Use of fluoropolymer coating for planarizing and passivating integrated circuit devices
OwnerHarry M. Siegel, Fred P. Laneinventors
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Abstract
A touch-sensitive semiconductor chip having a physical interface to the environment, where the surface of the physical interface is coated with a fluorocarbon polymer. The polymer is highly scratch resistant and has a characteristic low dielectric constant for providing a low attenuation to electric fields. The polymer can be used instead of conventional passivation layers, thereby allowing a thin, low dielectric constant layer between the object touching the physical interface, and the capacitive sensing circuits underlying the polymer.
Claims20
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
- forming in a semiconductor material a matrix of sensor circuits for processing signals generated by capacitive circuits;
- forming a matrix of said capacitive circuits on said semiconductor material, each said capacitive circuit having at least one conductive plate, each said capacitive circuit coupled to a respective said sensor circuit;
- and
- forming a dielectric layer overlying said capacitive circuits by depositing a layer of a fluorocarbon polymer in a liquid state so that a top surface of said fluorocarbon polymer is planar when allowed to set for a period of time.
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a monocrystalline silicon substrate;
- forming an interconnect layer above the substrate;
- forming active circuitry in the substrate interconnected by the interconnect layer;
- forming a first layer of planarizing material above the interconnect layer;
- forming an array of capacitor plates in a plane above the planarizing material;
- forming a second layer of planarizing material above the array;
- and
- forming an organic polymer layer above the array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.