Texas Instruments Corporation

Joel Soman

Neng Jiang

Thomas Warren Lassiter

Mary Alyssa Drummond Roby

YungShan Chang

Nayeemuddin Mohammed

Xin Li

Scott Robert Summerfelt

Nicholas Stephen Dellas

Iouri N Mirgorodski

A microelectronic device containing a piezoelectric thin film element is formed by oxidizing a top surface of a piezoelectric layer with an oxygen plasma, and subsequently forming an etch mask containing photoresist on the oxidized top surface. The etch mask is conditioned with an oven bake followed by a UV bake. The piezoelectric layer is etched using a three step process: a first step includes a wet etch of an aqueous solution of about 5% NHF, about 1.2% HF, and about 18% HCl, maintaining a ratio of the HCl to the HF of about 15.0, which removes a majority of the piezoelectric layer. A second step includes an agitated rinse. A third step includes a short etch in the aqueous solution of NHF, HF, and HCl.

Method of forming a semiconductor device

A method of tuning the resonant frequency of embedded bulk acoustic resonators during manufacturing of an integrated circuit. The rate of change in the resonant frequency of BAWs vs rate of change in top electrode thickness is determined and used to tune the resonant frequency of embedded bulk acoustic resonators during integrated circuit manufacturing.

Method to reduce frequency distribution of bulk acoustic wave resonators during manufacturing

A method includes placing a device having a titanium nitride layer into a chamber. The device also has a mask that includes a photoresist material and an aluminum copper hardmask. The method also includes performing an ashing process on the mask using the chamber. The method further includes, after the ashing process, performing an etching process using the chamber to etch through portions of the titanium nitride layer. Performing the etching process includes flowing a gas mixture containing tetrafluoromethane (CF) and oxygen gas (O) into the chamber at a temperature of at least about 200&#xb0; C.

High-temperature isotropic plasma etching process to prevent electrical shorts

Piezoeletric wet etch process with reduced resist lifting and controlled undercut

An apparatus includes first and second electrodes separated by an insulative material (such as a piezoelectric material). The apparatus also includes a protective layer over the first and second electrodes. The protective layer has a first opening that exposes a portion of the first electrode and a second opening that exposes a portion of the second electrode. The apparatus further includes a first electrical contact at least partially within the first opening and electrically coupled to the first electrode. In addition, the apparatus includes a second electrical contact at least partially within the second opening and electrically coupled to the second electrode. Each of the first and second electrical contacts includes a stack of metal layers. The stack of metal layers includes a titanium nitride layer, a titanium layer over the titanium nitride layer, and an aluminum copper layer over the titanium nitride layer and the titanium layer.

Bond-pad integration scheme for improved moisture barrier and electrical contact

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Joel Soman