Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a non-single crystalline semiconductor layer including an intrinsic silicon which contains hydrogen or halogen and is formed on a substrate by a vapor phase reaction in a reaction chamber which may have a substrate holder. Sodium is removed from the inside of the reaction chamber and/or the surface of the substrate holder by using a chlorine containing gas at a sufficiently high temperature such as 1150.degree. C. in order to remove sodium therefrom so that the concentration of sodium in the semiconductor layer is preferably 5.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less.

Abstract: Uniform electrically conducting multicomponent material is deposited on an electrically conducting substrate by means of a PCVD method. A plasma, for example a glow discharge plasma, a high frequency plasma or a microwave plasma is generated in a reaction space. The plasma is periodically reciprocated. Starting materials for the single components of the multicomponent material are added to a flowing gas phase. To obtain multicomponent material of the desired composition, the flowing gas phase is split into at least two flowing gas phases each comprising only starting materials for a single component of the multicomponent material. The separate gas phases are time sequentially applied to the plasma. The deposited multicomponent material may be subjected to a thermal treatment.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for depositing a thin layer of silicon oxide bonded to a substrate of a polymeric material comprising, concomitantly or consecutively (1) subjecting a surface of the substrate to an electrical discharge with dielectric barrier and (2) exposing said surface of the substrate to an atmosphere containing a silane, thus forming a deposit of silicon oxide bonded to said surface of the substrate Application to the production of sheets or films useful for example as food wrapping.

Abstract: A process for producing a silicon oxide deposit at the surface of a metallic substrate comprising the following steps performed either concomitantly or successively: (1) treating the surface of the substrate with a corona discharge; and (2) exposing the surface to an atmosphere containing a silicon compound in the gaseous state. Both steps (1) and (2) are conducted at a pressure greater than 10,000 Pa. This process can be used to provide anti-corrosion treatment to a metallic substrate or to a metallized polymeric support.

Abstract: A method of forming of a monomolecular coating (19) for surfaces of contacting elements (11, 17) of micro-mechanical devices (10), specifically, devices that have moving elements that contact other elements and that tend to stick as a result of the contact. The method uses liquid deposition, with the device being placed in a solution that contains a precursor to the formation of the coating. The precursor is chosen based on coordination chemistry between the precursor and the surface to be coated.

Abstract: A thin fluoropolymer film is covalently bonded to a microporous ptfe film to make a bilayer for separation, filtration or reverse osmosis, by exposing the microporous film to perfluorocyclohexane under plasma.

Abstract: A thin film-forming method according to the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of introducing TiCl.sub.4, hydrogen, nitrogen and NF.sub.3 into a film-forming chamber containing a semiconductor substrate (1) having a groove made in its surface, after the chamber has been evacuated to 10.sup.-4 Torr or less; and converting these gases into plasma, thereby forming a thin TiN film on only that portion of the groove which is other than the wall surfaces of the groove.

Abstract: In forming a thin film pattern, first a seed material film is formed on a substrate and then exposed using electron beam lithography, for example, in the shape of the pattern. The latent image is then removed and an oriented material is deposited on one of the seed material and the substrtate, which have different hydrophilicity properties, to form the pattern. The oriented film is formed by an LB film forming method, in one example, and in another example the LB film material is a cresol novolak resin having a proportion of p-cresol novolak to m-cresol novolak of at least 20%.

Abstract: A method for forming sub-micron sized bumps on the bottom surface of a suspended microstructure or the top surface of the underlying layer in order to reduce contact area and sticking between the two layers without the need for sub-micron standard photolithography capabilities and the thus-formed microstructure. The process involves the deposition of latex spheres on the sacrificial layer which will later temporarily support the microstructure, shrinking the spheres, depositing aluminum over the spheres, dissolving the spheres to leave openings in the metal layer, etching the sacrificial layer through the openings, removing the remaining metal and depositing the microstructure material over the now textured top surface of the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: An ion beam deposition method is provided for manufacturing a coated substrate with improved abrasion resistance, and improved lifetime. According to the method, the substrate is first chemically cleaned to remove contaminants. In the second step, the substrate is inserted into a vacuum chamber, and the air in said chamber is evacuated. In the third step, the substrate surface is bombarded with energetic ions to assist in the removal of residual hydrocarbons and surface oxides, and to activate the surface. Alter the substrate surface has been sputter-etched, a protective, abrasion-resistant coating is deposited by ion beam deposition. The ion beam-deposited coating may contain one or more layers. Once the chosen thickness of the coating has been achieved, the deposition process on the substrates is terminated, the vacuum chamber pressure is increased to atmospheric pressure, and the coated substrate products having improved abrasion-resistance are removed from the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Metal bonded carbon fiber-reinforced composites are disclosed in which the metal and the composite are strongly bound by (1) providing a matrix-depleted zone in the composite of sufficient depth to provide a binding site for the metal to be bonded and then (2) infiltrating the metal into the matrix-free zone to fill a substantial portion of the zone and also provide a surface layer of metal, thereby forming a strong bond between the composite and the metal. The invention also includes the metal-bound composite itself, as well as the provision of a coating over the metal for high-temperature performance or for joining to other such composites or to other substrates.

