The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1988
Filed:
Jun. 23, 1987
Stephen P Tobin, Carlisle, MA (US);
Mark B Spitzer, Lexington, MA (US);
Spire Corporation, Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
An improved patterning process, useful for the metallization of highly efficient photovoltaic cells, the formation of X-ray lithography masks in the sub half-micron range, and in the fabrication of VLSI and MMIC devices, is disclosed. The improved patterning process includes the steps of providing a substrate with a photoactive layer, patterning the photoactive layer with an inclined profile, depositing on both the substrate and the patterned photoactive layer a layer of disjointed metal such that the thickness of the metal layer exceeds that of the patterned photoactive layer and that the metal layer deposited on the substrate is formed with walls normal to the surface of the substrate. Preferably, the deposition of the disjointed metal layer is effected by evaporative metallization in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate. The deposited metal layer on the substrate is characterized by a high aspect ratio, with a rectangular cross section.