System for and method of forming via holes by use of selective plasma etching in a continuous inline shadow mask deposition process

• US 20060148241A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advantech Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Advantech Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Brody, Thomas Peter, Marcanio, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,268,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/637
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/562 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5826 Treatment with charged particles C23C14/582 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5873 Removal of material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76802 by forming openings in dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material

Abstract

In a shadow mask vapor deposition system, a first conductor is vapor deposited on a substrate and an insulator is vapor deposited on the first conductor. A second conductor is then vapor deposited on at least the insulator. The insulator layer is plasma etched either before or after the vapor deposition of the second conductor to define in the insulator layer a via hole through which at least a portion of the first conductor is exposed. An electrical connection is established between the first and second conductors by way of the via hole.

Claims

1. A shadow mask vapor deposition method comprising:

(a) vapor depositing a first conductor layer on a substrate;

(b) vapor depositing an insulator layer on the first conductor layer;

(c) plasma etching the insulator layer to define therein a via hole through which at least a portion of the first conductor layer is exposed; and

(d) vapor depositing a second conductor layer on at least the insulator layer, wherein an electrical conductor in the via hole electrically connects the first and second conductor layers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a deposit of the second conductor layer in the via hole forms the electrical conductor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes plasma etching the insulator layer by way of an aperture in a shadow mask to define the via hole in the insulator layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

step (d) includes vapor depositing the second conductor layer in a manner to define an opening in the second conductor layer; and

step (c) includes plasma etching the insulator layer by way of the opening in the second conductor layer to define the via hole in the insulator layer.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

(e) vapor depositing a conductive filler in the via hole by way of an aperture in a shadow mask and the opening in the second conductive layer whereupon the conductive filler forms the electrical conductor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein step (d) includes:

vapor depositing a first portion of the second conductor layer; and

vapor depositing a second portion of the second conductor layer such that it overlaps the first portion of the second conductor layer, wherein the opening in the second conductor layer is formed solely by the vapor depositions of the first and second portions of the second conductor layer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each vapor depositing step occurs by way of a different shadow mask.

8. The method of claim 7, further including, before vapor depositing each layer, translating the substrate into a position with the corresponding shadow mask.

9. A shadow mask vapor deposition method comprising:

(a) vapor depositing a first conductor on a substrate;

(b) vapor depositing an insulator on the first conductor;

(c) vapor depositing a second conductor on at least the insulator; and

(d) plasma etching the insulator either before or after step (c) to define in the insulator a via hole through which at least a portion of the first conductor is exposed, wherein an electrical connection is established between the first and second conductors by way of the via hole.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

when the via hole is defined before step (c), step (c) includes vapor depositing the second conductor in the via hole, thereby establishing the electrical connection between the first and second conductors; and

when the via hole is defined after step (c), the method further includes vapor depositing a conductive filler in the via hole by way of an opening defined in the second conductor solely by the vapor deposition of the second conductor in step (c), whereupon the conductive filler establishes the electrical connection between the first and second conductors.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

when the via hole is defined before step (c), the insulator is plasma etched by way of an aperture in a shadow mask; and

when the via hole is defined after step (c), the insulator is plasma etched by way of the opening in the second conductor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor is formed from at least one of molybdenum, aluminum, gold, copper, nickel and titanium; and

the insulator is formed from one of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide and tantalum pentoxide.

13. The method of claim 9, further including, before each vapor depositing step, translating the substrate into position to receive the corresponding vapor deposit.

14. A shadow mask vapor deposition system comprising:

means for vapor depositing a first conductor on a substrate;

means for vapor depositing an insulator on the first conductor;

means for vapor depositing a second conductor on at least the insulator; and

means for plasma etching the insulator, either before or after vapor depositing the second conductor, to define in the insulator a via hole through which at least a portion of the first conductor is exposed, wherein an electrical connection is established between the first and second conductors by way of the via hole.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

where the via hole is defined before vapor depositing the second conductor, the means for plasma etching includes a shadow mask having an aperture therein;

the insulator is plasma etched by way of the aperture in the shadow mask to form the via hole; and

the means for vapor depositing the second conductor vapor deposits the second conductor in the via hole, thereby establishing the electrical connection between the first and second conductors.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein, where the via hole is defined after vapor depositing the second conductor, the means for vapor depositing the second conductor includes:

a first shadow mask for depositing a first portion of the second conductor; and

a second shadow mask for depositing a second portion of the second conductor overlapping the first portion of the second conductor, wherein;

an opening is defined in the second conductor solely by the vapor deposition of the second conductor adjacent where the second portion of the second conductor overlaps the first portion of the second conductor; and

the insulator is plasma etched by way of the opening.

17. The system of claim 16, further including means for vapor depositing a conductive filler in the via hole by way of an aperture in a shadow mask and the opening defined in the second conductor, whereupon the conductive filler establishes the electrical connection between the first and second conductors.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein each means for vapor depositing includes:

a vacuum vessel;

a deposition source disposed in the vacuum vessel and charged with a material to be deposited thereby; and

a shadow mask disposed in the vacuum vessel and having a pattern of apertures corresponding to a desired pattern of the material to be deposited by the deposition source, wherein the shadow mask is positioned between the substrate and the deposition source during vapor depositing of the material.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for plasma etching includes:

a vacuum vessel; and

a plasma source disposed in the vacuum vessel.

20. The system of claim 19, further including means for translating the substrate into each vacuum vessel.