Process for manufacturing buried channels and cavities in semiconductor material wafers

• US 6,376,291 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Villa, Flavio, Corona, Pietro, Barlocchi, Gabriele
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, David
• Application Number:
  US09/558,959
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 438/175, 438/179, 438/259, 438/269, 438/286, 438/300, 438/386, 438/413, 438/416, 438/422, 438/429
• US Class Current: 438/175
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0315 Cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0338 Channels
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00047 Cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0177 Epitaxy, i.e. homo-epitaxy, hetero-epitaxy, GaAs-epitaxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/764 Air gaps H01L21/76264 takes precedence

Abstract

A process of forming on a monocrystalline-silicon body an etching-aid region of polycrystalline silicon; forming, on the etching-aid region a nucleus region of polycrystalline silicon surrounded by a protective structure having an opening extending as far as the etching-aid region; TMAH-etching the etching-aid region and the monocrystalline body to form a tub-shaped cavity; removing the top layer of the protective structure; and growing an epitaxial layer on the monocrystalline body and the nucleus region. The epitaxial layer, of monocrystalline type on the monocrystalline body and of polycrystalline type on the nucleus region, closes upwardly the etching opening, and the cavity is thus completely embedded in the resulting wafer.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing unfilled buried cavities in semiconductor material wafers, comprising:

forming, on a monocrystalline body of semiconductor material, a nucleus region surrounded by a protective structure;

forming a cavity in said monocrystalline body beneath said nucleus region;

removing at least a top portion of said protective structure; and

growing an epitaxial layer over the cavity on said monocrystalline body and said nucleus region.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein forming a cavity comprises etching said monocrystalline body through an opening delimited by said protective structure.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said etching step is carried out by TMAH-etching.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising, before forming a nucleus region, the forming of an etching-aid region directly on said monocrystalline body, said etching-aid region being arranged beneath said nucleus region and being separated from said nucleus region by said protective structure.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said etching-aid region is of polycrystalline silicon.

6. The process of claim 4 wherein forming a nucleus region comprises:

forming, on said monocrystalline body and said etching-aid region, a layer stack comprising a first etch-shielding layer, a polycrystalline-silicon layer, and a second etch-shielding layer;

forming, in said layer stack and on said etching-aid region, a window having side delimiting walls; and

coating said side delimiting walls of said window with a coating region, forming an opening for etching said monocrystalline body.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said first and second etch-shielding layers and said coating region are of silicon nitride.

8. The process of claim 7, further comprising forming a thermal oxide layer beneath said first and second etch-shielding layers and forming thermal oxide regions beneath said coating region.

9. The process of claim 1, further comprising forming a protective region on walls of said cavity before removing a top portion of said protective structure.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein forming a protective region comprises thermally oxidizing said walls of said cavity.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein growing an epitaxial layer comprises forming a monocrystalline region on said monocrystalline body, and a polycrystalline region on said nucleus region.

12. A process for manufacturing unfilled buried cavities in semiconductor material, comprising:

forming a protective structure on a substrate of semiconductor material, the protective structure having an opening formed therein;

forming a cavity in the substrate below the protective structure and in communication with the opening; and

forming an epitaxial layer over the protective structure to cover the opening.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein forming a protective structure comprises forming on the substrate an etching-aid region and a layer stack.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the etching-aid region comprises a polycrystalline silicone layer, and wherein the layer stack comprises a first etch-shielding layer, a polycrystalline-silicone layer on the first etch-shielding layer, and a second etch-shielding layer on the polycrystalline-silicone layer.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein forming the protective region further comprises forming a coating on the layer stack and on walls of the opening.

16. The process of claim 12 wherein forming the cavity in the substrate comprises etching the substrate through the opening by TMAH-etching.

17. A process for manufacturing buried cavities and semiconductor wafers, comprising:

forming an etching-aid region directly on a monocrystalline body of semiconductor material, the etching-aid region being formed of polycrystalline silicon;

forming a nucleus region surrounded by a protective structure that covers the etching-aid region;

forming a cavity in the monocrystalline body beneath the nucleus region;

removing at least a top portion of the protective structure; and

growing an epitaxial layer on the monocrystalline body and the nucleus region.

18. A process for manufacturing buried cavities in semiconductor material wafers, comprising:

forming, on a monocrystalline body of semiconductor material, a nucleus region surrounded by a protective structure;

forming a cavity in said monocrystalline body beneath said nucleus region;

removing at least a top portion of said protective structure; and

growing an epitaxial layer on said monocrystalline body and said nucleus region, comprising forming a monocrystalline region on the monocrystalline body and a polycrystalline region on the nucleus region.

19. A process for manufacturing buried cavities in semiconductor material, comprising:

forming a protective structure on a substrate of semiconductor material, the protective structure having an opening formed therein, comprising forming on the substrate an etching-aid region and a layer stack, the etching-aid region comprising a polycrystalline silicon layer, and the layer stack comprising a first etch-shielding layer, a polycrystalline-silicon layer on the first etch-shielding layer, and a second etch-shielding layer on the polycrystalline-silicon layer;

forming a cavity in the substrate below the protective structure and in communication with the opening; and

forming an epitaxial layer over the protective structure to cover the opening.

20. A process for manufacturing buried cavities in semiconductor material, comprising:

forming a protective structure on a substrate of semiconductor material, the protective structure having an opening formed therein, forming the protective structure for the comprising forming on the substrate an etching-aid region and a layer stack, the etching-aid region comprising a polycrystalline silicon layer, and the layer stack comprising a first etch-shielding layer, a polycrystalline-silicon layer on the first etch-shielding layer, and a second etch-shielding layer on the polycrystalline-silicon layer, and further forming a coating on the layer stack and on walls of the opening;

forming a cavity in the substrate below the protective structure and in communication with the opening; and

forming an epitaxial layer over the protective structure to cover the opening.