thin layer of indium tin oxide deposited on a substrate comprising subjecting said layer of indium tin oxide to ion reactive etching in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is formed of a semiconductor material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is formed of an insulating material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, sapphire and borosilicate glass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a metallic substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the substrate is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium and molybdenum.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
240 words
A method of forming a fine transparent, electrically conductive pattern of indium tin oxide on an electrically insulating substrate, said method comprising: (a) depositing a thin transparent layer of indium tin oxide on said substrate, (b) depositing a thin layer of a dielectric material capable of being etched at a significantly slower rate than indium tin oxide in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon on said layer of indium tin oxide, (c) forming a photoresist having the desired pattern on said layer of said dielectric material to thereby provide exposed sections of said layer of dielectric material, corresponding to said pattern on said layer of indium tin oxide, (d) subjecting said exposed sections of said layer of dielectric material to an etchant for said dielectric material to which said pattern of photoresist is comparatively inert to thereby form a pattern of said dielectric layer corresponding to said desired pattern covered by said photoresist pattern, (e) removing, said photoresist pattern, (f) subjecting said exposed sections of indium tin oxide to ion reactive etching in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon for a time sufficient to remove said exposed sections of indium tin oxide from said substrate, and (g) subjecting said pattern of said dielectric material to an etchant to which said indium tin oxide is comparatively inert to thereby remove said dielectric material from said indium tin oxide thereby providing said pattern of indium tin oxide on said electrically insulting substrate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
240 words
A method of forming a fine transparent, electrically conductive pattern of indium tin oxide on an electrically insulating substrate, said method comprising: (a) depositing a thin transparent layer of indium tin oxide on said substrate, (b) depositing a thin layer of a dielectric material capable of being etched at a significantly slower rate than indium tin oxide in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon on said layer of indium tin oxide, (c) forming a photoresist having the desired pattern on said layer of said dielectric material to thereby provide exposed sections of said layer of dielectric material, corresponding to said pattern on said layer of indium tin oxide, (d) subjecting said exposed sections of said layer of dielectric material to an etchant for said dielectric material to which said pattern of photoresist is comparatively inert to thereby form a pattern of said dielectric layer corresponding to said desired pattern covered by said photoresist pattern, (e) removing, said photoresist pattern, (f) subjecting said exposed sections of indium tin oxide to ion reactive etching in a plasma consisting of disassociated argon for a time sufficient to remove said exposed sections of indium tin oxide from said substrate, and (g) subjecting said pattern of said dielectric material to an etchant to which said indium tin oxide is comparatively inert to thereby remove said dielectric material from said indium tin oxide thereby providing said pattern of indium tin oxide on said electrically insulting substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the indium tin oxide consists, by weight, of from 90-95% indium oxide and 10-5% tin oxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the indium tin oxide consists, by weight, of from 90-95% indium oxide and 10-5% tin oxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and germanium nitride.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the insulating substrate is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, sapphire and borosilicate glass.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the pattern of the dielectric material is removed by a gaseous etch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the gaseous etch is a plasma of a mixture of a major portion of trifluoromethane and oxygen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the photoresist pattern is removed by etching.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the photoresist pattern is removed by a gaseous etch consisting essentially of a plasma of oxygen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the dielectric material is silicon dioxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 wherein a indium tin oxide layer of a thickness of up to about 0.5μ is employed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the layer of said dielectric material has a thickness of up to about 0.5μ.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the substrate is formed of monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3957609A
Cited
US4153529A
Cited
US3979240A
Cited
US4132614A
Cited
US4160045A
Cited
US4778562A
Cited
US4620898A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-06 | 1993-05-08 | 1993-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-06 | 1997-05-08 | 1997-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-06 | 2001-05-08 | 2001-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |