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:
Jun. 17, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2000
Thomas E. Pierson, Evanston, IL (US);
Christopher T. Youtsey, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
LNL Technologies, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor dry etching process that provides deep, smooth (RMS of less than approximately 5 nm), and vertical etching of InP-based materials with ICP RIE using a chlorinated plasma with the addition of hydrogen gas. Inert gases such as nitrogen, argon, or both may also be included. To produce relatively high anisotropy with exceptionally smooth surfaces, the amount of hydrogen gas added preferably exceeds the volumetric measure of chlorinated gas in standard cubic centimeter per minute (sccm); at a ratio of greater than 1:1. The present invention provides an improved dry etching process for InP-based semiconductor materials that yields deep, vertical etch profiles with improved surface smoothness (i.e., morphology) and high manufacturing etch rates.