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US4923526A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Homogeneous fine grained metal film on substrate and manufacturing method thereof

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1989-01-23
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Granted: 1990-05-08
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Expires: 2009-01-23
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Abstract

Abstract A homogeneous fine grained metal film (6') on a substrate in accordance with the present invention comprises multiple metal layers and intervening layers (14) between the respective metal layers, the intervening layers being formed of a compound of the metal and a reactive gas and serving to suppress growth of grains (12') in the respective metal layers and to suppress electromigration of grain boundaries (13'). In a method for manufacturing a metal film (6') having homogeneous and fine grains on a substrate in accordance with the present invention, one or more intervening layers (14) are formed by introducing a gas reactive with the metal film one or more times during deposition of the metal film, whereby intervening layers of a metal compound are interposed between the successively deposited metal layers. Thus, a metal film of multilayered structure including multiple metal layers separated by the intervening layers is formed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Harada
  • 👤 Yoshihiro Hirata
  • 👤 Masanobu Tosa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 12:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; H10W20/4403; H10W20/4405; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; C23C14/0073; C23C14/02; C23C14/024; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C14/32; C23C16/00; C23C16/02; C23C16/0272; C23C16/06; C23C16/08; C23C16/12; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/064

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
A method of manufacturing of a metal film arrangement having substantially homogeneous fine grains on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning said substrate in a deposition apparatus, (b) depositing a metal layer of said metal on said substrate to establish a metal layer thickness corresponding to the grain size of said metal, (c) feeding a gas reactive with said metal into said deposition apparatus to form a layer of a metal compound, resulting from a reaction between said metal and said gas, on an upper surface of said metal layer, and (d) performing step (b) after repeating said steps (b) and (c) by a predetermined number of times.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 110 words
A method of manufacturing of a metal film arrangement having substantially homogeneous fine grains on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning said substrate in a deposition apparatus, (b) depositing a metal layer of said metal on said substrate to establish a metal layer thickness corresponding to the grain size of said metal, (c) feeding a gas reactive with said metal into said deposition apparatus to form a layer of a metal compound, resulting from a reaction between said metal and said gas, on an upper surface of said metal layer, and (d) performing step (b) after repeating said steps (b) and (c) by a predetermined number of times.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said metal is one of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said reactive gas includes oxygen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
A metal in accordance with claim 2, wherein said reactive gas includes nitrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said metal is deposited by sputtering.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said metal is deposited by vacuum evaporation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said metal is deposited by a CVD process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said metal is deposited by cluster ion beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate is heated to a temperature in the range of approximately 150°-400° C. by a heater.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 5, wherein a voltage in the range of about 300-700 volts is applied between electrodes during the sputtering process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive gas is fed intermittently.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive gas is fed into the apparatus during deposition of metal in step (b).
Claim 14
Independent Claim 110 words
A method of manufacturing of a metal film arrangement having substantially homogeneous fine grains on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning said substrate in a deposition apparatus, (b) depositing a metal layer of said metal on said substrate to establish a metal layer thickness corresponding to the grain size of said metal, (c) feeding a gas reactive with said metal into said deposition apparatus to form a layer of a metal compound, resulting from a reaction between said metal and said gas, on an upper surface of said metal layer, and (d) performing steps (b) and (c) at least once after initially performing step (b) and step (c).
Claim 15
Independent Claim 110 words
A method of manufacturing of a metal film arrangement having substantially homogeneous fine grains on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning said substrate in a deposition apparatus, (b) depositing a metal layer of said metal on said substrate to establish a metal layer thickness corresponding to the grain size of said metal, (c) feeding a gas reactive with said metal into said deposition apparatus to form a layer of a metal compound, resulting from a reaction between said metal and said gas, on an upper surface of said metal layer, and (d) performing steps (b) and (c) at least once after initially performing step (b) and step (c).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the reactive gas is fed intermittently.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4343890A Cited
GB2064864A Cited
US4649083A Cited
US4615747A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-05-07 1993-11-06 1994-05-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-05-07 1997-11-06 1998-05-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-05-07 2001-11-06 2002-05-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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