Abstract: A method of patterning a photoresist layer to provide an aperture having retrograde sidewalls is described. Illumination may be through a conical prism arrangement or a conical reflecting mirror and cylindrical mirror arrangement. The method includes the step of directing energy towards a mask which selectively exposes portions of a photoresist layer disposed on the substrate. The energy is directed to the mask at an oblique angle with respect to the normal to the surface of the substrate. The underlying photoresist layer is obliquely sensitized by the obliquely directed illumination. The portions of the layer which are obliquely sensitized are removed leaving behind an aperture having retrograde sidewalls. The retrograde sidewalls are a preferred photoresist profile for easy and reliable lift-off of deposited material from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for defining simultaneously contact implants for source and drain regions and alignment markers for a gate electrode on a channel region includes the steps of providing a refractory metal layer of titanium tungsten over the substrate and patterning the refractory layer to form simultaneously an alignment marker and implant region mask over said substrate. Subsequent to an implant step, the refractory material in all regions of the substrate is removed, except for the portions defining the alignment markers, which are then used to align a masking pattern to provide component electrodes.

Abstract: A miniature circulator which is compatible with integrated circuits is described. The circulator includes a substrate which supports three copolanar waveguide transmission lines which are connected at a common junction. The common junction provides a coupling structure between the coplanar waveguide transmission lines. A ferrite disc having a conductive layer disposed thereover is provided over the intersection of the three coplanar waveguide transmission lines. A magnet is then disposed over the ferrite disc to direct a D.C. magnetic field through the disc. An alternative coupling structure having interwoven, balanced lines disposed on the substrate is also described. An alternative arrangement for the ferrite disc having a hexangular shape, which carries a beam-lead node metalization is also described.

Abstract: A miniature circulator which is microwave integrated circuit compatible and based on microstrip transmission techniques is described. The circulator includes a dielectric or semiconductor substrate having microstrip transmission lines formed thereon and a patterned metalization formed as the node metalization for the circulator. The substrate may carry other circuits such as power combiners, amplifiers, and switches. The substrate further includes monolithic capacitors over the substrate at the center of the circulator in a first embodiment or disposed along the periphery of the patterned metalization in the second embodiment. The capacitors are used to capacitively couple the patterned metalization or node metalization to the ground plane conductor. The value of capacitance is selected to provide value broadband performance.