Abstract: A process for plasma deposition is disclosed, which permits increasing the plasma deposition processing capacity.In a single substrate processing plasma CVD apparatus, chamber plasma cleaning II is done once for every plural deposition cycles I. If necessary, for each deposition cycle the intensity of the electric field applied between pair electrodes is varied (for instance, increased to an extent corresponding to the deposition capacity reduction).

Abstract: A process for the plasma enhanced vapor deposition of a silicon-containing compound having one to three Si atoms onto a surface of glass, mirror, microchip or polymer substrates in flat or complex shape to provide thereon anti-fog and/or anti-scratch coating(s) is provided. The surface modifying step is conducted with a plasma composition derived from a gas stream consisting essentially of from about 80 to 40 mole percent N.sub.2 O and from about 20 to 60 mole percent CO.sub.2.

Abstract: Wear-resistant titanium nitride coatings onto cast iron and other carbon-containing materials is enhanced by means of a new surface preparation and deposition process. The conventional pre-deposition surface cleaning by Ar.sup.+ ion bombardment is replaced by a hydrogen-ion bombardment process which cleans the substrate surface by chemical reaction with minimal sputtering and simultaneously removes graphite present on the cast iron surface. Removal of the graphite significantly improves the wear resistance of titanium nitride, since the presence of graphite causes initiation of wear at those sites. Hydrogen ion bombardment or electron bombardment may be used to heat the substrate to a chosen temperature. Finally, titanium nitride is deposited by reactive sputtering with simultaneous bombardment of high-flux Ar.sup.+ ions from an independently generated dense plasma.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for capturing coating debris during laser ablation of a photoreceptor comprising: (a) enclosing a predetermined length of a coated substrate in a housing to result in an enclosed coated substrate portion, wherein there exists a gap between the enclosed substrate portion and the housing in communication with air outside the housing; (b) directing high energy radiation at the coating of the enclosed substrate portion; (c) directing a first fluid stream against the coating of the enclosed substrate portion to remove at least part of the coating in the form of coating debris during or subsequent to (b), whereby the first fluid stream may move a portion of the coating debris outside the housing in the absence of (d); (d) directing a second fluid stream against the first fluid stream in a direction effective for keeping the coating debris inside the housing, thereby minimizing movement of the coating debris into the air outside the housing; and (e) exhausting the coating debris.

Abstract: An implantable porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein a surface of the material has been modified by the removal of fibrils from the surface so that under magnification the surface has the appearance of freestanding node portions not interconnected by fibrils but rather having open valleys disposed between the freestanding node portions. Unmodified material beneath the surface maintains the original microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils. The modification is preferably done by exposing the surface to radio frequency gas plasma discharge with a reactive etching gas for a lengthy amount of time such as about ten minutes. The depth of fibril removal from the surface is substantially a function of the duration and amount of energy applied to the surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for capturing coating debris during laser ablation of a photoreceptor comprising: (a) enclosing a predetermined length of a coated substrate in a housing to result in an enclosed coated substrate portion, wherein there exists a gap between the enclosed substrate portion and the housing in communication with air outside the housing; (b) directing high energy radiation at the coating of the enclosed substrate portion; (c) directing a first fluid stream against the coating of the enclosed substrate portion to remove at least part of the coating in the form of coating debris during or subsequent to (b), whereby the first fluid stream may move a portion of the coating debris outside the housing in the absence of (d); (d) directing an annularly-shaped second fluid stream against the first fluid stream in a direction effective for keeping the coating debris inside the housing, thereby minimizing movement of the coating debris into the air outside the housing; and (e) exhausting t

