US5053318A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma processing with metal mask integration
Assignee: Shipley Co Inc
•
Filing: 1989-05-18
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Granted: 1991-10-01
•
Expires: 2009-05-18
Abstract
Abstract This invention describes methods for altering a substrate in a fine line image pattern using a microlithographic process including formation of a metal mask over a photoresist coating to protect the photoresist coating during dry development of the same. The invention also describes a method for formation of the metal mask. Briefly stated, the process of the invention comprises the steps of coating a substrate with a photoresist coating, exposing the photoresist coating so formed to a desired pattern of actinic radiation, catalyzing the entire surface of the photoresist coating with an electroless plating catalyst, developing the photoresist layer to a depth at least sufficient to remove the undesired catalyst layer in an image pattern, forming a metal pattern on the desired (remaining) catalyst layer and dry developing the remaining photoresist coating unprotected by the metal mask.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Gulla
- 👤 Prasit Sricharoenchaikit
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:47
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/181; H05K3/182; H05K3/185; G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/265; G03F7/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A process for forming a metal mask over a photoresist coating, said process comprising the steps of: (a) forming a coating of a photoresist over a substrate; and then in either order, (b) exposing said coating of photoresist to patterned radiation at an energy dose sufficient to form a latent image in said photoresist coating; and (c) forming sites on said photoresist coating catalytic to electroless metal deposition; and then, (d) developing said photoresist coating with a developer for said exposed photoresist coating whereby photoresist together with catalytic sites are removed by contact with the developer in the exposed areas if the photoresist is a positive working photoresist or in the unexposed areas if the photoresist is a negative working photoresist whereby there is formed an imaged pattern of sites catalytic to electroless metal deposition on said photoresist coating; and p1 (e) electrolessly depositing metal over said imaged pattern of catalytic sites to a thickness of at least 20 angstroms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A process for forming a metal mask over a photoresist coating, said process comprising the steps of: (a) forming a coating of a photoresist over a substrate; and then in either order, (b) exposing said coating of photoresist to patterned radiation at an energy dose sufficient to form a latent image in said photoresist coating; and (c) forming sites on said photoresist coating catalytic to electroless metal deposition; and then, (d) developing said photoresist coating with a developer for said exposed photoresist coating whereby photoresist together with catalytic sites are removed by contact with the developer in the exposed areas if the photoresist is a positive working photoresist or in the unexposed areas if the photoresist is a negative working photoresist whereby there is formed an imaged pattern of sites catalytic to electroless metal deposition on said photoresist coating; and p1 (e) electrolessly depositing metal over said imaged pattern of catalytic sites to a thickness of at least 20 angstroms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 where the sequence of steps comprises exposing the photoresist coating to patterned radiation prior to forming catalytic sites on the photoresist coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 where the sequence of steps comprises forming catalytic sites on the photoresist coating prior to exposing the photoresist coating to patterned radiation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 including the step of forming a planarizing layer between the substrate and the photoresist coating prior to forming the coating of the photoresist on the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 4 where the planarizing layer and the photoresist coating have a combined thickness varying between 0.1 and 500 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 5 where the combined thickness varies between 0.5 and 50 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 where the photoresist coating has a thickness varying between 0.1 and 5 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 4 where the planarizing layer is light sensitive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 4 where the planarizing layer is light insensitive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 where the photoresist is a positive acting photoresist.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 10 where the photoresist comprises a diazo sensitizer in a polymeric binder selected from the group of novolak resins and polyvinyl phenol resins.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 where the photoresist is a negative acting photoresist.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 12 where the photoresist is an acid hardening resist comprising a phenolic resin, an acid generator and an aminoplast.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 where catalytic sites are formed on the photoresist coating by contact of the coating with an aqueous solution of an electroless metal plating catalyst.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 14 where the electroless plating catalyst is a tin palladium catalyst.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 14 where the catalyst is accelerated by contact with a palladium ion solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 where the photoresist coating is partially developed to a depth sufficient to remove catalytic sites overlying the photoresist to form an image pattern of catalytic sites.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 where the electroless metal is selected from the group of copper and nickel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 18 where the electroless metal is nickel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 18 where the electroless metal is copper.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 18 where the thickness of the electroless metal deposit is at least 50 angstroms.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 21 where the thickness varies between 50 and 1,000 angstroms.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 17 including the step of dry development of remaining photoresist following partial development and electroless metal deposition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 23 where dry development is with an anisotropic reactive ion etch.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
