IP Library Granted Patent US 7,830,027
Granted Patent B2
US 7,830,027 · App. 11/578,975 · Granted Nov 9, 2010

Level realignment following an epitaxy step

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,830,027
App. No.
11/578,975
Granted
Nov 9, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to inter-level realignment after a stage of epitaxy on a face ( 31 ) of a substrate ( 30 ), comprising the production of at least one initial guide mark ( 32 ) on the face of the substrate, this initial guide mark being designed so as to be transferred, during epitaxy, onto the surface of the epitaxied layer ( 36 ). The initial guide mark ( 32 ) is produced in such a way that, during epitaxy, its edges create growth defects that propagate as far as the surface of the epitaxied layer ( 36 ) to provide a transferred guide mark ( 37 ) on the surface of the epitaxied layer ( 36 ) reproducing the shape of the initial guide mark ( 32 ) and in alignment with the initial guide mark.

Claims (13)

1. A method enabling realignment between levels after a stage of epitaxy on a face of a substrate, comprising the production of at least one initial guide mark on said substrate face, the initial guide mark being designed so as to be transferred, during epitaxy, onto a surface of the epitaxied layer, the initial guide mark being produced in such a manner that, during epitaxy, its edges create growth defects that propagate as far as the surface of the epitaxied layer to provide a transferred guide mark on the epitaxied layer reproducing a shape of the initial guide mark and in alignment with the initial guide mark, wherein the production of the initial guide mark includes the formation of a plate comprising a stack of at least one layer of material not allowing development of epitaxy, formed on the substrate face, and of a layer of material permitting development of epitaxy.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is formed by stages of deposit and engraving of layers.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer of material not allowing development of epitaxy is a layer of dielectric material.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said face of the substrate is a face allowing epitaxy of a semiconductor material.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said face of the substrate is a semiconductor material.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said face of the substrate is in monocrystalline silicon, the layer of material of the initial guide mark allowing development of epitaxy being in polycrystalline silicon, the edges of the guide mark being aligned with the crystalline axes of the monocrystalline silicon of the substrate.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the formation of the plate comprises, for obtaining the material not allowing development of epitaxy, the formation of a layer of silicon oxide and/or the formation of a layer of silicon nitride.

8. A substrate intended for the production of an epitaxy on one of its faces, comprising at least one initial guide mark designed to obtain, after the epitaxy stage, a transferred guide mark on a surface of the epitaxied layer, the initial guide mark having edges able to create growth defects during epitaxy, which propagate as far as the surface of the epitaxied layer to provide, on the surface of the epitaxied layer, the transferred guide mark that reproduces a shape of the initial guide mark and is in alignment with the initial guide mark, wherein the initial guide mark comprises a stack including at least one layer of material not allowing development of epitaxy, formed on the substrate face, and a layer of epitaxial material.

9. The substrate according to claim 8 , wherein the layer of material not allowing development of epitaxy is a layer of dielectric material.

10. The substrate according to claim 8 , wherein said face of the substrate is a face allowing epitaxy of a semiconductor material.

11. The substrate according to claim 8 , wherein said face of the substrate is a semiconductor material.

12. The substrate according to claim 8 , wherein said face of the substrate is in monocrystalline silicon, the layer of epitaxial material of the initial guide mark being in polycrystalline silicon, the edges of the guide mark being aligned with the crystalline axes of the monocrystalline silicon of the substrate.

13. The substrate according to claim 12 , wherein the layer of material not allowing development of epitaxy is a layer of silicon oxide or a layer of silicon nitride.

Assignments (21)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042985 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051029/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039361 FRAME 0212. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051029/0387 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051030/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042762 FRAME 0145. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0184 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050745/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. FROM 13,883,290 TO 13,833,290 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 041703 FRAME 0536. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS.. Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: SHENZHEN XINGUODU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048734/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12681366 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039361 FRAME 0212. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded May 9, 2017
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 042762/0145 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12681366 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded May 9, 2017
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 042985/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENTS 8108266 AND 8062324 AND REPLACE THEM WITH 6108266 AND 8060324 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037518 FRAME 0292. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Feb 1, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041703/0536 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE LISTED CHANGE OF NAME SHOULD BE MERGER AND CHANGE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040652 FRAME: 0180. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jan 12, 2017
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 041354/0148 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040652/0180 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12092129 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Jul 14, 2016
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039361/0212 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Mar 7, 2016
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038017/0058 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037518/0292 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0143 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0553 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031591/0266 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 030633/0424 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 13, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024397/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 15, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 024085/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2007
From: DIEM, BERNARD; BLANCHET, EUGENE; GOGOI, BISHNU
To: COMMISSARIAT A L' ENERGIE ATOMIQUE; FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 019016/0288 →