Abstract: A process for forming an adherent diamond-like carbon coating on a workpiece of suitable material such as an aluminum alloy is disclosed. The workpiece is successively immersed in different plasma atmospheres and subjected to short duration, high voltage, negative electrical potential pulses or constant negative electrical potentials or the like so as to clean the surface of oxygen atoms, implant carbon atoms into the surface of the alloy to form carbide compounds while codepositing a carbonaceous layer on the surface, bombard and remove the carbonaceous layer, and to thereafter deposit a generally amorphous hydrogen-containing carbon layer on the surface of the article.

Abstract: With the use of a novel method in which after a magnetic recording medium carrying a ferromagnetic metal thin film is heated, a protective layer is developed on the ferromagnetic metal thin film by a known plasma CVD technique while an out gas from the magnetic recording medium being eliminated by absorption, another method in which a ferromagnetic metal thin film and a protective layer are formed in succession within a vacuum chamber, or a further method in which after a non-magnetic substrate is heated, a ferromagnetic metal thin film and a protective layer are formed in succession within a vacuum chamber while an out gas from the non-magnetic substrate and the ferromagnetic metal thin film being eliminated by absorption, the atomic ratio of the hydroxyl group to a primary component metal element contained in the ferromagnetic metal thin film can be decreased at the interface between the ferromagnetic metal thin film and the protective layer.

Abstract: A method for pretreating the surface of a medical device, and of applying a biological coating in a further step, uses the plasma polymerization technique or the plasma grafting technique. A functional monomer, i.e. a monomer with a functional group, or a mixture of a pure monomer and a substance which can provide the required functional groups under spark discharge or under the influence of charge carriers, results in a polymer coating with free functional groups which may react with the biological coating to provide optimum adhesion of the biological coating. The process is carried out in a pressure-tight chamber with an inlet for the functional monomer under low pressure and electromagnetic radiation provided by a radiation source.

Abstract: Porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein a surface of the material has been modified to have increased hydrophobicity as indicated by having a water droplet roll-off angle of less than about 10 degrees in comparison to a typical roll-off angle of greater than about 12 degrees for the unmodified material. Under magnification, the surface morphology may be indistinguishable from that of the unmodified precursor material. The modification is preferably done by exposing the surface to radio frequency gas plasma discharge with a reactive etching gas for a lengthy amount of time such as about ten minutes. If surface etching is continued beyond a time adequate to produce the highly hydrophobic behavior, then the surface morphology includes the appearance of broken fibrils.

Abstract: The electrical field at the surface of an electrode is graded by depositing a semiconductive coating thereon. An electrode substrate is powered at a preselected temperature and power. A mixture of gases is then passed through an electrical discharge to ionize at least a portion thereof to form the semiconductive coating on the surface of the electrode. A diamondlike carbon (DLC) film is deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition onto a substrate. A substrate is maintained at a preselected DLC forming temperature and is negatively biased at a first preselected voltage. A first gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons and argon is then passed through an electrical discharge to at least partially ionize the hydrocarbons to form DLC film on the substrate. The substrate is then negatively biased at a second preselected voltage lower than the first preselected voltage.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a method of repairing a bump defect of a structure obtained by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, having the steps of forming a first thin film consisting of a material different from that of the substrate on the substrate around the bump defect or close to the bump defect, forming a second thin film on the bump defect and the first thin film to flatten an upper surface of the second thin film, performing simultaneous removal of the bump defect and the thin films on an upper portion of the projecting defect and around the bump defect using a charged particle beam, and performing removal of the thin films left in the step of performing simultaneous removal.

Abstract: The surface of a steel material is irradiated with ion beams, held at a temperature of 100.degree.-400.degree. C. and then subjected to vapor deposition plating in vacuo. The vapor deposition plating may be performed by successively or simultaneously depositing different plating metals. The temperature control may use the sensible heat of the steel material, wherein the vapor deposition plating is applied to the surface of the steel material, which is in the temperature range of 100.degree.-400.degree. C. during cooling after ion beam irradiation, in a vacuum atmosphere. Since the surface of the steel material is held at a temperature of 100.degree.-400.degree.C., a lot of active spots remain on the surface. The active spots serve as starting points for the vapor deposition of the plating metals. The obtained plating layer is excellent in adhesiveness, workability, corrosion resistance and conformability to paint.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for coating fiber reinforced ceramic composites which has particular application for high temperature resistant composite materials for use in applications such as the aerospace industry. The process involves etching the surface to be coated with an etchant to expose the fiber in the ceramic composite while leaving the fiber intact and bound to the ceramic composite, followed by coating the etched surface with a coating composition.

