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US4835059A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thin film conductor which contains silicon and germanium as major components and method of manufacturing the same

Assignee: Anritsu Corp
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Filing: 1986-08-12
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Granted: 1989-05-30
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Expires: 2006-08-12
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Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to a thin film conductor which has a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and has a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present, and a method of manufacturing the same by a CVD method. The resultant thin film conductor has characteristics, such as a high dark conductivity, a large gauge factor, a small temperature coefficient of the dark conductivity, a large thermoelectric power, and the like, and is used as a material for microelectronic devices having a sensor function.

Inventors

  • 👤 Setsuo Kodato

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 06:37
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01L; G01L1/00; G01L1/20; G01L1/22; G01L1/2287; G01L1/2293; H; H01; H01B; H01B1/00; H01B1/04; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10D62/402; H10D62/80; H10D62/83; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S257/00; Y10S257/93

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 102 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present, wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases and has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , a thermoelectric power of at least 10 μV/K, and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K whereby said thin film is suitable for use as ohmic electrode material of a semiconductor device, for use as thin film resistor material and likewise for use as a thermoelectric couple.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 102 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present, wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases and has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , a thermoelectric power of at least 10 μV/K, and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K whereby said thin film is suitable for use as ohmic electrode material of a semiconductor device, for use as thin film resistor material and likewise for use as a thermoelectric couple.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein said thin film contains not more than 100 parts by weight (excluding zero) of silicon with respect to 1 part by weight of germanium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein said thin film has a dark conductivity of not less than 100 S·cm -1 and a thermoelectric power of not less than 100 μV/K.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein 10 to 90% of microcrystalline phase is contained in said thin film and has an average grain size of 5 to 50 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein 30 to 90% of microcrystalline phase is contained in said thin film, and has an average grain size of 5 to 50 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is supported on an insulating substrate, and a pair of electrodes spaced apart on said film are provided for making electrical connections thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 6, wherein said insulating substrate comprises a silicon oxide thin film superposed on an aluminum oxide thin film which is located on a supporting glass substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 1, wherein said thin film has a dark conductivity of not less than 100 S·cm -1 and a gauge ratio of 4 to 10.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 83 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases, has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , has a gauge factor of at least 4 and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K, whereby said thin film is suitable for use as a strain gauge material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 83 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases, has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , has a gauge factor of at least 4 and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K, whereby said thin film is suitable for use as a strain gauge material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
A thin film conductor according to claim 9, wherein said thin film has a dark conductivity of not less than 100 S·cm -1 and a gauge factor in the range from 4 to 10.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 79 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present, wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases, has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , has a gauge factor of at least 4 and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K, and a thermoelectric power of at least 10 μV/K.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 79 words
A thin film conductor having a composition containing silicon and germanium as major components and a structure in which both amorphous and microcrystalline phases are present, wherein said thin film comprises germanium-germanium, silicon-germanium and silicon-silicon bonds in said phases, has a dark conductivity of at least 10 S·cm -1 , has a gauge factor of at least 4 and a temperature coefficient of electrical conductivity of not more than 1%/K, and a thermoelectric power of at least 10 μV/K.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-05-29 1992-11-28 1993-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-05-29 1996-11-28 1997-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-05-29 2000-11-28 2001-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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