US5024724A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dry-etching method
Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-10-16
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Granted: 1991-06-18
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Expires: 2009-10-16
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a novel dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film, whose surface is provided with an oxidized film, into an optional configuration by the use of the oxidized film. After drawing etching patterns of the metallic film by irradiating energy beam to the oxidized film formed on the surface of the metallic film, the dry-etching method according to the present invention causes the metallic film to expose itself to either radicals of reactive gas or to etching gas, and then selectively removes the area of metallic film in correspondence to the beam irradiated area of the oxidized film by applying chemical etching, thus eventually allowing the metallic film to be patterned into an optional configuration, without incuring physical damage to the etching face of the metallic film.
Inventors
- 👤 Yutaka Hirono
- 👤 Seiichi Kiyama
- 👤 Masato Osumi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:17
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; C23F4/02; H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6304; H10P14/6306; H10P14/6308; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film on a substrate, the metallic surface being provided with an oxidized film, into a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: transforming an area of said oxidized film into a transmuted portion with physical cracks that extend through said oxidized film to said metallic film by irradiating with a convergence laser beam the area of said oxidized film according to an etching pattern, said oxidized film being exposed to an atmosphere of a reactive gas reactive for transforming the area of the oxidized film which is irradiated with the laser beam; and thereafter exposing said metallic film through said physical cracks to an atmosphere of an activated etching gas, said activated etching gas being activated by a non-convergence laser beam and effecting a complete chemical reaction with said metallic film to form a gaseous reaction end product, the step of thereafter exposing including selectively etching and removing the area of said metallic film in correspondence to said area of said oxidized film that was irradiated by said convergence laser beam, said oxidized film being resistant to removal from exposure to said activated etching gas whereby said transmuted portion collapses as a result of the step of thereafter exposing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film on a substrate, the metallic surface being provided with an oxidized film, into a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: transforming an area of said oxidized film into a transmuted portion with physical cracks that extend through said oxidized film to said metallic film by irradiating with a convergence laser beam the area of said oxidized film according to an etching pattern, said oxidized film being exposed to an atmosphere of a reactive gas reactive for transforming the area of the oxidized film which is irradiated with the laser beam; and thereafter exposing said metallic film through said physical cracks to an atmosphere of an activated etching gas, said activated etching gas being activated by a non-convergence laser beam and effecting a complete chemical reaction with said metallic film to form a gaseous reaction end product, the step of thereafter exposing including selectively etching and removing the area of said metallic film in correspondence to said area of said oxidized film that was irradiated by said convergence laser beam, said oxidized film being resistant to removal from exposure to said activated etching gas whereby said transmuted portion collapses as a result of the step of thereafter exposing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said oxidized film is formed by spontaneous oxidation in an oxidizing atmosphere.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said oxidized film is generated by applying oxidizing treatment to the surface of said metallic film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said metallic film is substantially comprised of either a single layer of aluminum film or multiple layer film at least the surface of which is provided with an aluminum film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said etching gas is selected from a group consisting of Cl 2 , BCl 3 , HCl, SiCl 4 , and CCl 4 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said laser beams are substantially comprised of pulse-output type energy beams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said laser beams are selected from a group consisting of excimer laser beam, ion beam, electron beam, YAG laser beam, secondary harmonic beam of YAG laser, and metallic vapor laser beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said laser beams are substantially comprised of excimer laser beams and said laser beam which is irradiated to said oxidized film is of sheet configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said laser beams are substantially comprised of metallic vapor laser beams and said laser beam which is irradiated to said oxidized film is of sheet configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the process for irradiating laser beams to said oxidized film and the process for thereafter exposing said metallic film are executed in separate chambers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reactive gas used in the step of transforming is an etching gas which assists in transforming the area of said oxidized film into said transmuted portion as the area is being irradiated with the convergence laser beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
210 words
A dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film on a substrate into a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: forming an oxide film on a surface of said metallic film; transforming an area of the oxide film into a transmuted portion with physical cracks that extend through said oxide film to the metallic film by irradiating with a first convergence laser beam the area of said oxide film according to an etching pattern, the step of transforming taking place within an atmosphere of a reactive gas reactive for transforming the area of the oxide film which is irradiated with the laser beam; activating the reactive gas to generate radicals by irradiating said reactive gas with a second non-convergence laser beam less condensed than said first laser beam; and thereafter exposing said metallic film to the radicals of the activated reactive gas, the radicals effecting a complete chemical reaction with said metallic film to form a gaseous reaction end product, the step of thereafter exposing including selectively etching and removing the area of said metallic film in correspondence to said area of the oxide film, said oxide film being resistant to removal from exposure to said radicals whereby said transmuted portion collapses as a result of the step of thereafter exposing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
210 words
A dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film on a substrate into a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: forming an oxide film on a surface of said metallic film; transforming an area of the oxide film into a transmuted portion with physical cracks that extend through said oxide film to the metallic film by irradiating with a first convergence laser beam the area of said oxide film according to an etching pattern, the step of transforming taking place within an atmosphere of a reactive gas reactive for transforming the area of the oxide film which is irradiated with the laser beam; activating the reactive gas to generate radicals by irradiating said reactive gas with a second non-convergence laser beam less condensed than said first laser beam; and thereafter exposing said metallic film to the radicals of the activated reactive gas, the radicals effecting a complete chemical reaction with said metallic film to form a gaseous reaction end product, the step of thereafter exposing including selectively etching and removing the area of said metallic film in correspondence to said area of the oxide film, said oxide film being resistant to removal from exposure to said radicals whereby said transmuted portion collapses as a result of the step of thereafter exposing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 12, wherein the step of forming takes place spontaneously in air at room temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 12, wherein said metallic film is aluminum film and said oxide film is aluminum oxide film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said radicals are substantially comprised of Cl radicals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The dry-etching method in accordance with claim 1, wherein temperature of said metallic film exposed to radicals of said reactive gas is raised above room temperature.
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