FORMATION OF SUBMICRON FEATURES IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

摘要

FORMATION OF SUBMICRON FEATURES IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES This invention involves the defining of a submicron feature 93 in a structure, typically an insulated gate field effect transistor structure. This feature is defined by a sidewall oxide layer 71 formed by reactive oxygen ion etching of the structure being built at a time when an exposed layer 64 in the vicinity of the sidewall contains atoms of a material, for example, silicon or aluminium, which combine with the oxygen ions to form the sidewall oxide layer. The sidewall oxide layer may be used as a mask to form a feature 93 or it may itself constitute such a feature, for example a protective layer on the sidewalls of a polysilicon gate of a F.E.T.