Method of and apparatus for active electro-chemical water and similar environmental contaminant elimination in semi-conductor and other electronic and electrical devices and the like

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said insulating surface is substantially planar and said paths are substantially co-planar.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the path separation is of the order of about 0.001 mm to 0.025 mm, the path length from about 0.03 to 0.3 cm, and the potential of the electric field from about 400 volts/cm to 100,000 v/cm.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the resistance of said hygroscopic insulating surface is adjusted to be within the range of from about 1×10 15 ohms per square to 1×10 12 ohms per square.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said hygroscopic insulating surface is prepared by oxidizing a silicon substrate and doping the oxide to render the same hygroscopic.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 5 and in which said doping comprises employing phosphorus.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 6 and in which the oxide is formed of thickness in the range of from about 3000° A. to 10,000° A. and the level of phosphorus oxide is in the range of from about 0.2 to 8 mol percent P 2 O 5 .

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 5 and in which said paths are formed by depositing one of nichrome-gold and chrome-gold conductors upon the doped oxide.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said paths are disposed in interleaving spiral fashion.

Claim 11

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said hygroscopic insulating surface containing said paths is inserted as a separate element in said package.

Claim 12

A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which said hygroscopic insulating surface containing said paths is formed as part of the fabrication of other electronic parts contained within said package.

Claim 13

A method as claimed in claim 10 and in which said hygroscopic insulating surface is prepared by oxidizing a silicon substrate shared in common with another of said electronic parts, with said surface being doped to render the same hygroscopic.

Claim 14

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electronic package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, a pair of closely spaced co-extensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof.

Claim 15

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electronic package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, a pair of closely spaced co-extensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof.

Claim 16

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and in which the spacing of said conductors is of the order of from about 0.001 mm to 0.025 mm, and said voltage is in the range from about 1 to 50 volts.

Claim 17

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which said material is silicon and the dopant comprises phosphorus.

Claim 18

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and in which said substantially co-planar conductors are disposed upon the said hygroscopic insulating surface.

Claim 19

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 16 and in which said conductors are disposed in interleaved spiral form.

Claim 20

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 16 and in which said conductors are metallized upon or within said surface.

Claim 21

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 18 and in which the metallization is one of nichrome-gold and chrome-gold.

Claim 22

A getter apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and in which the same is part of an electronic part within the electronic package.

Claim 23

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electric package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, said hygroscopic insulating surface being an oxide layer of semi-conductor material doped to render it hygroscopic, a pair of closely spaced coextensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof.

Claim 24

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electric package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, said hygroscopic insulating surface being an oxide layer of semi-conductor material doped to render it hygroscopic, a pair of closely spaced coextensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof.

Claim 25

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electronic package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, a pair of closely spaced coextensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof, said insulating surface being an oxide layer upon a silicon substrate shared in common with an electronic part.

Claim 26

A getter apparatus for electrochemically eliminating water and contaminants within an electronic package and the like, having, in combination, a highly hygroscopic substantially planar insulating surface mountable within the package, a pair of closely spaced coextensive substantially co-planar conductors forming electrode paths along an area of said surface, and means for applying a voltage between the conductors to set up an electric field between the electrode paths formed thereby and in the space occupied by the hygroscopic surface portions between the conductors, with said voltage adjusted to effect hydrolysis of water in the vicinity thereof, said insulating surface being an oxide layer upon a silicon substrate shared in common with an electronic part.