Abstract: A method for non-destructively determining the amount of undercutting in a hidden layer of material disposed on a substrate after device patterning by etching. The method involves forming at least two lines of etch resistant material of increasing width over the hidden layer of material of the substrate and inspecting the lines after etching for a given time period to determine how many lines have been removed. The width dimension of the largest removed line corresponds approximately to the amount of undercut for two sides in the hidden layer of material after etching for the given time period.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing low cost hermetic Integrated Module Assembly (IMA) packaging, where an aluminum coating (24) is deposited on a poly-tetrafluoral-ethaline substrate (20), the aluminum coating (24) is selectively etched to form a waveguide window (26) and the substrate (20) is selectively treated over the waveguide window (26) to produce a non-conductive hermetic seal. The substrate (20) is then joined to a metal carrier (28) containing the waveguide (30). As a result of using selectively treated low cost substrates to produce hermetic seals, more expensive substrates are not required to form hermetic seals over substrate to waveguide interconnections.

Abstract: A method for fabricating local interconnect metal structures, overlying metal filled via hole openings, has been developed. This invention features the creation of an aluminum based interconnect structure, comprised with an underlying titanium nitride layer. The titanium nitride layer overlays a metal filled via hole, during a photolithographic exposure that is used for formation of the photoresist shapes that are needed for local interconnect metal structure patterning. The anti-reflective properties of the titanium nitride layer allow the formation of the resulting photoresist shapes to be defined without interfering reflections from the underlying metal plug.

Abstract: In order to detect the end point of a plasma process stably and at a high precision always without being affected by the fine delineation of a pattern to be processed and an external disturbance, it is constructed such that emission wavelength components 27 of species are taken out of a plasma emission 24 and only a frequency component synchronous with a high-frequency electric power for plasma excitation is extracted by a synchronous detection circuit 30 and so on. Thereby, the progressing status of etching is seized more accurately and a change in signal at an end point becomes clear. As a result, the precision of detection of the end point of a plasma process for a minute aperture pattern is improved.

Abstract: Methods for determining an endpoint for a plasma etching process. The plasma etching process is employed to etch a substrate in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes detecting, using a mass analyzer, a density of a predefined compound in the plasma processing chamber. The method further includes outputting from the mass analyzer a variable signal responsive to the detecting. There is also included producing, responsive to the variable signal, a control signal. The control signal is outputted when a predefined density criteria is detected in the variable signal. Additionally, there is included initiating an etch termination procedure, responsive to the control signal, thereby ending the plasma etching process at an end of the etch termination procedure.

Abstract: Disclosed are metal fuse structures and methods for making the same. The method includes forming the fuse structure from a metallization layer. Depositing a bottom oxide layer, that is an HDP oxide, over the fuse structure that is formed from the metallization layer. Depositing a doped oxide layer over the base oxide layer. Depositing a top oxide layer over the doped oxide layer. Etching through the top oxide layer. Detecting an increased level of a dopant species that is emitted when the doped oxide layer begins to etch. The method further includes terminating the etching when the increased level of dopant species is detected. Wherein at least the bottom oxide layer remains over the fuse structure that is formed from the metallization layer.