Claims
- 1. An apparatus comprising sputter epitaxy, real-time pattern generation, and flash diffusion, for fabricating monocrystalline three-dimensional integrated circuits, with means for full automation.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the projector barrel, the growth sample, and at least two targets have fixed relative positions.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which individual targets are positioned to encircle the projector barrel and are “aimed at” the growth sample by having a perpendicular erected at approximately the centroid of each target extend to the approximate center of the growth surface, said perpendicular not intersecting the projector barrel.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which at least two targets of each type are symmetrically disposed with respect to angle in the encircling array of targets.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the spacing of the growth sample and the projector barrel is adjustable by relative translation of the two elements.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which projector-barrel motion is permitted by a bellows connection between projector barrel and sputtering-chamber wall.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 5 in which projector-barrel motion is permitted by a sliding contact between projector barrel and sputtering-chamber wall.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a flash projector with at least one lens inside its barrel having an O-ring seal that creates a vacuum-tight barrier between lens and barrel.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 5 in which spacing between the projector barrel and the growth sample is adjusted by translation of the growth sample.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 5 in which precise spacing between the projector barrel and the growth sample is achieved by using the principle of the atomic-force microscope.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which at least two differing targets are mounted on a carousel or daisy-wheel mechanism that permits the positioning of each target sequentially in a position between the projector barrel and the growth sample.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which at least one target incorporates a hole large enough to fit over the projector barrel, and in which the daisy-wheel mechanism includes provision for translation in an axial direction, permitting the said target to be positioned so that it encircles the projector barrel.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the flash diffusion carries at least the entire aggregate thickness of the primary and secondary layers to temperatures in the range from 1000 to 1400 C.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the flash diffusion carries at least a very thin layer at the sample surface to the melting point.
- 15. A apparatus for creating a pattern in a monocrystalline integrated circuit, consisting of:
a source of high-intensity radiation whose fluence is nearly constant over a beam cross-sectional area of at least ten square millimeters; a pattern generator that converts the uniform beam of radiation into a patterned beam; an optical system that focuses the patterned radiation onto the surface of said monocrystalline integrated circuit.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the radiation is in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the radiation is produced in a sequence of short pulses, each having a duration smaller than ten microseconds.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the radiation source is an excimer laser.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the pattern generator incorporates a liquid-crystal display of the transmissive kind.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the pattern generator incorporates a liquid-crystal display of the reflective kind.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the pattern generator incorporates an array of micromirrors fabricated using silicon micromachining methods.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the work in process (IC) is within an environmentally controlled chamber, and wherein the radiation source and pattern-generating mechanism are outside the chamber, while the lens assembly for focusing the pattern on the IC is inside the chamber.
- 23. A apparatus for multitarget sputter epitaxy wherein the targets are attached to a carousel that can be rotated under computer control, thus creating a usable juxtaposition of a chosen target and the growth sample for the purposes of sputter epitaxy.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the carousel contains at least one empty target position to avoid interference from the target during epitaxial growth on the sample, and to avoid contamination of the target during ion milling of the sample.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a real-time pattern generator in which each pixel constitutes an independent electronically controllable radiation source.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 25 in which each pixel is a solid-state radiation-emitting diode.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 25 in which each pixel is a solid-state radiation-emitting diode in an integrated array of such diodes.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 25 comprising an array of integrated arrays of solid-state radiation-emitting diodes.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 25 in which each pixel is a xenon flash lamp.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This patent application [Case 6] is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/468,968 [Case 5], filed Jun. 6, 1995, entitled “Method for Fabricating Monolithic and Monocrystalline All-Semiconductor Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits,” which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/705,726 [Case 4], filed May 24, 1991, entitled “Improved Monocrystalline Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit,” which is a divisional application of Ser. No. 07/443,175, filed Nov. 30, 1989, and issued Feb. 18, 1992 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,862 [Case 3], entitled “Monocrystalline Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit,” which is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 861,708 filed May 12, 1986, and issued Dec. 5, 1989 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,615 [Case 2], entitled “Monocrystalline Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit,” which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 799,652 filed Nov. 19, 1985, and issued Dec. 27, 1988 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,443 [Case 1], entitled “Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit.” We hereby incorporate by reference these patent documents.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07443175 |
Nov 1989 |
US |
Child |
07705726 |
May 1991 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (4)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08468968 |
Jun 1995 |
US |
Child |
09198220 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Parent |
07705726 |
May 1991 |
US |
Child |
08468968 |
Jun 1995 |
US |
Parent |
06861708 |
May 1986 |
US |
Child |
07443175 |
Nov 1989 |
US |
Parent |
06799652 |
Nov 1985 |
US |
Child |
06861708 |
May 1986 |
US |