At&t Ipm Corp.

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Tzu-Yin Chiu

Janmye Sung

Frank M Erceg

Te-Yin M Liu

Michael Allen Prozonic

William A Possanza

Kenenth G Moerschel

Francis A Krafty

Duk Y Jeon

An inductor fabricated for semiconductor use is disclosed. The inductor is formed with a multi-level, multi-element conductor metallization structure which effectively increases conductance throughout the inductor thereby increasing the inductor's Q. The structure of the inductor may also provide for routing the current flowing through the multi-level, multi-element conductors in a way that increases the self inductance between certain conductive elements, thereby increasing the inductor's total inductance.

Inductor for high frequency circuits

An integrated circuit fabrication process for creating field oxide regions in a substrate is disclosed. In the process, masking layers of oxide, nitride and deposited silicon dioxide are formed on the substrate. A pattern that defines the field oxide regions in the substrate is introduced into the substrate through these masking layers. The field oxide region is bordered by steep sidewalls in a portion of the substrate and the masking layers overlying the substrate. A thin layer of oxide is grown on the exposed portion of the substrate, and a conformal second layer of nitride followed by a conformal layer of a polycrystalline material are formed over the substrate/mask structure. The polycrystalline layer is selectively removed, so that the only portion of the polycrystalline material that remains on the structure is the portion covering the sidewalls. The exposed portions of the second nitride layer are then removed, leaving only those portions of the second nitride layer that are interposed between the polycrystalline material and the sidewalls on the substrate surface. The remaining portions of the polycrystalline material on the surface of the structure are then removed. The field oxide is then grown on the field oxide region of the substrate. The portions of the second nitride layer on the sidewalls are lifted and bent as the oxide is grown. The lifting and bending of the second nitride layer forms grooves in the field oxide as it is grown. The remaining layers of the mask are then removed. A thin layer of oxide is then grown or deposited on the surface of the substrate. A layer of nitride with a thickness that is at least one-half the width of the grooves in the field oxide is deposited on the substrate surface. The nitride layer is then removed except for that portion of the nitride in the grooves.

Method for integrated circuit device isolation

A process for fabricating transistors on a substrate is disclosed. In accordance with the process, stacks of material are formed on the surface of the substrate. Walls of silicon dioxide are created around the stacks in order to insulate the material within the stacks from the material deposited outside of the walls. A first layer of polycrystalline material is deposited over the substrate and selectively removed such that only those portions of the polycrystalline layer that surround the stacks of material remain. A layer of silicon nitride or silicon dioxide is then formed over the substrate surface. A first resist is then spun on the substrate surface. This resist aggregates near the stacks of material. An isolation mask is generated that leaves exposed only those areas of the substrate that correspond to the area of overlap between the first polycrystalline area and the stacks of material, which also contain a layer of polycrystalline material. The substrate is then subjected to an etchback process to remove the portion of the polysilicon material that overlaps the material in the stacks.

Process for manufacturing semiconductor BICMOS device

Growing community of inventors

Martinsville, NJ, United States of America

Tzu-Yin Chiu