183 words
A process for altering the surface of a substrate comprising the steps of: (a) forming a dry coating of a photoresist over said substrate; and then in either order, (b) exposing said coating of photoresist to patterned radiation at an energy dose sufficient to form a latent image in said photoresist coating; and (c) forming sites on said photoresist coating catalytic to electroless metal deposition; and the, (d) developing the surface of said photoresist coating with a developer for said exposed photoresist coating whereby photoresist together with catalytic sites are removed by contact with the developer in the exposed areas if the photoresist is a positive working photoresist or in the unexposed areas if the photoresist is a negative working photoresist whereby there is formed an imaged pattern of sits catalytic to electroless metal deposition on said photoresist coating; (e) electrolessly depositing metal over said imaged pattern of catalytic sites to a thickness of at least 20 angstroms; (f) dry developing photoresist free of the electroless metal coating; and (g) altering the surface of the substrate bared by dry development of the photoresist.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
183 words
A process for altering the surface of a substrate comprising the steps of: (a) forming a dry coating of a photoresist over said substrate; and then in either order, (b) exposing said coating of photoresist to patterned radiation at an energy dose sufficient to form a latent image in said photoresist coating; and (c) forming sites on said photoresist coating catalytic to electroless metal deposition; and the, (d) developing the surface of said photoresist coating with a developer for said exposed photoresist coating whereby photoresist together with catalytic sites are removed by contact with the developer in the exposed areas if the photoresist is a positive working photoresist or in the unexposed areas if the photoresist is a negative working photoresist whereby there is formed an imaged pattern of sits catalytic to electroless metal deposition on said photoresist coating; (e) electrolessly depositing metal over said imaged pattern of catalytic sites to a thickness of at least 20 angstroms; (f) dry developing photoresist free of the electroless metal coating; and (g) altering the surface of the substrate bared by dry development of the photoresist.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 25 where the sequence of steps comprises exposing the photoresist coating to patterned radiation prior to forming catalytic sites on the photoresist coating.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 25 where the sequence of steps comprises forming catalytic sites on the photoresist coating prior to exposing the photoresist coating to patterned radiation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 25 including the step of forming a planarizing layer between the substrate and the photoresist coating prior to forming the coating of the photoresist on the substrate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 28 where the planarizing layer and the photoresist coating have a combined thickness varying between 5 and 50 microns.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 25 where the photoresist coating has a thickness varying between 0.1 and 5 microns.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 21 where the photoresist is a positive acting photoresist.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 31 where the photoresist comprises a diazo sensitizer in a polymeric binder selected from the group of novolak resins and polyvinyl phenol resins.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 25 where the photoresist is a negative acting photoresist.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 33 where the photoresist is an acid hardening resist comprising a phenolic resin, an acid generator and an aminoplast.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 25 where catalytic sites are formed on the photoresist coating by contact of the coating with an aqueous solution of an electroless metal plating catalyst.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 35 where the electroless plating catalyst is a tin palladium catalyst.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 25 where the electroless metal is selected from the group of copper and nickel.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 37 where the electroless metal is nickel.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 37 where the thickness of the electroless metal deposit is at least 50 angstroms.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 39 where the thickness varies between 50 and 1,000 angstroms.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 25 where the step of dry development of the photoresist following electroless metal deposition is by anisotropic reactive ion etching.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 25 where the substrate is a semiconductor.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 42 where the semiconductor is silicon coated with silicon dioxide.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 42 where the substrate is altered by implantation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-09-30 | 1995-04-01 | 1995-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-09-30 | 1999-04-01 | 1999-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-09-30 | 2003-04-01 | 2003-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |