1.

Prepare The Wafer:

Once the wafer is prepared. The starting material for a vertical npn
structure is p-type substrate doped 1016/m3

2. Oxide Deposition:
Using a chemical vapor deposition process (CVD), oxide is deposited on
the wafer surface. The thickness of the oxidized layer is generally in the
order of 0.02-2 m.

3. Buried layer Mask:

Patterning of 1st oxide:
Photoresist spun on top of the oxide is exposed using Buried layer mask
(mask 1).
The use of n+ region has two functions:
1. It enhances the growth of epitaxial layer.
2. The higher electron density in the n+ region reduces the series
resistances between the collector junction and the collector terminal.
Etching of 1st oxide:
Using a wet etch (trichloroethylene), a window corresponding to buried
layer mask is opened in the oxide.

Final buried layer window:

After the remaining photoresist is stripped the deposited oxide has an
opening etched in the location specified by the buried layer mask.
Buried layer implant:
- The buried layer is formed with a high density implant of n type dopant,
usually phosphorous.
- Some lateral diffusion of dopants takes place during the implant.
- Dopant is also introduced into the masking oxide.

Final buried layer:

After the masking oxide is removed (etched), the result in highly doped
buried layer region in the original silicon substrate.

4. Epitaxial Layer:
Deposition of epitaxial layer:
- Using epitaxial deposition (similar to CVD), a layer of very high
quality (crystalline) silicon is deposited on the surface.
- Some diffusion of the dopants occurs from the highly doped buried
layer into the more lightly doped epitaxial layer.
Final epitaxial layer:
- The resulting epitaxial layer will form the collector region in the BJT,
with the highly doped (low R) buried layer forming an equipotential
region under the device.
- The buried layer is now completely enclosed in silicon material.

5. Isolation Region:
Isolation Region Exposure:
- Layers of masking oxide layer and photoresist are formed on the surface
- the photoresist is exposed using an isolation implant mask (mask 2)
Isolation Implantation:
- A heavy p-type doping form the p+ isolation regions.
-The masking oxide absorbs dopant, preventing implantation between the
isolation regions.

Final Isolated Structure:

After along enough implant so that the isolation region reaches the
underlying substrate, the masking oxide is removed.
- By connecting to the underlying substrate, the p+ isolation implants
electrically disconnect regions of the epitaxial layer from each other.
- Electrical isolation is provided by the pn- junction formed between the
p+ and the n-type epitaxial layer.

6. Sinker Mask:
Sinker Mask Exposure:
- Connection will be made to the buried layer (collector) using sinker, an
implantation of high concentration and significant depth.
- Oxide and photoresist layers are exposed using a sinker mask (mask3).
Sinker Implantation:
Once a window has been etched in the deposited oxide, an n-type dopant
implantation is performed to create the sinker.

Final Sinker Structure:

Depending on the implantation conditions and the thickness of the epitaxy
region, the sinker may or not reach down to the buried layer.

7. Base Mask:
Base Mask Exposure:
Oxide and photoresist are formed on the surface and the region which
will form the active base is exposed the base mask (mask 4).
Base Mask Exposure:
A p-type dopant (usually boron) is implanted into the epitaxy layer
through the oxide window to form the p-type base region.

Final Base region:

After implantation is complete, a p-type counter doped base region has
been formed in the n-type collector.
8. Emitter Mask:
Emitter Region Exposure:
Oxide and photoresist layers are exposed using an emitter mask (mask 5)

Emitter Implant:
- A heavy n-type dopant (usually As) is implanted through the oxide
window opening to form the emitter.
- Control of this implant is critical to BJTs operation.
Final Emitter Structure:
With the creation of the n+ emitter region in the p-base (in the n-collector),
the basic BJT structure is complete, only metal contacts remain.

9. Contact Mask:
Contact Cut Exposure:
- Oxide is deposited which will isolate metal connections.
- Photoresist is exposed using contact cut mask (mask 6).
Contact Cut Exposure:
Etching of contact openings requires selectivity so etching does not
remove emitter, therefor wet etchant used.

Final Contact Cuts:

After etching, opening have been created in the oxide which will allow
access to the collector sinker, base and emitter regions.
9. Metal Mask:
Metal Deposition and Exposure:
After metal is deposited and photoresist on surface, exposure is
performed using a metal mask (mask 9).

Final interconnect structure:

- Once the metal has been etched to form interconnections between
contacts, the structure is complete.
- Most modern processes would use more than one level of metal.
BJT Layout:
- Top view layout shows the various masks used to realize basic structure.
- Cross section is duplicated to show correspondence.
- Buried layer and isolation masks can be generated automatically on size
of base region and position of collector.