US4760369A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin film resistor and method
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1985-08-23
•
Granted: 1988-07-26
•
Expires: 2005-08-23
Abstract
Abstract Thin film resistors formed from a metal silicon nitride film are provided in which tungsten, titanium, tantalum, and other group IV A, V A, and VII A metals are included. The silicon to metal ratio varying between about 0.1 and 10.0 and the nitrogen to metal ratio varying between about 0.1 and 10.0 provide sheet resistances which include the useful range of about 100 to over 10,000 ohms per square for films approximately 2,000 angstroms thick. Deposition of these materials by sputtering a metal silicide target in a nitrogen containing atmosphere, such as 20% nitrogen and 80% argon is also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Shiban K. Tiku
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:41
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/40; H10D1/47; H10D1/474; H01; H01C; H01C17/00; H01C17/06; H01C17/075; H01C17/12; H01C7/00; H01C7/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
37 words
A thin film resistor material, comprising: (a) MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A thin film resistor material, comprising: (a) MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
8 words
The material of claim 1, wherein: (a) 0.1≦x≦10.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
8 words
The material of claim 2, wherein: (a) 0.1≦y≦10.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The material of claim 1, wherein: (a) said M is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and alloys thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thin film resistor on a substrate, comprising: (a) an insulator on said substrate; (b) thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII, and y is greater than (4/3)x; and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thin film resistor on a substrate, comprising: (a) an insulator on said substrate; (b) thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII, and y is greater than (4/3)x; and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
8 words
(c) electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
8 words
(c) electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
8 words
The resistor of claim 5, wherein: (a) 0.1≦x≦10.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
8 words
The resistor of claim 6, wherein: (a) 0.1≦y≦10.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The resistor of claim 5, wherein: (a) said M is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, titanium and alloys thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate with circuitry thereon, said circuitry including thin film resistors; (b) wherein at least one of said thin film resistors includes: i. an insulator on said substrate; ii. thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII, and y is greater than (4/3)x; and iii. electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate with circuitry thereon, said circuitry including thin film resistors; (b) wherein at least one of said thin film resistors includes: i. an insulator on said substrate; ii. thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table Groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII, and y is greater than (4/3)x; and iii. electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The integrated circuit of claim 9, wherein: (a) 0.1≦x≦10; (b) 0.1≦y≦10; (c) M is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and alloys thereof; and (d) said insulator is silicon dioxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
A thin film resistor on a gallium arsenide substrate, comprising: (a) a silicon dioxide insulator on said substrate; (b) thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, or VII A or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x; and (c) electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A thin film resistor on a gallium arsenide substrate, comprising: (a) a silicon dioxide insulator on said substrate; (b) thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, or VII A or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x; and (c) electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
89 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: (a) a gallium arsenide substrate with circuitry thereon, said circuitry including thin film resistors; (b) wherein at least one of said thin film resistors includes; i. a silicon dioxide insulator on said substrate; ii. thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, or VII A or VIII, and y is greater that (4/3)x; and iii. electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
89 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: (a) a gallium arsenide substrate with circuitry thereon, said circuitry including thin film resistors; (b) wherein at least one of said thin film resistors includes; i. a silicon dioxide insulator on said substrate; ii. thin film material on said insulator, said material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, or VII A or VIII, and y is greater that (4/3)x; and iii. electrical contacts to said thin film material.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of deposition of a metal silicon nitride, comprising the step of: (a) sputtering a metal silicide in a nitrogen containing atmosphere to form a material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of deposition of a metal silicon nitride, comprising the step of: (a) sputtering a metal silicide in a nitrogen containing atmosphere to form a material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A, or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13, wherein: (a) said atmosphere essentially consists of nitrogen plus inert gasses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14, wherein: (a) said inert gasses are argon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14, comprising the further step of: (a) adjusting the ratio of nitrogen to inert gas.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
159 words
A process of fabricating a thin film resistor of a preselected resistance on each of a sequence of substrates, comprising the steps of: (a) sputtering a metal silicide target in a nitrogen containing atmosphere to deposit a metal silicon nitride film on a first of said substrates, said film comprising a material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x; (b) patterning and etching said metal silicon nitride film to form said resistor on said first substrate; (c) measuring the resistance of said resistor and comparing this to said preselected resistance; (d) adjusting the fraction of nitrogen in said atmosphere to adjust the resistivity of said metal silicon nitride film deposited by step (a) to yield said preselected resistance by step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) and (b) for the remaining of said substrates.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
159 words
A process of fabricating a thin film resistor of a preselected resistance on each of a sequence of substrates, comprising the steps of: (a) sputtering a metal silicide target in a nitrogen containing atmosphere to deposit a metal silicon nitride film on a first of said substrates, said film comprising a material of composition MSi x N y with M a metal or alloy from specific periodic table groups IV A, V A, VI A, VII A or VIII and y is greater than (4/3)x; (b) patterning and etching said metal silicon nitride film to form said resistor on said first substrate; (c) measuring the resistance of said resistor and comparing this to said preselected resistance; (d) adjusting the fraction of nitrogen in said atmosphere to adjust the resistivity of said metal silicon nitride film deposited by step (a) to yield said preselected resistance by step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) and (b) for the remaining of said substrates.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 17, wherein: (a) said metal silicide target is a compound of tungsten and silicon.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 17, wherein: (a) said atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen and argon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4063211A
Cited
US4217570A
Cited
US4288776A
Cited
US4343986A
Cited
US4392992A
Cited
US4609903A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-07-26 | 1992-01-25 | 1992-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-26 | 1996-01-25 | 1996-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-26 | 2000-01-25 | 2000-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |