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US3631304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Semiconductor device, electrical conductor and fabrication methods therefor
Assignee: Cogar Corp
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Filing: 1970-05-26
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1990-05-26
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure is directed to an improved semiconductor device, electrical conductor, thin-film conductor, and fabrication methods therefor. An aluminum-aluminum oxide alloy conductor is disclosed which has a high resistance to electromigration and hence, a conductor lifetime greater by at least a factor of 10 than unalloyed aluminum conductors. Semiconductor device utilizing this aluminum alloy in the thin-film conductive stripes interconnecting different conductivity regions or devices located in the semiconductor substrate are significantly improved and more reliable.
Inventors
- 👤 Harshad J Bhatt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:19
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D99/00; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/011; H10P; H10P95/00; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W72/00; H10W72/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
29 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aluminum oxide is in the range of from about 0.01 percent to about 17 percent of said aluminum alloy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said aluminum oxide is in the range of from about 0.5 percent to about 14 percent of said aluminum alloy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said aluminum oxide is in the range from about 6 to about 8 percent of said aluminum alloy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aluminum alloy having an activation energy in the range of from 0.8 to about 14 electron volts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said aluminum alloy having an activation energy in the range of from 0.8 to about 3 electron volts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said aluminum alloy having an activation energy of about 1 electron volts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aluminum and aluminum and aluminum oxide layer having an activation energy of at least 0.8 electron volts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stripe having a width in the range of from about 0.1 mils to about 2 mils.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said stripe having a width in the range of from about 0.2 mils to about 0.4 mils.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said stripe having a width in the range of from about 0.1 mils to about 2 mils.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stripe having a thickness in the range of from about several hundred Angstroms to about 20,000 Angstroms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said stripe having a thickness in the range of from about 5,000 Angstroms to about 15,000 Angstroms.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said stripe having a width in the range of from about 0.2 mils to about 0.4 mils.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said semiconductor device is an active device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said semiconductor device is a passive device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 15 wherein said active semiconductor device is a transistor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said transistor device having an emitter region and a collector region of one conductivity type and a base region of opposite conductivity type, said aluminum oxide is in the range of from about 0.01 percent to about 17 percent of said aluminum alloy, said stripe having a width in the range of from about 0.1 mils to about 2 mils, said stripe having a thickness in the range of froM about several hundred Angstroms to about 20,000 Angstroms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 18 wherein said transistor device is an NPN-silicon transistor having said aluminum oxide in the range of from about 0.5 to about 14 percent of said aluminum alloy, said stripe having a thickness in the range of from about 5,000 Angstroms to about 15,000 Angstroms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 including a first insulating layer on one surface of said device, said stripe having one portion in electrical contact with said one region of one type conductivity and having another portion on said first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer encapsulating said stripe.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 20 including electrical contact means for providing electrical contact to said stripe through said second insulating layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 15 wherein said active semiconductor device is a field effect transistor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 22 wherein said field effect transistor comprises spaced source and drain regions of the same conductivity type located in a semiconductor region of opposite type conductivity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 23 wherein said source and drain regions are of N-type conductivity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 23 wherein said thin-film conductive stripe comprising a first electrode in contact with said source region, a second electrode in contact with said drain region, and a gate electrode located on a portion of an insulating layer over a channel region between said source and drain regions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 16 wherein said passive semiconductor device comprises a resistor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 26 wherein said resistor comprises a region of one type conductivity located in a region of opposite type conductivity, said thin-film conductive stripe being in electrical contact with at least two portions of said region of one type conductivity.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 27 wherein said regions of one type conductivity is a P-type region.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
60 words
A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body having at least one region of one type conductivity, and a thin-film conductive stripe in electrical contact with said one region of said semiconductor body, said stripe comprising an aluminum alloy layer having a high resistance to physical distortions and surface discontinuities, said aluminum alloy layer being composed of aluminum and aluminum oxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 29 wherein said semiconductor device is an active device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 29 wherein said semiconductor device is a passive device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-06-28 | 1975-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-27 | 1979-06-28 | 1979-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-27 | 1983-06-28 | 1983-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |