Appeal No. 2002-0094 Page 3
Application No. 09/346,435
electrically conductive interconnect layer disposed adjacent to the electrically conductive sheath
layer, said electrically conductive sheath being resistant to the plasma etch process used to
pattern the conductive interconnect layer, and
patterning said electrically conductive interconnect layer by said plasma etch.
15. The method of constructing an electronic device comprising the steps of:
forming electronic structures outwardly from a surface of a semiconductor layer;
forming an electrically conductive sheath layer outwardly from the electronic structures
for electrically diverting etchant particles used in a plasma etch process away from said electronic
structures;
forming an outer layer outwardly from the electrically conductive sheath layer;
etching the outer layer with a plasma etch process which generates electrically charged
particles in an electric field;
fixing the semiconductor layer proximate a terminal during the etch process, the terminal
providing an electrical bias to the formation of the plasma; and
routing the electrically charged particles via the electrically conductive sheath layer to the
terminal away from the electronic structures between the electrically conductive sheath layer and
the terminal by electrically connecting the electrically conductive sheath layer to the terminal.
20. A method of constructing an electronic device comprising the steps of:
covering an inner layer with a layer of dielectric material;
depositing an electrically conductive sheath layer outwardly from the dielectric material
for electrically diverting etchant particles used in a plasma etch process away from the dielectric
layer;
depositing a photoresist layer outwardly from the said electrically conductive sheath
layer;
patterning the photoresist layer to provide a patterned mask composed of portions of the
photoresist layer disposed outwardly from the said electrically conductive layer;
etching portions of the conductive sheath layer not covered by the patterned mask with an
etch selective to the electrically conductive sheath layer relative to the photoresist layer;
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