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US5320971A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for obtaining high barrier Schottky diode and local interconnect

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1992-07-01
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Granted: 1994-06-14
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Expires: 2012-07-01
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Abstract

Abstract This invention is a silicon bipolar integrated circuit comprising: a high barrier Schottky diode clamp on a bipolar transistor, the diode clamp comprising a self-aligned PtSi layer on a silicon surface; and a TiN local interconnect partially overlying the PtSi layer. It also is a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising: forming a self-aligned PtSi layer on the adjacent base and collector silicon regions, the PtSi serving as a clamp diode on the bipolar transistor; and forming an etch-patterned TiN layer partially overlying the PtSi layer, the etch-patterned TiN layer serving as local interconnects. The invention provides a PtSi Schottky diode on a bipolar transistor in combination with a TiN local interconnect with the advantages of (i) providing a TiN local interconnect which can be etched without also etching the PtSi, (ii) permitting a wide process window for overetching at contacts, (ii) a TiN local interconnect which is an improvement over a polysilicon local interconnect, and (iv) a high barrier Schottky diode for clamping a bipolar transistor.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert H. Eklund
  • 👤 Robert H. Havemann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 04:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/0698; H10D; H10D84/00; H10D84/60; H10D84/611; H10D84/613; H10D84/617

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 82 words
A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit containing at least one bipolar silicon transistor, which transistor has adjacent base and collector regions; said method comprising: forming a self-aligned PtSi layer on said adjacent base and collector silicon regions, said PtSi serving as a clamp diode on the bipolar transistor, forming a TiN layer at least partially overlying said PtSi layer; and patterning and etching said TiN layer so as to form local interconnects and a PtSi Schottky diode on said bipolar transistor.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 82 words
A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit containing at least one bipolar silicon transistor, which transistor has adjacent base and collector regions; said method comprising: forming a self-aligned PtSi layer on said adjacent base and collector silicon regions, said PtSi serving as a clamp diode on the bipolar transistor, forming a TiN layer at least partially overlying said PtSi layer; and patterning and etching said TiN layer so as to form local interconnects and a PtSi Schottky diode on said bipolar transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said PtSi layer is formed by sputtering platinum onto a substrate having both oxide and silicon surface regions, heating said substrate to react said platinum with said silicon surface, and then removing said unreacted platinum with aqua regia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said etch-patterned TiN layer is formed by depositing titanium over said substrate and reacting said titanium with nitrogen to form titanium nitride, covering said titanium nitride with a patterned photoresist, and etching said titanium nitride to form the etch-patterned TiN.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said titanium nitride is etched with carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 68 words
A method of manufacturing a bipolar transistor having a clamp diode and a TiN local interconnect, comprising the steps of: forming a base, collector and an emitter region in a semiconductor layer to create a bipolar transistor; forming a PtSi layer overlying said base and emitter regions to create a clamp diode; and forming a TiN layer partially overlying said base region to create a TiN local interconnect.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 68 words
A method of manufacturing a bipolar transistor having a clamp diode and a TiN local interconnect, comprising the steps of: forming a base, collector and an emitter region in a semiconductor layer to create a bipolar transistor; forming a PtSi layer overlying said base and emitter regions to create a clamp diode; and forming a TiN layer partially overlying said base region to create a TiN local interconnect.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of forming said TiN layer includes the steps of: depositing TiN over said base and emitter regions; etching away a portion of said TiN overlying said base region wherein said PtSi layer acts as an etch stop.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of etching away a portion of said TiN comprises the step of etching with carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said base comprises a p-doped region and said collector comprises an n-doped region.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 84 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit containing at least one bipolar silicon transistor comprising the steps of: forming a base region in the face of a silicon layer; forming a collector region in said face adjacent said base region; forming a self-aligned PtSi layer on said adjacent base and collector silicon regions said PtSi layer serving as a clamp diode on the bipolar transistor; and forming a local interconnect at least partially overlying said PtSi layer, said local interconnect comprising a TiN layer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 84 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit containing at least one bipolar silicon transistor comprising the steps of: forming a base region in the face of a silicon layer; forming a collector region in said face adjacent said base region; forming a self-aligned PtSi layer on said adjacent base and collector silicon regions said PtSi layer serving as a clamp diode on the bipolar transistor; and forming a local interconnect at least partially overlying said PtSi layer, said local interconnect comprising a TiN layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said base comprises a p-doped region and said collector comprises an n-doped region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said local interconnect is formed such that it also overlies an oxide region.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 109 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a base region in said substrate, said base region including an extrinsic base portion extending to a surface of said substrate; forming an emitter region in said surface of said substrate adjacent said base region; forming a polycrystalline emitter region on said surface of said substrate overlying said emitter region; forming a first silicide layer in contact with said extrinsic base portion and forming a second silicide layer in contact with said polycrystalline emitter region; and forming a local interconnect region partially in contact with only part of said first silicide layer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 109 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a base region in said substrate, said base region including an extrinsic base portion extending to a surface of said substrate; forming an emitter region in said surface of said substrate adjacent said base region; forming a polycrystalline emitter region on said surface of said substrate overlying said emitter region; forming a first silicide layer in contact with said extrinsic base portion and forming a second silicide layer in contact with said polycrystalline emitter region; and forming a local interconnect region partially in contact with only part of said first silicide layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said silicide layer comprises PtSi.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said local interconnect region comprises TiN.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said base region comprises a p-doped region and said emitter comprises an n-doped region and wherein said substrate comprises an n-doped collector region.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4800177A Cited
US4809052A Cited
US4988423A Cited
US4978637A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-06-13 1997-12-13 1998-06-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-06-13 2001-12-13 2002-06-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-06-13 2005-12-13 2006-06-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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