US5863412A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Etching method and process for producing a semiconductor element using said etching method
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1996-10-17
•
Granted: 1999-01-26
•
Expires: 2016-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for etching an object having a portion to be etched on the surface thereof, comprising a step of immersing said object in an electrolyte solution such that said object serves as a negative electrode; a step of arranging a counter electrode having a pattern corresponding to a desired etching pattern to be formed at said portion to be etched of said object in said electrolyte solution so as to maintain a predetermined interval between said counter electrode and said object, and a step of applying a direct current or a pulse current between said object and said counter electrode to etch said portion to be etched of said object into a pattern corresponding to said pattern of said counter electrode.
Inventors
- 👤 Hirofumi Ichinose
- 👤 Ippei Sawayama
- 👤 Akio Hasebe
- 👤 Tsutomu Murakami
- 👤 Masaya Hisamatsu
- 👤 Satoshi Shinkura
- 👤 Yukie Ueno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:11
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25F; C25F3/00; C25F3/02; C25F3/14; H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; C25F3/12; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/135; H10F71/138; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for etching a substrate having a portion to be etched, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing said substrate in an electrolyte solution such that said substrate serves as a negative electrode, (b) arranging a counter electrode having a pattern corresponding to a desired etching pattern to be formed at said portion to be etched of said substrate in said electrolyte solution so as to maintain an interval between said counter electrode and said substrate, and (c) applying a direct current or a pulse current between said substrate and said counter electrode to etch said portion to be etched of said substrate into a pattern corresponding to said pattern of said counter electrode.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for etching a substrate having a portion to be etched, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing said substrate in an electrolyte solution such that said substrate serves as a negative electrode, (b) arranging a counter electrode having a pattern corresponding to a desired etching pattern to be formed at said portion to be etched of said substrate in said electrolyte solution so as to maintain an interval between said counter electrode and said substrate, and (c) applying a direct current or a pulse current between said substrate and said counter electrode to etch said portion to be etched of said substrate into a pattern corresponding to said pattern of said counter electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is positioned in close proximity to the counter electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the interval between the substrate and the counter electrode is in the range of from 0.1 mm to 2 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion to be etched of the substrate comprises a film formed on the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein the film is a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein the film comprises at least a material formed by means of vacuum evaporation, ionization evaporation, sputtering, CVD, plasma CVD, or spraying.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion to be etched of the substrate comprises a film formed on the substrate through a semiconductor layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the film is a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion to be etched of the substrate comprises a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein a gapping member is positioned between the substrate and the counter electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the gapping member comprises a soft material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according claim 10, wherein the gapping member comprises a silicone rubber or a silicone sponge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according claim 1, wherein the portion to be etched of the substrate comprises at least a material selected from the group consisting of SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , and ITO (indiumtin oxide).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte solution contains at least a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, aluminum chloride, zinc chloride, tin chloride, ferric chloride, sodium nitride, potassium nitride, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid as an electrolyte.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter electrode comprises at least a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, carbon, gold, stainless steel, nickel, copper and lead.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein etching the portion to be etched of the substrate is conducted while contacting a non-etching portion of the portion to be etched with a gapping member arranged on the counter electrode side.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
133 words
A process for producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) a step of immersing a substrate for a semiconductor device and having a portion comprising a film to be etched in an electrolyte solution such that said substrate serves as a negative electrode, (b) a step of arranging a counter electrode having a pattern corresponding to a desired etching pattern to be formed at said portion to be etched of said substrate in said electrolyte solution so as to maintain an interval between said counter electrode and said substrate, and (c) an etching step of applying a direct current or a pulse current between said substrate and said counter electrode to etch said portion to be etched of said substrate into a pattern corresponding to said pattern of said counter electrode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
133 words
A process for producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) a step of immersing a substrate for a semiconductor device and having a portion comprising a film to be etched in an electrolyte solution such that said substrate serves as a negative electrode, (b) a step of arranging a counter electrode having a pattern corresponding to a desired etching pattern to be formed at said portion to be etched of said substrate in said electrolyte solution so as to maintain an interval between said counter electrode and said substrate, and (c) an etching step of applying a direct current or a pulse current between said substrate and said counter electrode to etch said portion to be etched of said substrate into a pattern corresponding to said pattern of said counter electrode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the substrate is positioned in close proximity to the counter electrode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the interval between the substrate and the counter electrode is in the range of from 0.1 mm to 2 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the portion to be etched comprises a film formed on the substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 20, wherein the film is a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 20, wherein the film comprises at least a material formed by means of vacuum evaporation, ionization evaporation, sputtering, CVD, plasma CVD, or spraying.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the portion to be etched comprises a film formed on the substrate through a semiconductor layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process according to claim 23, wherein the film is a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 23, wherein the semiconductor layer has at least a combination of an n-type layer, an i-type layer and a p-type layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 23, wherein the semiconductor layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of an amorphous material, polycrystalline material, microcrystalline material and single-crystalline material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the portion to be etched comprises a transparent and electrically conductive film.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein a gapping member is positioned between the substrate and the counter electrode.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 28, wherein the gapping member comprises a soft material.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according claim 28, wherein the gapping member comprises a silicone rubber or a silicone sponge.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according claim 17, wherein the portion to be etched comprises at least a material selected from the group consisting of SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , and ITO (indiumtin oxide).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the electrolyte solution contains at least a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, aluminum chloride, zinc chloride, tin chloride, ferric chloride, sodium nitride, potassium nitride, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid as an electrolyte.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the counter electrode comprises at least a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, carbon, gold, stainless steel, nickel, copper and lead.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein etching the portion to be etched is conducted while contacting a non-etching portion of the portion to be etched with a gapping member arranged on the counter electrode side.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process according to claim 17 which further comprises conducting a defect elimination step after the etching step (c), said defect elimination step comprising subjecting the etched product obtained in the etching step (c) to electrolytic reduction by applying a direct current or a pulse current to cause a forward bias on the substrate side whereby removing at least a non-etched film present around a defective portion of the etched portion of the etched product.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 35, wherein the etching step (c) and the defect elimination step are conducted in the same electrolyte solution.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process according to claim 35, wherein the distance between the portion to be etched and the counter electrode in the defect elimination step is made to be greater than that between the portion to be etched and the counter electrode in the etching step (c).
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process according to claim 35, wherein the defect elimination step is conducted using an electrolyte solution containing at least a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, aluminum chloride, zinc chloride, tin chloride, ferric chloride, sodium nitride, potassium nitride, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid as an electrolyte.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the semiconductor device is a photosemiconductor device.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process according to claim 17, wherein the semiconductor device is a photovoltaic element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4166918A
Cited
JPS55108779A
Cited
US4419530A
Cited
JPS62290900A
Cited
US4729970A
Cited
US5084400A
Cited
US5320723A
Cited
US5352341A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-25 | 2002-07-27 | 2003-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-25 | 2006-07-27 | 2007-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-25 | 2010-07-27 | 2011-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |