US5431774A
Expired / Lapsed
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Copper etching
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1994-07-19
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Granted: 1995-07-11
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Expires: 2014-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A dry etch for metals such as copper using π-acids in an energetic environment such as a plasma, laser, or afterglow reactor (102) or by using ligands forming volatiles at low temperature within a pulsed energetic environment.
Inventors
- 👤 Monte A. Douglas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:00
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of etching, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a body with exposed metallic material on a surface; (b) flowing a π-acid over said surface; and (c) removing volatile compounds of said metallic material from said surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of etching, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a body with exposed metallic material on a surface; (b) flowing a π-acid over said surface; and (c) removing volatile compounds of said metallic material from said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: (a) said metallic material is copper.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of: (a) prior to said step (c) of claim 1, halogenating said exposed metallic material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (a) providing an energetic environment at said surface, said energetic environment is an afterglow.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (a) providing an energetic environment at said surface, said energetic environment is a plasma.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (a) providing an energetic environment at said surface, said energetic environment is laser illumination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: (a) said x-acid is a halogenated phosphorus compound.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said π-acid is PF 3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said π-acid is PF 5 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (a) providing an energetic environment at said surface, said energetic environment pulses.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of etching, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a body with exposed metallic material on a surface; (b) providing a pulsing energetic environment at said surface; (c) flowing a ligand for at least a component of said metallic material over said surface; and (d) removing volatile compounds from said surface.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of etching, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a body with exposed metallic material on a surface; (b) providing a pulsing energetic environment at said surface; (c) flowing a ligand for at least a component of said metallic material over said surface; and (d) removing volatile compounds from said surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11, wherein: (a) said metallic material is copper.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 11, wherein: (a) said flowing of said step (c) of claim 1 pulses with a maximum of said flowing occurring during a minimum of said pulsing energetic environment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 13, comprising the further step of: (a) prior to said maximum of said step (a) of claim 13, halogenating said metallic material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11, wherein: (a) said ligand is a π-acid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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