Abstract: An art product is produced by providing a carrier having a metal layer, an adhesive layer and a substrate, applying a protective material on portions of the metal layer which must be retained in the final art product, etching the remaining portions of the metal layer to expose portions of the adhesive layer, and painting the exposed portions of the adhesive layer with a painting material which binds with the adhesive.

Abstract: It is possible to use an oriented monolayer to limit the Van der Waals forces between two elements by passivation. The invention disclosed here details how to do so by building the device to be passivated, cleaning the surface to be passivated, activating the surface, heating it along with the material to be used as the monolayer, exposing a vapor of the material to the surface and evacuating the excess material, leaving only the monolayer.

Abstract: Disclosed are a recording medium comprising a substrate, a thin film for recording formed on at least one side of the substrate, a protective layer formed on the thin film, and a lubricative film formed on the protective layer, the lubricative film comprising an oxidative polymerization product having main molecular chains chemically bonded to the protective film; and a process for producing the recording medium. This recording medium is excellent in lubricity and durability, and the layers formed thereon can be very thin.

Abstract: A plasma treating method subjects an object surface to a plasma treating within a chamber. First, first and second gasses are supplied into the chamber, where the first gas includes hydrogen molecules as a main component, the second gas includes a quantity of hydrogen less than that included in the first gas and is selected from a group of materials consisting of organic compounds and inorganic compounds, the organic compounds include hydrogen and oxygen and the inorganic compounds include hydrogen. Second, plasma of a mixed gas which is made up of the first and second gasses is generated within the chamber to subject the object surface to the plasma treating. Preferably, the second gas is water vapor.

Abstract: Gold can be selectively deposited onto a catalytically-activated region on a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a catalytically-inactive region on the surface by a chemical vapor deposition method. The method involves placing the workpiece in a vacuum chamber and evacuating the vacuum chamber to a base pressure equal to or less than a catalyst-activity-preserving upper pressure limit to eliminate effectively gaseous catalyst-deactivating contaminants from the chamber. The surface composition of at least one region of a target surface of the workpiece is altered to produce a catalytically-activated region on the target surface. At least one region of the target surface disjoint from the catalytically-activated region is a catalytically-inactive region. A gaseous alkylated (trialkylphosphine)gold compound is introduced into the vacuum chamber to expose the target surface of the workpiece to the compound.

Abstract: Improvements in the method and apparatus of vacuum deposition of a highly reflective surface onto aluminum base, including unanodized roll-polished aluminum, wherein a coil of the aluminum is disposed within the vacuum chamber, both as it unwinds and as it rewinds, and the water vapor created by heating the aluminum web is made available to other vacuum deposition processing compartments within the vacuum chamber including a glow discharge chamber typically fueled by argon gas. A relatively thick layer of oxide is vacuum deposited onto an unanodized aluminum base as a substrate for the reflective surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing miniaturized chemical and biological sensor elements with ion-selective membranes. To simplify production in the micro range, an aperture (5,6) starting from the front (3) and tapering toward the back (4) is made in a thin silicon substrate (1) so that the front and back are interconnected. A liquid with which the ion-selective membrane is formed is poured into the containment (2) thus formed. Vertical ISFETs may also be made on the above principle.

Abstract: A method of limiting sticking of a body (substrate) to a susceptor after the body has been coated with a layer in a deposition chamber by plasma chemical vapor deposition includes subjecting the coated body to a plasma of an inactive gas, e.g., hydrogen, nitrogen, argon or ammonia, which does not adversely affect the coating and does not add additional layers to the body. After the coated body is subjected to the plasma of the inactive gas, the body is separated from the susceptor.

