Device isolation process flow for ARS system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsHeon Lee, Chung-Ching Yang, Peter Hartwell
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Abstract
A device isolation process flow for an atomic resolution storage (ARS) system inserts device isolation into a process flow of the ARS system so that diodes may be electrically insulated from one another to improve signal to noise ratio. In addition, since most harsh processing is done prior to depositing a phase change layer, which stores data bits, process damage to the phase change layer may be minimized.
Claims12
A method for device isolation for an atomic resolution storage (ARS) system, comprising:
- forming an insulating layer between a wafer substrate and a top active silicon (Si) layer;
- forming a phase change layer over the top active Si layer;
- depositing a masking layer over the phase change layer, wherein the masking layer is patterned and selectively etched;
- and
- etching the top active Si layer using the masking layer as a mask until reaching the insulating layer, whereby devices embedded in the top active Si layer become electrically isolated from one another.
A method for device isolation for an atomic resolution storage (ARS) system, comprising:
- forming an insulating layer between a wafer substrate and a top active silicon (Si) layer;
- forming a phase change layer over the top active Si layer;
- depositing a masking layer over the phase change layer;
- patterning the masking layer;
- selectively etching the masking layer;
- and
- etching the top active Si layer using the masking layer as a mask until reaching the insulating layer, whereby devices embedded in the top active Si layer become electrically isolated from one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.