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. 08, 2009
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2005
Thomas Bold, Roanoke, TX (US);
Victor Torres, Irving, TX (US);
Rodney Hill, Mansfield, TX (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method is disclosed for applying a plasma etch process to facet a masking layer in a semiconductor device by creating sloped surfaces in the masking layer. The masking layer is plasma etched with a plasma that has a high sputter etch component. The plasma etch process removes material from vertical edges of the masking layer to form a sloped surface at each vertical edge of the masking layer. A layer of conductive material is then applied to the masking layer. When the layer of conductive material is subsequently removed by an overetch process the sloped profile of the masking layer facilitates the removal of stringers of conductive material without using an excessively lengthy overetch.