Abstract: A continuous dry coating method and an apparatus therefor which are capable of removing cut chips and burrs from and smoothing inner walls of small-diameter holes in a substrate material and, then, successively performing a cold coating on these small holes in a short period of time. The continuous dry process coating method comprises the steps of: arranging electrodes on opposite sides of a substrate material; performing a plasma discharge to surface-treat small holes made in the substrate material; and then performing an electron cyclotron resonance plasma (ECR plasma) coating on the surfaces of these holes.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods of permanently modifying the surface of a substrate material so as to develop a microscopically smooth, biocompatible surface thereon. A portion of the substrate surface is first removed, as by etching, in a radio frequency plasma reactor using inert argon gas. A biocompatible polymeric material may be covalently grafted to the surface of the substrate material by radio frequency plasma-induced grafting. The biocompatible polymeric material is preferably the same as the substrate material but may be different. Alternatively, after etching, the surface of a substrate material may be subjected to radio frequency plasma sufficient to raise the temperature at the substrate surface to just above the glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of the substrate material for a time sufficient to produce a microscopically smooth, biocompatible surface on the substrate material.

Abstract: To provide a process for coating substrate material in which coating material is ablated in an ablation region by a laser beam in a coating chamber containing a negative pressure, propagates in the form of a coating particle stream in the direction of the substrate material and is deposited on it in the form of a coating, with which substrate material can be coated in large quantities by laser ablation, it is proposed that the substrate material be flat material, that the flat material be passed continuously as a continuous strip through the coating chamber and coated under the negative pressure substantially maintained therein, and that the necessary coating material be fed to the coating chamber while the negative pressure is substantially maintained therein.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device including a substrate on which a memory cell array portion and a peripheral circuit portion for the memory cell array portion are provided, the surface of the memory cell array portion being higher than the surface of the peripheral circuit portion. A glass layer is formed on the peripheral circuit portion with the glass layer having a predetermined thickness for offsetting the difference in height between the surface of the memory cell array portion and that of the peripheral circuit portion, so as to provide a substantially even surface over the memory cell array portion and the peripheral circuit portion. A metal wiring for the memory cell array portion and the peripheral circuit portion is formed in a predetermined pattern on the substantially even surface.

Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus has at least two vacuum chambers, one of which is an etching vacuum chamber for cleaning wafer surfaces. The etching vacuum chamber includes a first gas introduction system for introducing an etching gas, and a second gas introduction system for introducing a reactive gas for use in the cleaning whereby silicon deposited films will be removed. A thin film deposition method which may be carried out by the apparatus includes a cleaning process performed in advance of thin film deposition process for depositing a thin film on the wafer surfaces. In the cleaning process, the wafer surfaces are etched with the etching gas, the wafers are thereafter taken out of the chamber, a simulation wafer for particle checking is transferred into the chamber, and the degree to which particles have been generated is checked with the simulation wafer. When required, the reactive gas is introduced thereafter to gasify the deposited films and the particles.

Abstract: An improved method of fabricating integrated circuit structures on semiconductor wafers using a plasma-assisted process is disclosed wherein the plasma is generated by a VHF/UHF power source at a frequency ranging from about 50 to about 800 MHz. Low pressure plasma-assisted etching or deposition processes, i.e., processes may be carried out within a pressure range not exceeding about 500 milliTorr; with a ratio of anode to cathode area of from about 2:1 to about 20:1, and an electrode spacing of from about 5 cm. to about 30 cm. High pressure plasma-assisted etching or deposition processes, i.e., processes may be carried out with a pressure ranging from over 500 milliTorr up to 50 Torr or higher; with an anode to cathode electrode spacing of less than about 5 cm.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of an optical thin film waveguide of TiO.sub.2 with an attenuation of <5 dB/cm on a planar inorganic substrate wherein the thin film waveguide is produced by a microwave plasma CVD process (PCVD).

Abstract: A method for forming interconnections in microelectronic devices, including interconnections through small vias between different layers in the microelectronic devices include the spin coating of a film comprising a polyoxometalate and an organic material on the substrate. The film is optionally patterned by lithography, the polymer is removed, and the polyoxometalate is reduced to a metal layer. The metal layer may in one embodiment provide a nucleating zone for the deposition of metal.

