A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

摘要

A surface layer (10), for example oxide, is provided on a first major surface (2) of a semiconductor body (1). A masking layer (11) having at least one window (12) is defined on the surface layer (10). The surface layer (10) and the semiconductor body (1) are etched through the window (12) to define an opening (13) in the surface layer (10) and a recess (14) within the semiconductor body (1) extending beneath the surface layer (10) so that a rim portion (10a) of the surface layer (10) overhangs the recess (14). The rim portion (10a) of the surface layer (10) is removed by causing a settable flowable material (15) to flow onto the surface layer (10) and into the recess (14) and then causing the flowable material to set and thereby change volume so applying a force for causing the rim portion (10a) to break away from the remainder (10b) of the surface layer (10). The set flowable material (150) and thus the rim portion (10a) of the surface layer (10) are then removed. The recess (14) may form a passivation moat bounding a pn junction (5a) and may subsequently be provided with a glass passivating layer (8).