Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
442 words
A process for fabricating radiation hardened high voltage integrated circuit devices, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a first conductivity type; masking and implanting dopant ions having a second conductivity type into selected areas of the substrate to provide buried regions that define the extent of subsequently formed wells comprising first channel regions, the regions adjacent the first channel regions comprising second channel regions; epitaxially growing a layer of material having the first conductivity type on top of the substrate and buried regions; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined period of time to form wells therein having the second conductivity type; forming channel stops having the first conductivity type surrounding the first channel regions; forming channel stops having the second conductivity type surrounding the second channel regions; masking the substrate and implanting dopant ions having the first conductivity type into first regions of the first channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; masking and implanting dopant ions having the second conductivity type into second regions of the second channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; heating the substrate to a predetermined relatively high temperature for a predetermined period to time to form the desired graded junction profile; forming a field oxide layer on the substrate, and masking and etching the field oxide layer to define active areas that include the graded junctions therewithin; forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate above the active areas; forming polysilicon gates on the gate oxide layer; implanting dopant ions having the first conductivity type into the first regions of the first channel regions using the polysilicon gates and field oxide layer as a mask to form source and drain regions in the first regions, wherein the desired graded junction profile extends laterally around and underneath the source and drain regions; and implanting dopant ions having the second conductivity type into the second regions of the second channel regions using the polysilicon gates and field oxide layer as a mask to form source and drain regions in the second regions, wherein the desired graded junction profile extends laterally around and underneath the source and drain regions; whereby forming the graded junctions prior to forming the gate oxide layer increases the voltage breakdown level between the source and drain regions of the first channel and the well thereof, and between the source and drain regions of the second channel and the substrate, respectively, which increases the operating voltage of the formed integrated circuit devices.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
442 words
A process for fabricating radiation hardened high voltage integrated circuit devices, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a first conductivity type; masking and implanting dopant ions having a second conductivity type into selected areas of the substrate to provide buried regions that define the extent of subsequently formed wells comprising first channel regions, the regions adjacent the first channel regions comprising second channel regions; epitaxially growing a layer of material having the first conductivity type on top of the substrate and buried regions; heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined period of time to form wells therein having the second conductivity type; forming channel stops having the first conductivity type surrounding the first channel regions; forming channel stops having the second conductivity type surrounding the second channel regions; masking the substrate and implanting dopant ions having the first conductivity type into first regions of the first channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; masking and implanting dopant ions having the second conductivity type into second regions of the second channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; heating the substrate to a predetermined relatively high temperature for a predetermined period to time to form the desired graded junction profile; forming a field oxide layer on the substrate, and masking and etching the field oxide layer to define active areas that include the graded junctions therewithin; forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate above the active areas; forming polysilicon gates on the gate oxide layer; implanting dopant ions having the first conductivity type into the first regions of the first channel regions using the polysilicon gates and field oxide layer as a mask to form source and drain regions in the first regions, wherein the desired graded junction profile extends laterally around and underneath the source and drain regions; and implanting dopant ions having the second conductivity type into the second regions of the second channel regions using the polysilicon gates and field oxide layer as a mask to form source and drain regions in the second regions, wherein the desired graded junction profile extends laterally around and underneath the source and drain regions; whereby forming the graded junctions prior to forming the gate oxide layer increases the voltage breakdown level between the source and drain regions of the first channel and the well thereof, and between the source and drain regions of the second channel and the substrate, respectively, which increases the operating voltage of the formed integrated circuit devices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductivity type is N-type and the second conductivity type is P-type.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the graded junctions having the first conductivity type are formed by implanting phosphorus ions into the P-well regions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the graded junctions having the second conductivity type are formed by implanting boron ions into the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate is heated to a first relatively high temperature for a predetermined time period to achieve the desired doping profile.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the substrate is heated to a second relatively high temperature for a predetermined time period to form the desired graded junctions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the substrate is heated to about 1050 degrees Celsius for a time period of about 120 minutes to form the desired graded junctions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
268 words
In a process for fabricating radiation hardened high voltage integrated circuit devices that comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a first conductivity type, forming first well regions in the substrate having a second conductivity type, defining well regions in the substrate disposed adjacent to the first well regions, the second well regions having the first conductivity type, forming channel stops substantially surrounding the first and second regions, forming a field oxide layer on the substrate, and masking and etching the field oxide layer to define active areas, forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate above the active areas, forming polysilicon gates on the gate oxide layer, and forming source and drain regions in the active areas by implanting dopant ions into the active areas of the first and second channel regions, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: prior to forming of the gate oxide layer, masking and implanting predefined dopant ions into the active areas of the substrate within the first and second channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; and heating the substrate at a predetermined relatively high temperature or a predetermined period of time to form a desired graded junction profile; whereby forming the graded junctions prior to the deposition of the gate oxide layer increases the voltage breakdown level between the source and drain regions of the first channel and the well region thereof, and the source and drain regions of the second channel and the substrate, respectively, which increases the operating voltage of the formed integrated circuit devices.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
268 words
In a process for fabricating radiation hardened high voltage integrated circuit devices that comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a first conductivity type, forming first well regions in the substrate having a second conductivity type, defining well regions in the substrate disposed adjacent to the first well regions, the second well regions having the first conductivity type, forming channel stops substantially surrounding the first and second regions, forming a field oxide layer on the substrate, and masking and etching the field oxide layer to define active areas, forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate above the active areas, forming polysilicon gates on the gate oxide layer, and forming source and drain regions in the active areas by implanting dopant ions into the active areas of the first and second channel regions, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: prior to forming of the gate oxide layer, masking and implanting predefined dopant ions into the active areas of the substrate within the first and second channel regions, the distribution of the dopant ions therein having a predetermined doping profile that defines a graded junction; and heating the substrate at a predetermined relatively high temperature or a predetermined period of time to form a desired graded junction profile; whereby forming the graded junctions prior to the deposition of the gate oxide layer increases the voltage breakdown level between the source and drain regions of the first channel and the well region thereof, and the source and drain regions of the second channel and the substrate, respectively, which increases the operating voltage of the formed integrated circuit devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the first conductivity type is N-type and the second conductivity type is P-type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the graded junctions having the first conductivity type are formed by implanting phosphorus ions into the P-well.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the graded junctions having the second conductivity type are formed by implanting boron ions into the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate is heated to a first relatively high temperature for a fixed time period to achieve the desired ion distribution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate is heated to a second relatively high temperature for a predetermined time period to form the desired graded junctions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate is heated to about 1050 degrees Celsius for a time period of about 120 minutes to form the desired graded junctions.