US5338394A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for etching indium based III-V compound semiconductors
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1992-05-01
•
Granted: 1994-08-16
•
Expires: 2012-05-01
Abstract
Abstract InP is etched by reactive ion etching using a mixture of SiCl 4 and CH 4 or a mixture of SiCl 4 and H 2 . A mask is placed on the InP and then it is placed into a RIE chamber having a pressure between approximately 5 mTorr and approximately 50 mTorr. The InP substrate is etched at a substrate temperature of less than 150° C.
Inventors
- 👤 Mohammed A. Fathimulla
- 👤 Thomas C. Loughran
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:45
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/24; H10P50/246
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (c) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 , and HBr into said chamber; (d) introducing a second gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; (e) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (f) exposing said semiconductor to a gas plasma comprising said first gas and said second gas; whereby said gas plasma etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (c) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 , and HBr into said chamber; (d) introducing a second gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; (e) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (f) exposing said semiconductor to a gas plasma comprising said first gas and said second gas; whereby said gas plasma etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor from the group consisting of InP, InAs and InSb.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of selecting InP as the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising generating said gas plasma in a reactive ion etching system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising generating said gas plasma in an electron cyclotron resonance system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of selecting the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor from the group consisting of InP, InAs and InSb.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor from the group consisting of InP, InAs and InSb.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 120° C.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting InP as the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (c) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 5 mTorr; (d) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 , and HBr into said chambers; (e) introducing a separate gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; (f) maintaining sodium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (g) electron cyclatron resonance etching sodium based III-V semiconductor; whereby a gas plasma generated by said electron cyclatron resonance etching etches said semiconductor at a rate between about 0.5 μm/ min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting InP as the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (c) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 5 mTorr; (d) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 , and HBr into said chambers; (e) introducing a separate gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; (f) maintaining sodium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (g) electron cyclatron resonance etching sodium based III-V semiconductor; whereby a gas plasma generated by said electron cyclatron resonance etching etches said semiconductor at a rate between about 0.5 μm/ min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting InP as the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (c) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 5 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (d) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 and HBr into said chamber; (e) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; (f) introducing a Second gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; and (g) reactive ion etching the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor. whereby a gas plasma generated by said reactive ion etching etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting InP as the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (c) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 5 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (d) introducing a first gas selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , BCl 3 and HBr into said chamber; (e) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; (f) introducing a Second gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber; and (g) reactive ion etching the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor. whereby a gas plasma generated by said reactive ion etching etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (c) introducing a gas selected from the group consisting of SiHCl 3 , SiHCl 2 , C 2 H 5 Cl 3 and CHCl 3 into said chamber; (d) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (f) exposing said semiconductor to a gas plasma comprising said gas; whereby said gas plasma etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for etching Indium based III-V compound semiconductors, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a mask on the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor; (b) placing the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor and said mask in a chamber having a pressure between approximately 1 mTorr and approximately 100 mTorr; (c) introducing a gas selected from the group consisting of SiHCl 3 , SiHCl 2 , C 2 H 5 Cl 3 and CHCl 3 into said chamber; (d) maintaining the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor at a temperature of less than approximately 150° C.; and (f) exposing said semiconductor to a gas plasma comprising said gas; whereby said gas plasma etches said semiconductor at a rate of between about 0.5 μm/min to about 1.0 μm/min.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of reactive ion etching the Indium-based III-V compound semiconductor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of electron cyclotron resonance etching the Indium based III-V compound semiconductor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of introducing a second gas selected from the group consisting of CH 4 and H 2 into said chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4445218A
Cited
US4529685A
Cited
US5074955A
Cited
US4927785A
Cited
US4878993A
Cited
US5068007A
Cited
US5034092A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-02-14 | 1998-08-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-15 | 2002-02-14 | 2002-08-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-15 | 2006-02-14 | 2006-08-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |