Patent · US Active

Tin oxide thin film spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing

US12051589B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
48References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 21, 2021
Grant dateJul 30, 2024
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 11, 2042

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/3342
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, formation of spacers involves deposition of a tin oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate having multiple protruding features. The deposition is performed in a deposition apparatus having a controller with program instructions configured to cause sequential contacting of the semiconductor substrate with a tin-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor such as to coat the semiconductor substrate having the protruding features with a tin oxide layer. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the semiconductor substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.