US5855993A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic devices having metallurgies containing copper-semiconductor compounds
Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc
•
Filing: 1994-02-22
•
Granted: 1999-01-05
•
Expires: 2014-02-22
Abstract
Abstract Silicon and germanium containing materials are used at surface of conductors in electronic devices. Solder can be fluxlessly bonded and wires can be wire bonded to these surfaces. These material are used as a surface coating for lead frames for packaging integrated circuit chips. These materials can be decal transferred onto conductor surfaces or electrolessly or electrolytically disposed thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael John Brady
- 👤 Curtis Edward Farrell
- 👤 Sung Kwon Kang
- 👤 Jeffrey Robert Marino
- 👤 Donald Joseph Mikalsen
- 👤 Paul Andrew Moskowitz
- 👤 Eugene John O'Sullivan
- 👤 Terrence Robert O'Toole
- 👤 Sampath Purushothaman
- 👤 Sheldon Cole Rieley
- 👤 George Frederick Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:31
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; H10W20/4451; C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/48; C23C18/50; C25; C25D; C25D3/00; C25D3/02; C25D3/54; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/46; H10P14/47; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/74; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; H10W20/037; H10W70/00; H10W70/40; H10W70/411; H10W70/415; H10W70/60; H10W70/62; H10W70/66; H10W70/662; H10W70/67; H10W70/688; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/0198; H10W72/012; H10W72/01231; H10W72/01238; H10W72/019; H10W72/01951; H10W72/01955; H10W72/071; H10W72/073; H10W72/075; H10W72/07502; H10W72/07504; H10W72/07531; H10W72/07532; H10W72/07533; H10W72/07535; H10W72/20; H10W72/241; H10W72/242; H10W72/251; H10W72/252; H10W72/281; H10W72/283; H10W72/29; H10W72/30; H10W72/341; H10W72/347; H10W72/348; H10W72/351; H10W72/353; H10W72/354; H10W72/50; H10W72/531; H10W72/536; H10W72/5363; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5522; H10W72/5524; H10W72/5525; H10W72/59; H10W72/851; H10W72/853; H10W72/865; H10W72/90; H10W72/921; H10W72/923; H10W72/941; H10W72/9415; H10W72/951; H10W72/952; H10W72/981; H10W72/983; H10W74/00; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/731; H10W90/736; H10W90/751; H10W90/756; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/901; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24917
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A structure for providing electrical interconnection to a semiconductor chip comprising: a dielectric substrate; an electrical conductor of a conductive material coupled to the dielectric substrate, said conductor having a portion facing out from the substrate; a different material than the conductive material in a surface of said portion for making electrical connections therethrough to the electrical conductor, wherein: said different material comprises a combination of a first material and a second material which combination is for preventing the conductive material of said electrical conductor from diffusing out onto said surface: said first material being germanium, and said second material being a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof; and electrical connection means coupled to said surface where the surface contains said different material for making electrical connections therethrough to the surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
A structure for providing electrical interconnection to a semiconductor chip comprising: a dielectric substrate; an electrical conductor of a conductive material coupled to the dielectric substrate, said conductor having a portion facing out from the substrate; a different material than the conductive material in a surface of said portion for making electrical connections therethrough to the electrical conductor, wherein: said different material comprises a combination of a first material and a second material which combination is for preventing the conductive material of said electrical conductor from diffusing out onto said surface: said first material being germanium, and said second material being a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof; and electrical connection means coupled to said surface where the surface contains said different material for making electrical connections therethrough to the surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said material is a covalent compound of said first material and said second material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said connection means is a solder mass bonded to said surface which solder mass contains a material selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Au, Cd, In, Bi, Sb, Cu, Zn, Ga and Ag.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said electrical conductor is one lead of a lead frame which has a plurality of such leads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 4, wherein said substrate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic, a polymer, and a combination thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said connection means is a wire bonded to said surface which wire contains a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Cu, Ag and Ni.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said covalent compound is selected from the group consisting of Cu 3 Ge 2 , Cu 5 Ge and Ni 3 Ge of these binary compounds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
A structure for providing electrical interconnection to a semiconductor chip comprising: an electrically insulative substrate; an electrical conductor containing Cu mounted on said substrate said conductor having a surface adapted for connection to the semiconductor chip; a layer on said surface containing a material which is a combination of Ge and a second material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof; and means coupling said layer to the semiconductor chip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
A structure for providing electrical interconnection to a semiconductor chip comprising: an electrically insulative substrate; an electrical conductor containing Cu mounted on said substrate said conductor having a surface adapted for connection to the semiconductor chip; a layer on said surface containing a material which is a combination of Ge and a second material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof; and means coupling said layer to the semiconductor chip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 8, wherein said material is electrolessly deposited onto said surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
A structure comprising: a metallic conductor containing Cu, said metal conductor having a solder bonded to a surface thereof; said surface containing a compound which is a combination of a first and a second material; said first material being Ge; and said second material being a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A structure comprising: a metallic conductor containing Cu, said metal conductor having a solder bonded to a surface thereof; said surface containing a compound which is a combination of a first and a second material; said first material being Ge; and said second material being a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 10, wherein said second material is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni, Co, Fe and Cr.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 10, wherein said surface contains a material selected from the group consisting of Cu 3 Ge, Ni 3 Ge, and combinations thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electrical structure which comprises; a) a dielectric substrate; b) a metallic electrical conductor coupled to the substrate; c) a semiconductor device; d) coupling means connecting the semiconductor device to the metallic electrical conductor through a connecting surface, said coupling means including a barrier layer intervening the connecting surface and the metallic electrical conductor for preventing a diffusion onto the connecting surface of metal from the metallic electrical conductor, said barrier layer comprising a combination of a first material and a second material wherein: i) said first material is Ge; and ii) said second material is a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electrical structure which comprises; a) a dielectric substrate; b) a metallic electrical conductor coupled to the substrate; c) a semiconductor device; d) coupling means connecting the semiconductor device to the metallic electrical conductor through a connecting surface, said coupling means including a barrier layer intervening the connecting surface and the metallic electrical conductor for preventing a diffusion onto the connecting surface of metal from the metallic electrical conductor, said barrier layer comprising a combination of a first material and a second material wherein: i) said first material is Ge; and ii) said second material is a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and combinations thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 13, wherein said material is a covalent compound of said first material and said second material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The structure of claim 14, wherein said coupling means includes a body of solder which contains a material selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Au, Cd, In Bi, Sb, Cu, Zn, Ga and Ag.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 15 wherein said substrate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic, a polymer, and combinations thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure of claim 14, wherein said covalent compound is selected from the group consisting of Cu 3 Ge 2 , Cu 5 Ge and Ni 3 Ge binary compounds.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 13, wherein a polymer layer is on said connecting surface and said barrier layer is between the metallic electrical conductor and the polymer layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The structure of claim 17, wherein said metallic conductor is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe and combinations thereof and said barrier layer prevents said metal conductor to interdiffuse and reach said surface to oxidize.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 13 wherein said metallic electrical conductor contain Cu and said barrier layer is for preventing diffusion of Cu onto said connecting surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2555001A
Cited
US2916401A
Cited
US3438798A
Cited
US3496014A
Cited
US4061802A
Cited
US3498823A
Cited
US3672938A
Cited
US5009965A
Cited
US4132832A
Cited
US4355083A
Cited
EP0179369A2
Cited
US4883772A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-04 | 2002-07-06 | 2003-01-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-04 | 2006-07-06 | 2007-01-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-04 | 2010-07-06 | 2011-01-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |