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:
Feb. 12, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2000
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A method for making advanced guard rings in a stacked film on logic/merged DRAM circuits using a novel mask design is achieved. After forming a patterned amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer that has blanket portions over the logic region, a stacked film is deposited over the a-Si layer and extending over the edge and on the memory region. A first photoresist etch mask is used to pattern FET gate electrodes in the stacked film, and the etch mask includes a portion having a minimum width W over the edge of the a-Si layer to form a wide guard ring. This wide guard ring replaces a narrow guard ring that inadvertently forms during conventional processing and that is susceptible to peeling and particle contamination of the wafer. A second photoresist etch mask is used to pattern the a-Si layer to form FET gate electrodes over the logic region. The remaining process steps commonly practiced in the industry are carried out to complete the logic/merged DRAM circuit without the peeling and contamination that results from a narrow guard ring.