Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for forming a prescribed pattern of a non-volatile ferroelectric thin film memory comprised of a dielectric substance of a metal oxide of formula (I) on a substrate, (Bi.sub.2 O.sub.2).sup.2+ (A.sub.m-1 B.sub.m O.sub.3m+1).sup.2-(I) where X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Pb and Bi; Y is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Nb and Ta; and m is an integer of from 2 to 5, the method comprising the steps of: applying onto the substrate a solution comprising a hydrolytic metal compound which forms the metal oxide of formula (I) through a hydrolysate, a water generating agent which generates water when irradiated with active rays and an organic solvent to form a film; exposing the film through the prescribed pattern to active rays of sufficient energy to cause said water generating agent to generate water and to hydrolyze said hydrolytic metal compound to said hydrolysate and to form an image having the prescribed pattern; developing said image by solvating non-exposed portions of the film; and then subjecting said image to a heat treatment to convert the hydrolysate into the metal oxide of formula (I), thereby forming the prescribed pattern of the non-volatile ferroelectric thin film memory.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for forming a prescribed pattern of a non-volatile ferroelectric thin film memory comprised of a dielectric substance of a metal oxide of formula (I) on a substrate, (Bi.sub.2 O.sub.2).sup.2+ (A.sub.m-1 B.sub.m O.sub.3m+1).sup.2-(I) where X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Pb and Bi; Y is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Nb and Ta; and m is an integer of from 2 to 5, the method comprising the steps of: applying onto the substrate a solution comprising a hydrolytic metal compound which forms the metal oxide of formula (I) through a hydrolysate, a water generating agent which generates water when irradiated with active rays and an organic solvent to form a film; exposing the film through the prescribed pattern to active rays of sufficient energy to cause said water generating agent to generate water and to hydrolyze said hydrolytic metal compound to said hydrolysate and to form an image having the prescribed pattern; developing said image by solvating non-exposed portions of the film; and then subjecting said image to a heat treatment to convert the hydrolysate into the metal oxide of formula (I), thereby forming the prescribed pattern of the non-volatile ferroelectric thin film memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrolytic metal compound is a metal alkoxide, a metal acetylacetonate complex, a metal carboxylate or a metal halide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrolytic metal compound is the metal alkoxide which is a metal ethoxide, a metal propoxide, a metal isopropoxide or a metal isobutoxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrolytic metal compound is the metal carboxylate which is a metal acetate or a metal propionate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrolytic metal compound is the metal halide which is a metal chloride or fluoride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the water generating agent is selected from the group consisting of o-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 1-hydroxymethyl-2-nitronaphthalene, 2-nitroethanol, formaldehyde, tartaric acid, 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 2-carboxybenzylalcohol, 2-carboxybenzaldehyde, 2-nitrobenzaldehyde and phthalic acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the solution also contains an acid generating agent which generates an acid when irradiated with active rays.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the acid generating agent is an iodonium salt, a halogen-containing benzene derivative, a halogen-substituted alkane or cycloalkane, a halogen-containing s-triazine or isocyanurate derivative, or o- or p-nitro benzylester.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of the hydrolytic metal compound in the solution is 1 to 20 wt. % as converted to a metal oxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the concentration of the water generating agent in the solution is 0.001 to 20 wt. %.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the concentration of the acid generating agent in the solution is 0.001 to 20 wt. %.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the solution also contains a chelating compound in an amount of from 0.05 to 10 mol relative to 1 mol of the hydrolytic metal compound.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the solution is applied to the substrate by spin-coating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrate, a Pt/IrO/Ir/SiO 2 /Si substrate, a Pt/TiN/SiO 2 /Si substrate, a Pt/Ta/SiO 2 /Si substrate, or a Pt/Ir/SiO 2 /Si substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the active rays are selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet rays, an electron beam, an ion beam and X-rays.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the energy of irradiation is at least 100 mJ/cm 2 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein after irradiation and prior to developing, the image is held in a dried inert gas at 40°-100° C. for from 1 to 10 minutes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent used to solvate the non-exposed portion of the film is an alkoxyalcohol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said heat treatment is carried out through baking in open air or in an oxygen atmosphere at 300°-800° C. for 1 second to two hours.