Abstract: A plasma process and an apparatus therefor are described. A number of substrates are disposed between a pair of electrodes, to which a high frequency electric power is applied in order to generate glow discharge and induce a plasma. The substrates in the plasma are applied with an alternating electric field. By virtue of the alternating electric field, the substrates are subjected to sputtering action.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hot-cathode element which consists of a rare-earth-oxide-doped refractory metal, notably thoriated tungsten, and which also contains carbon components, first a plurality of layers of the hot-cathode element being successively deposited on a substrate member (2) by means of a CVD process, after which notably the hot-cathode element is separated from the substrate member (2). The strength required for further working of the hot-cathode element is improved in that in the course of the CVD process decarburizing intermediate treatments are performed, the hot-cathode element being carburized during an aftertreatment.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a plasma generated within a plasma confinement chamber for use in manufacturing semiconductor devices is controlled by monitoring both the neutral gas pressure P and the neutral gas temperature T. The process parameters P and T are then adjusted to control P/T.sup.n. In a preferred embodiment the pressure is adjusted to maintain P/T constant by adjusting the gas flow rate or the outlet pumping speed. The result is a plasma exhibiting enhanced stability over prolonged periods of time.

Abstract: The first invention provides a substrate for a magnetic recording medium, which is prepared by forming a macro-concavo-convex pattern for improving CSS properties and a micro-concavo-convex pattern for improving magnetic properties on the surface, thereby preventing the degradation of the CSS properties brought by the enhancement in friction coefficient and the increase in the area of a protective layer of the medium in contact with a magnetic head, caused by the wearing of the protective layer of the medium.The second invention provides a process of producing a substrate for a magnetic recording medium, which forms the above macro-concavo-convex pattern and micro-concavo-convex pattern in a uniform distribution at the same time.

Abstract: Thermoplastic substrates, particularly those comprising polycarbonate, ABS or polycarbonate-ABS blends, are coated with an adherent aluminum coating having a thickness of at least about 1.5 microns by a process which includes fluorination of the surface followed by physical vapor deposition of aluminum. Fluorination is preferably effected by treatment with a plasma of a fluorine compound, especially a fluorocarbon such as carbon tetrafluoride.

Abstract: A structural component made of an iron-base alloy is protected against corrosion by a coating which is produced to have three layers. First, a primary coating or first layer is applied, and then a top coating or second layer is applied. An intermediate layer is formed by a reaction between the first and second layers. Specifically, the intermediate layer is formed after application of the primary coating and of the top coating, by a heat treatment within a reaction temperature range in which intermetallic nickel aluminum or cobalt aluminum compounds are formed. A fourth sealing coat is optional. The primary coating is a nickel or cobalt coating. The intermediate layer comprises intermetallic compounds of nickel aluminide or cobalt aluminide formed by the reaction. The top coating is an aluminum base or aluminum alloy base high-temperature lacquer including a binder. Such a combination coating is especially resistant to fretting, oxidation and etching corrosion.

Abstract: A process and structure for depositing metal lines in a lift-off process is disclosed. The process comprises the deposition of a four-layer structure or lift-off stencil, comprising a first layer of a lift-off polymer etchable in oxygen plasma, a first barrier layer of hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS) resistant to an oxygenplasma, a second lift-off layer and a second barrier layer. Once these layers are deposited, a layer of photoresist is deposited and lithographically defined with the metal conductor pattern desired. The layers are then sequentially etched with oxygen and CF.sub.4, resulting in a dual overhang lift-off structure. Metal is then deposited by evaporation or sputtering through the lift-off structure. Following metal deposition, the stencil is lifted-off in a solvent such as N-methylpyrroldone (NMP).

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating layer on a substrate, depositing a metal film layer on the insulating layer and depositing a photoresist layer on the metal film layer. The photoresist layer is formed with openings through which a predetermined surface of the metal film layer is exposed. The predetermined surface of the metal film layer is subjected to dry etching so that an underlying portion of the insulating layer is exposed. The remaining portion of the photoresist layer is then subjected to ashing by using an isopropyl alcohol-containing gas to expose the surface of said metal film layer.

Abstract: A plasma process apparatus capable of operation significantly above 13.56 MHz can produce reduced self-bias voltage of the powered electrode to enable softer processes that do not damage thin layers that are increasingly becoming common in high speed and high density integrated circuits. A nonconventional match network is used to enable elimination of reflections at these higher frequencies. Automatic control of match network components enables the rf frequency to be adjusted to ignite the plasma and then to operate at a variable frequency selected to minimize process time without significant damage to the integrated circuit.