Abstract: A high-resolution, patterned-media master mask is disclosed. The high-resolution, patterned-media master mask includes an electron-absorption substrate for absorbing electrons from an electron beam (e-beam) during an e-beam exposure by an e-beam lithography process and suppressing a backscattering of the electrons based on an electron-backscattering-suppressing atomic number associated with a constituent atomic species of the electron-absorption substrate, wherein the electron-absorption substrate comprises a material composed of greater than fifty atomic percent of the constituent atomic species, and wherein the electron backscattering-suppressing atomic number is less than an atomic number eight.

Abstract: A high-resolution, patterned-media master mask is disclosed. The high-resolution, patterned-media master mask includes an electron-absorption substrate for absorbing electrons from an electron beam (e-beam) during an e-beam exposure by an e-beam lithography process and suppressing a backscattering of the electrons based on an electron-backscattering-suppressing atomic number associated with a constituent atomic species of the electron-absorption substrate, wherein the electron-absorption substrate comprises a material composed of greater than fifty atomic percent of the constituent atomic species, and wherein the electron backscattering-suppressing atomic number is less than an atomic number eight.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic head slider having a protective coating on the rails thereof, the protective coating containing a thin adhesion layer, a thin layer of amorphous hydrogenated carbon, and a thin masking layer. The protective coating is deposited on the air bearing surface of the slider after the thin film magnetic heads are lapped to a chosen dimension, but before the pattern of rails is produced on the air bearing surface. The protective coating protects the magnetic head during the rail fabrication process and in usage in a magnetic recording system protects the magnetic head from wear and corrosion damage.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having electrically conductive lead structures which are in electrical contact with the MR element at spaced positions. The lead structures comprise a thin film layer of body-centered-cubic tantalum which is separated from the MR element by a thin film seed layer formed of a material taken from the group consisting of TiW, TaW, Cr and W.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for coating a substrate comprising a first electrode for supporting a target material and a second electrode for supporting a substrate, upon which the coating is deposited. A source of RF power is connected to impose an RF voltage across the electrodes to produce a glow discharge in the space between the electrodes, and shutter means is provided in the space between the electrodes. The shutter means has means for blocking a substantial part of the sputtered atoms from the target electrode glow discharge traveling at or near normal incidence and at least one opening shaped to permit a substantial part of the sputtered atoms from the target electrode traveling at an oblique angle to impinge upon the substrate to produce a thin film coating of the target material.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider having a protective coating on the rails thereof, the protective coating comprising a thin adhesion layer, a thin layer of amorphous hydrogenated carbon, and a thin masking layer. The protective coating is deposited on the air bearing surface of the slider after the thin film magnetic heads are lapped to a chosen dimension, but before the pattern of rails is produced on the air bearing surface. The protective coating protects the magnetic head during the rail fabrication process and in usage in a magnetic recording system protects the magnetic head from wear and corrosion damage.

Abstract: In the fabrication of integrated circuits, a method is provided for forming dielectrically isolated regions in a semiconductor substrate comprising forming over the semiconductor substrate surface an electrically insulating layer of dielectric material having a plurality of openings therethrough and etching to form recesses in the semiconductor substrate exposed in the openings. Then, aluminum is deposited over the substrate so that an aluminum layer is formed on said layer of dielectric material as well as in said recesses. Next, the aluminum in the recesses is selectively anodized to form aluminum oxide, and the remaining aluminum on said layer of dielectric material is removed either by selectively etching away the aluminum layer or by a "lift-off" technique wherein the insulating layer of dielectric material under the aluminum is etched away thereby "lifting-off" and removing the aluminum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-aligned process for providing an improved bipolar transistor structure.The process includes the chemically etching of an intermediate insulating layer to undercut another top layer of a different insulating material in a self-aligned emitter process wherein the spacing of the emitter contact to the polysilicon base contact is reduced to a magnitude of approximately 0.2 to 0.3 micrometers. In addition, in the process an emitter plug is formed to block the emitter region from the heavy P+ ion dose implant of the extrinsic base.

Abstract: Disclosed is the fabrication and structure of very small integrated circuit devices of both PNP and NPN types with very high speeds and low power requirements. The structure provides vertical NPN and lateral PNP transistors formed within the same semiconductor chip. The base width of the lateral PNP transistor is very narrow (approximately 300 to 400 nanometers). This narrow dimension is in part obtained by using a well defined chemically vapor deposited (CVD) oxide mask instead of conventional lithographic masking. To eliminate the emitter current injecting into the substrate the P+ emitter and P+ collector of the PNP transistor are bounded by a silicon nitride and silicon dioxide dielectric layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is the fabrication and structure of very small integrated circuit devices of both PNP and NPN types with very high speeds and low power requirements. The structure provides vertical NPN and lateral PNP transistors formed within the same semiconductor chip. The base width of the lateral PNP transistor is very narrow (approximately 300 to 400 nanometers). This narrow dimension is in part obtained by using a well defined chemically vapor deposited (CVD) oxide mask instead of conventional lithographic masking. To eliminate the emitter current injecting into the substrate the P+ emitter and P+ collector of the PNP transistor are bounded by a silicon nitride and silicon dioxide dielectric layer.

Abstract: An improved bipolar transistor structure formed in a very small area of a thin epitaxial layer on a planar surface of a silicon substrate of first conductivity type, said very small area of the thin epitaxial layer having vertical sidewalls extending to the planar surface of said substrate, said area of thin epitaxial layers containing in the order recited a shallow depth emitter region of a second conductivity type having an exposed planar surface, a shallow depth base region of said first conductivity type, and a shallow depth active collector region of said second conductivity type, an elongated region of said first conductivity type surrounding said emitter, base and active collector regions, said elongated region being contained within and coextensive with said vertical sidewalls of said small area of said thin epitaxial layer, whereby the base collector capacitance is materially reduced due to the very small area of the base-collector junction.

