Process for fabricating an electronic integrated circuit and electronic integrated circuit thus obtained
View Patent ↗An electronic integrated circuit is fabricated by forming on a substrate, of which a part is composed of absorbing material, a portion made of a sacrificial material. The sacrificial material includes cobalt, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, gallium, indium, silver, gold, iron and/or chromium. A rigid portion is then formed in fixed contact with the substrate, on one side of the portion of sacrificial material opposite to the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material. The circuit is heated such that the sacrificial material is absorbed into the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material. A substantially empty volume is thus created in place of the portion of sacrificial material. The volume that is substantially empty can replace a dielectric material situated between the electrodes of a capacitor.
1. A process for fabricating an electronic integrated circuit comprising:
a) forming, on a substrate of the circuit, of which a part is composed of absorbing material, a portion made of a sacrificial material coming into contact with one face of the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material;
b) forming a rigid portion in fixed contact with the substrate, on one side of the portion of sacrificial material opposite to said face of the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material; and
c) heating the circuit in order to create a volume substantially empty of material by absorption of the sacrificial material into the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material,
wherein the sacrificial material has a melting point in excess of 900° C. and wherein the sacrificial material is chosen so as not to cause any material alteration of parts of the circuit in contact with the portion of sacrificial material prior to c) heating.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial material selected from the groups consist of cobalt, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, iron and chromium.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbing material selected from the groups consist of silicon, germanium, phosphorus, arsenic and antimony.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of sacrificial material is formed in a cavity below the level of a surface of the substrate.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein, at c) heating, the absorption of the sacrificial material into the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material results from a chemical reaction between the sacrificial material and the absorbing material.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said volume substantially empty of material has a large cross section substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate.
7. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising, between a) forming and b) forming, forming of an intermediate layer, said intermediate layer being located, when b) forming is complete, between the portion of sacrificial material and the rigid portion.
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the volume substantially empty of material is situated between two electrodes of a capacitor belonging to said circuit.
9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the rigid portion comprises a first electrode of the capacitor.
10. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the part of the substrate composed of absorbing material, after absorbing the sacrificial material in c) heating, comprises a second electrode of the capacitor.
11. The process according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the two electrodes has a main surface substantially parallel to a substrate surface.
12. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a cavity in the an absorbing material;
depositing the sacrificial material in the cavity; and
filling the cavity with a fill material.
13. The process of claim 1 wherein the absorbing material is a semiconductor substrate layer.
14. The process of claim 1 wherein the absorbing material is a layer above a semiconductor substrate layer.
15. The process of claim 1 wherein heating comprises integrated circuit heat densification.
16. The process of claim 1 wherein heating comprises using heating to not only cause the sacrificial material to be absorbed but also to drive silicidation of the integrated circuit.
17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial material includes a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, and iron.
18. The process of claim 12 wherein the fill material comprises an intermediate layer and an electrically conducting layer.