Applied Materials, Inc.

Yanping Li

Jeffrey D Chinn

Michael Rattner

Nicholas Pornsin-Sirirak

Yan Ye

Jriyan Jerry Chen

Lisa L Yang

We have developed an uncomplicated method of plasma etching deeply recessed features such as deep trenches, of at least 5 &#x3bc;m in depth, in a silicon-containing substrate, in a manner which generates smooth sidewalls, having a roughness of less than about 1 &#x3bc;m, typically less than about 500 nm, and even more typically between about 100 nm and 20 nm. Features having a sidewall taper angle, relative to an underlying substrate, typically ranges from about 85&#xb0; to about 92&#xb0; and exhibiting the smooth sidewalls are produced by the method. In one embodiment, a stabilizing etchant species is used constantly during the plasma etch process, while at least one other etchant species and at least one polymer depositing species are applied intermittently, typically periodically, relative to each other. In another embodiment, the stabilizing etchant species is used constantly and a mixture of the other etchant species and polymer depositing species is used intermittently.

Silicon-containing structure with deep etched features, and method of manufacture

A method of reactively sputtering from a metallic zinc target a transparent conductive oxide electrode of zinc oxide from a metallic zinc in a silicon photo diode device and the resultant product, such as a solar cell. The electrode in deposited on a transparent substrate in at least two steps. The oxygen partial pressure is reduced in the first step to produce an oxygen-deficient ZnO layer, which is highly conductive and has a textured surface, and is increased in the second step to produce a more stoichiometric ZnO, which has a refractive index more closely matched to the overlying silicon device. The second layer is substantially thinner than the first so the surface texture is transferred across it and the overall sheet resistance of the stack structure is reduced.

Transparent zinc oxide electrode having a graded oxygen content

A nickel silicon alloy barrier layer formed between a metal bonding pad on an integrated circuit and a tin-based solder ball, for example, a lead-free solder. The nickel silicon alloy contains at least 2 wt % silicon and preferably less than 20 wt %. An adhesion layer may be formed between the barrier layer and the bonding pad. For copper metallization, the adhesion layer may contain titanium or tantalum; for aluminum metallization, it may be aluminum. The nickel silicon alloy may be deposited by magnetron sputtering. Commercially available NiSi% sputter targets have provided a superior under-bump metallization (UBM) with lead-free tin solder bumps. Dopants other than silicon/may be used to reduce the magnetic permeability and provide other advantages of the invention.

Magnetron sputtered metallization of a nickel silicon alloy, especially useful as solder bump barrier

Method of plasma etching a deeply recessed feature in a substrate using a plasma source gas modulated etchant system

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Yanping Li