Abstract: A method for device fabrication utilizing a self-aligned process. A combination of advanced semiconductor processing techniques including Deep Dielectric Isolation by reactive-ion etching, etching and refilling, planarizing with oxides and resists, and differential thermal oxidation are used to form devices having small vertical as well as horizontal dimensions. The device region is surrounded by a deep oxide trench which has nearly vertical sidewalls which extend from the epitaxial silicon surface through the N+ subcollector region into the P substrate. The width of the deep trench is about 2 .mu.m to 3 .mu.m. A shallow oxide trench extends from the epitaxial silicon surface to the upper portion of the N+ subcollector and separates the base and collector contact. The surface of the isolation regions and the silicon where the transistor is formed is coplanar. As shown in FIG. 1, the fabricated bipolar transistor has a mesa-type structure. The transistor base dimension is only slightly larger than the emitter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-aligned process for providing an improved bipolar transistor structure.The process includes the chemically etching of an intermediate insulating layer to undercut another top layer of a different insulating material in a self-aligned emitter process wherein the spacing of the emitter contact to the polysilicon base contact is reduced to a magnitude of approximately 0.2 to 0.3 micrometers. In addition, in the process an emitter plug is formed to block the emitter region from the heavy P+ ion dose implant of the extrinsic base.

Abstract: A method for device fabrication disclosed is a self-aligned process. The device formed has small vertical as well as horizontal dimensions. The device region is surrounded by a deep oxide trench which has nearly vertical sidewalls. The deep trench extends from the epitaxial silicon surface through N+ subcollector region into the P substrate. The width of the deep trench is about 2 .mu.m to 3.0 .mu.m. A shallow oxide trench extending from the epitaxial silicon surface to the upper portion of the N+ subcollector separates the base and collector contact. The surface of the isolation regions and the silicon where the transistor is formed is coplanar. As shown in FIG. 1, the fabricated bipolar transistor has a mesa-type structure. The transistor base dimension is only slightly larger than the emitter. This small base area results in low collector-base capacitance which is a very important parameter in ultra-high performance integrated circuit devices.

Abstract: A method for making wide, deep recessed oxide isolation trenches in silicon semiconductor substrates. A semi-conductor substrate is selectively etched to produce a spaced succession of narrow, shallow trenches separated by narrow silicon mesas. Silicon oxide is chemical-vapor-deposited on the horizontal and vertical surfaces of the etched structure to a thickness equalling the width of a desired silicon oxide mask. The mask is used for etching multiple deep trenches in the substrate, the trenches being separated by thin walls of silicon. The thickness of the walls is uniformly equal to and determined by the thickness of the deposited silicon oxide mask.The deposited silicon oxide is reactively ion etched away from the horizontal surfaces, leaving the oxide only on the sidewalls of the shallow trenches. The silicon is deeply etched, using the remaining oxide as a mask.

Abstract: Electrically active defects, i.e., current-carrying defects or leakage paths in silicon crystals, are detected by an anodization process. The process selectively etches the crystal surface only where the electrically active defects are located when the anodization parameters are properly selected. Selected surface portions of the silicon structure are exposed to a hydrofluoric acid solution which is maintained at a negative potential with respect to the silicon structure. When the potential difference is set to a proper value, etch pits are formed in the surface of the silicon only at those locations overlying electrically active defects which impact device yield. The defects are observed and counted to provide a basis to predict yield of desired semi-conductor devices to be formed later in the silicon structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a non-epitaxial bipolar integrated circuit comprising first forming in a silicon substrate of one-type of conductivity, recessed silicon dioxide regions extending into the substrate and laterally enclosing at least one silicon substrate region of said one-type conductivity. Then, forming by ion implantation the first region of opposite-type conductivity which is fully enclosed laterally by said recessed silicon dioxide. This region is formed by directing a beam of ions of opposite-type conductivity impurity at said enclosed silicon region at such energy and dosage levels that the opposite conductivity-type impurity introduced into the substrate in said region will have a concentration peak at a point below the surface of this first region. Then, a region of said one-type conductivity is formed which extends from the surface into said first opposite-type conductivity region to a point between said concentration peak and said surface.

Abstract: In integrated circuit fabrication, a method is provided for simultaneously forming two regions of the same conductivity-type such as the base and isolation regions. In one embodiment, an epitaxial layer of one conductivity-type is formed on a substrate of opposite conductivity-type, after which dopant ions of the opposite conductivity-type are introduced into the epitaxial surface areas which are to provide the base and isolation regions, and in addition, the isolation regions are bombarded with non-dopant ions having a maximum atomic number of two, e.g., hydrogen or helium ion while the base regions are appropriately masked and remain umbombarded, said bombardment is carried out at temperatures below 300.degree. C, preferably room temperature. The bombardment is preferably carried out so that the non-dopant ions are implanted primarily in regions below the isolation regions. Next, the wafer is heated at a temperature at a range of from 600.degree. - 900.degree.

Abstract: An improved bipolar transistor structure formed in a very small area of a thin epitaxial layer on a planar surface of a silicon substrate of first conductivity type, said very small area of the thin epitaxial layer having vertical sidewalls extending to the planar surface of said substrate, said area of thin epitaxial layer containing in the order recited a shallow depth emitter region of a second conductivity type having an exposed planar surface, a shallow depth base region of said first conductivity type, and a shallow depth active collector region of said second conductivity type, an elongated region of said first conductivity type surrounding said emitter, base and active collector regions, said elongated region being contained within and coextensive with said vertical sidewalls of said small area of said thin epitaxial layer, whereby the base collector capacitance is materially reduced due to the very small area of the base-collector junction.