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:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1998
Satoshi Machida, Tokyo, JP;
Akiyuki Minami, Tokyo, JP;
Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An alignment mark which is employed for the alignment of a semiconductor substrate during a lithography process in the production of a semiconductor element, includes a trough-like pattern having a width roughly equal to the width of a circuit element provided at the surface of the semiconductor substrate. Since the width of the trough-like pattern is set roughly equal to that of the circuit element, a secure trough-like pattern that will not be removed to an excessive degree during processes such as etch-back is formed at the surface of the semiconductor substrate, even if the alignment mark is formed concurrently with the formation of the circuit element. Consequently, a clear alignment mark that can be produced concurrently with the formation of a circuit element of the semiconductor circuit element and that presents no risk of collapsing or separating, is provided.