Patent · US Expired

Processes and gas mixtures for the reactive ion etching of aluminum and aluminum alloys

US4444618A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
4References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 1983
Grant dateApr 24, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 3, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/02071
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and gas mixture of boron trichloride, carbon tetrachloride and oxygen useful for the reactive ion etching of aluminum and aluminum alloys to form metallizations for microelectronic devices and circuits is provided. The method and gas mixture provide consistent induction periods, high etch rates, high selectivity between photoresist and silicon dioxide, and minimal loading effects with good dimensional control. Also provided is a two step, two gas mixture process particularly useful in preventing linewidth loss due to excessive resist erosion during long overetches wherein the boron trichloride, carbon tetrachloride and oxygen gas mixture is used for etching and subsequently a boron trichloride-oxygen gas mixture is used for the overetch.

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