Abstract: A method (100) of fabricating an electronic device (200) formed on a semiconductor wafer. The method forms a layer (215) of a first material in a fixed position relative to the wafer. The first material has a dielectric constant less than 3.6. The method also forms a photoresist layer in (216) a fixed position relative to the layer of the first material. The method also forms at least one void (220) through the layer of the first material in response to the photoresist layer. Further, the method subjects (106) the semiconductor wafer to a plasma which incorporates a gas which includes hydrogen so as to remove the photoresist layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of fabricating an electronic device formed on a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising the steps of: forming a conductive structure over the semiconductor substrate, the conductive structure comprised of an oxygen-sensitive conductor and having an exposed surface; oxidizing a portion of the conductive structure (step 313 of FIG. 1); and subjecting the conductive structure to a plasma which incorporates hydrogen or deuterium (step 315 of FIG. 1).

Abstract: An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of fabricating an electronic device formed on a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising the steps of: forming a conductive structure over the substrate, the conductive structure comprised of an oxygen-sensitive conductor; forming a layer of dielectric material over the conductive structure (step 306 of FIG. 1); forming a photoresist layer over the layer of the dielectric material (step 308 of FIG. 1); patterning the layer of the dielectric material (step 308); removing the photoresist layer after patterning the layer of the dielectric material (step 312 of FIG. 1); and subjecting the semiconductor wafer to a plasma which incorporates the combination of hydrogen or deuterium and a fluorine-containing mixture which is comprised of a gas selected from the group consisting of: CF4, C2F6, CHF3, CFH3 and other fluorine-containing hydrocarbon (step 313 of FIG. 1).

Abstract: An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of forming an electronic device over a semiconductor substrate and having at least one level of metallic conductors, the method comprising the steps of: forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, the dielectric layer having openings (step 102 of FIG. 1); forming a layer of the metallic conductor on the dielectric layer (step 104 of FIG. 1); removing a portion of the layer of the metallic conductor on the dielectric layer (step 106 of FIG. 1); and subjecting the exposed metallic conductor to a plasma which contains hydrogen or deuterium so as to passivate the metallic conductor (step 110 of FIG. 1). Preferably, the plasma contains a substance selected from the group consisting of: NH3, N2H2, H2S, and CH4, and the metallic conductors are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of: copper, copper doped aluminum, Ag, Sn, Pb, Ti, Cr, Mg, Ta, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming an n-p junction in a body (44, 44a, 44b) formed of Group II and Group VI elements. The body (44, 44a, 44b) initially is of p-type conductivity characteristic, and a dry reactive etching process is employed for forming a via (60, 60a, 60b) in the body by a chemical reaction which is also effective to type convert a portion of the body adjacent the via. An n-doped region (64, 64a, 64b) is thereby formed within the body around the via and between the via and the remaining, p-doped region of the body, thereby defining an n-p junction. In one embodiment, the body is mounted on an electrical device (50, 50a, 50b) having an input contact pad (58, 58a, 58b), and an electrically conductive layer (62, 46a, 90) is formed in connection with the contact pad and the n-doped region adjacent the via.

Abstract: A process is disclosed through which vias (50) can be formed by the reaction of an etchant species (52) with a mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) layer (42). The activating gases (20) are preferably a hydrogen gas or a methane gas which is excited in a diode plasma reactor (100) which has an RF power source (13) applied to one of two parallel electrodes. The etching occurs in selected areas in a photoresist pattern (44) residing over the ZnS or HgCdTe layer (42). Wet etching the layer (42) with a wet etchant (54) following the dry etching, improves the via (50) by making the walls (48) smoother, and allowing for expansion of the vias (50) to a dimension necessary for proper operation of a HgCdTe-based infrared detector.

Abstract: The deposition of zinc sulfide films (16) using dimethylzinc (46) and hydrogen sulfide (44) in a vacuum processor reactor (50) provides a low temperature process applicable for high volume production of infrared focal planes. These layers (16) of zinc sulfide are used as insulators and infrared anti-reflective coatings which are free of contamination relative to physical vapor deposited ZnS films. The zinc sulfide layers (16) are formed by evacuating a chamber (62) and mixing hydrogen sulfide gas (44) and dimethylzinc gas (46) at specific operating conditions until the desired ZnS film thickness is obtained. The rate of growth of the zinc sulfide (16) film is controlled by varying the temperature, pressure, and the relative flow rates of the hydrogen sulfide gas (44) and the dimethylzinc gas (46).

Abstract: A process is disclosed through which vias (50) can be formed by the reaction of an etchant species (52) with a mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) layer (42). The activating gases (20) are preferably a hydrogen gas or a methane gas which is excited in a diode plasma reactor (100) which has an RF power source (13) applied to one of two parallel electrodes. The etching occurs in selected areas in a photoresist pattern (44) residing over the ZnS or HgCdTe layer (42). Wet etching the layer (42) with a wet etchant (54) following the dry etching, improves the via (50) by making the walls (48) smoother, and allowing for expansion of the vias (50) to a dimension necessary for proper operation of a HgCdTe-based infrared detector.

Abstract: A processing apparatus and method for depositing a silicon oxide layer on a temperature sensitive wafer utilizing a single process chamber provide nitrous oxide gas to the chamber with the excitation energy being provided by a remotely generated plasma while supplying silane gas in combination with illuminating the wafer with an in situ generated ultraviolet energy to produce the silicon oxide layer.

Abstract: A processing apparatus and method for depositing a passivating layer on a mercury-cadmium-telluride wafer utilizing a single process chamber to provide oxygen gas to the chamber with the excitation energy being provided by a remotely generated plasma in order to remove any organic residue and then supplying either a sulfide or selenide gas in combination with illuminating the wafer with an in situ generated ultraviolet energy to produce a passivating layer.

Abstract: A high pressure processing apparatus and method which is compatible with a system wherein wafers are largely transported and processed under vacuum. The pressure vessel can be extremely small, i.e. has a total pressurized volume of which almost all interior points are within one or two centimeters of one of the workpiece or wafers which may be loaded into the chamber. HgCdTe is passivated by utilizing oxygen and water vapor for oxidation or a source of sulfur for sulfidization. The wafers and the gases are heated by a heater located on the vertical walls of the process chamber.

Abstract: A film of mercury-cadmium-telluride (HgCdTe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) is anisotropically etched utilizing a remote plasma and an in situ plasma utilizing a gas mixture which includes a hydrogen containing and/or an alkyl bearing gas providing an anisotropic etch.

Abstract: A II-VI compound, such as zinc sulfide, is deposited from a gaseous mixture in a reactor which is compatible with a vacuum processing system which includes vacuum wafer transport. Two manifolds are used, each connected to a supply of one or more reagent gases, to improve uniformity.