Back to results
US 10,256,202 B1Granted
Durable bond pad structure for electrical connection to extreme environment microelectronic integrated circuits
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsDavid J. Spry, Dorothy Lukco, Philip G. Neudeck, Carl W. Chang, Liangyu Chen, Roger D. Meredith, Kelley M. Moses, Charles A. Blaha, Jose M. Gonzalez, Glenn M. Beheim, Kimala L. Laster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A durable bond pad structure is described that facilitates highly durable electrical connections to semiconductor microelectronics chips (e.g., silicon carbide (SiC) chips) to enable prolonged operation over very extreme temperature ranges.
Claims17
An apparatus comprising:
- a bond pad metal stack having an interface in direct physical, mechanical, and, conductive electrical contact with a surface of a conductive region of a semiconductor, wherein the conductive region of a semiconductor possesses a single doping polarity,
- a first insulating dielectric layer comprising a patterned via, wherein the patterned via extends through only the first insulating dielectric layer, wherein the first insulating dielectric layer is in contact with an outside lateral interface of the bond pad metal stack and also in direct contact with the surface of the conductive region of the semiconductor, and
- at least one electrically conductive metal layer that is not in physical contact with the bond pad metal stack, but is in electrical and physical contact through the patterned via with the conductive region of the semiconductor,
- wherein an electrical signal path flows through the bond pad metal stack, the conductive region of the semiconductor, and through the at least one electrically conductive metal layer that carries electrical signals to/from semiconductor devices and circuits residing elsewhere on the semiconductor.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a bond pad metal stack having a bottom interface in direct physical, mechanical, and, conductive electrical contact with a surface of a conductive region of a silicon carbide (SiC) single-crystal semiconductor, wherein the conductive region of the SiC single-crystal semiconductor possesses a single doping polarity,
- a first insulating dielectric layer comprising a patterned via, wherein the patterned via extends through only the first insulating dielectric layer, wherein the first insulating dielectric layer is in contact with an outside lateral interface of the bond pad metal stack and also in direct contact with the surface of the conductive region of the SiC single-crystal semiconductor,
- a second upper insulating dielectric layer that overcoats the apparatus, except that a top surface of the bond pad metal stack is devoid of the second upper insulating dielectric layer, and
- at least one electrically conductive metal layer that is not in physical contact with the bond pad metal stack, but is in electrical and physical contact through the patterned via with the conductive region of the SiC single-crystal semiconductor,
- wherein an electrical signal path flows through the bond pad metal stack, the conductive region of the SiC single-crystal semiconductor, and through the at least one metal layer that carries electrical signals to/from semiconductor devices and circuits residing elsewhere on the SiC single-crystal semiconductor.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.