Internal hydrogen sources for heat conductive packaging of low dielectric constant semiconductor chips, and method of providing hydrogen therefor

A semiconductor package comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said package;
• a semiconductor chip within said enclosure;
• a first gas within said enclosure;
• and
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure.

A semiconductor package comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said package;
• a semiconductor chip within said enclosure;
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure;
• and
• a gas at an elevated pressure within said enclosure,
• said gas comprising a first gas component and a second gas component, wherein said second gas component results from the release of said releasable hydrogen, and wherein said first gas component is initially present within said enclosure prior to the release of said releasable hydrogen, and said first gas component is initially present at a pressure lower than said elevated pressure.

A semiconductor chip comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said chip;
• an integrated circuit within said enclosure;
• a gas at a first pressure within said enclosure;
• and
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure.

A semiconductor chip comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said chip;
• an integrated circuit within said enclosure;
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure;
• and
• a gas at an elevated pressure within said enclosure,
• said gas comprising a first gas component and a second gas component, wherein said second gas component results from the release of said releasable hydrogen, and wherein said first gas component is initially present within said enclosure prior to the release of said releasable hydrogen, and said first gas component is initially present at a pressure lower than said elevated pressure.

A semiconductor chip comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said chip;
• a gas at a first pressure within said enclosure;
• and
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure.

A semiconductor chip comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure surrounding said chip;
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure;
• and
• a gas at an elevated pressure within said enclosure,
• said gas comprising a first gas component and a second gas component, wherein said second gas component results from the release of said releasable hydrogen, and wherein said first gas component is initially present within said enclosure prior to the release of said releasable hydrogen, and said first gas component is initially present at a pressure lower than said elevated pressure.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing on a substrate a layer of silicon;
• patterning said deposited layer of silicon to form at least one thin film heat source;
• depositing upon said patterned layer a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• patterning said layer of hydride-forming metal so as to correspond with the patterned layer of the at least one heat source;
• and
• charging said patterned layer of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen so as to provide a patterned layer of metal hydride.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing on a substrate a layer of doped polycrystalline silicon;
• patterning said deposited layer of doped polycrystalline silicon to form one or a plurality of thin film resistors capable of serving as heating elements when connected electrically to an external power source;
• depositing upon said patterned layer an insulating layer to chemically protect and electrically isolate the one or a plurality of resistors;
• depositing upon said insulating layer a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• patterning said layer of hydride-forming metal so as to correspond with the patterned layer of the one or a plurality of thin film resistors;
• and
• charging said patterned layer of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen so as to provide a patterned layer of metal hydride.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing on a substrate a layer of doped polycrystalline silicon, said deposition occurring at a first temperature;
• patterning said deposited layer of doped polycrystalline silicon to form one or a plurality of thin film resistors capable of serving as heating elements when connected electrically to an external power source;
• depositing upon said patterned layer an insulating layer to chemically protect and electrically isolate the one or a plurality of resistors;
• depositing upon said insulating layer a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• patterning said layer of hydride-forming metal so as to correspond with the patterned layer of the one or a plurality of thin film resistors;
• charging said patterned layer of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen so as to provide a patterned layer of metal hydride, said step of charging occurring at a second temperature less than or equal to said first temperature;
• and
• depositing one or a plurality of subsequent low-temperature depositions, wherein said patterned layer of metal hydride remains uncovered by the subsequent low-temperature depositions.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing upon a prepared substrate a layer of polycrystalline silicon;
• processing said deposited layer of polycrystalline silicon to remove portions of the deposited layer of polycrystalline silicon and form at least one thin film resistor;
• depositing upon an area where said polycrystalline silicon has been removed, and upon said at least one thin film resistor, a layer of electrical contact metal;
• processing said deposited layer of electrical contact metal to remove portions of the deposited layer of electrical contact metal and form electrical contacts;
• depositing upon said at least one thin film resistor, and upon said electrical contacts, a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• processing said layer of hydride-forming metal to remove portions of the deposited layer of hydride-forming metal and form at least one thin film layer of hydride-forming metal;
• charging said at least one thin film layer of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen to form at least one thin film layer of metal hydride so as to provide a hydrogen-charged package;
• and
• enclosing said hydrogen-charged package.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing upon a prepared substrate a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• processing said layer of hydride-forming metal to remove portions of the deposited layer of hydride-forming metal and form one or a plurality of thin film layers of hydride-forming metal;
• charging said one or a plurality of thin film layers of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen to form one or a plurality of thin film layers of metal hydride so as to provide a hydrogen-charged package;
• and
• enclosing said hydrogen-charged package.

A method of fabricating a hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing upon a prepared substrate a layer of polycrystalline silicon;
• processing said deposited layer of polycrystalline silicon to remove portions of the deposited layer of polycrystalline silicon and form one or a plurality of thin film resistors;
• depositing upon an area where said polycrystalline silicon has been removed, and upon said one or a plurality of thin film resistors, a layer of hydride-forming metal;
• processing said layer of hydride-forming metal to remove portions of the deposited layer of hydride-forming metal and form one or a plurality of thin film layers of hydride-forming metal;
• depositing upon an area where said hydride-forming metal has been removed, and upon said one or a plurality of thin film layers of hydride-forming metal, a layer of electrical contact metal;
• processing said deposited layer of electrical contact metal to remove portions of the deposited layer of electrical contact metal and form electrical contacts;
• charging said one or a plurality of thin film layers of hydride-forming metal with hydrogen to form one or a plurality of thin film layers of metal hydride so as to provide a hydrogen-charged package;
• and
• enclosing said hydrogen-charged package.

A hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said package comprising:

• a substrate;
• one or a plurality of thin film resistors disposed on said substrate, said resistors comprising polycrystalline silicon;
• electrical contacts in communication with said one or a plurality of thin film resistors;
• one or a plurality of thin film layers of metal hydride disposed above a respective one of said one or a plurality of thin film resistors so as to provide said package;
• and
• an enclosure for sealing said package.

A hydrogen-charged semiconductor package, said package comprising:

• a substrate;
• one or a plurality of thin film layers of metal hydride disposed upon said substrate so as to provide said package;
• and
• an enclosure for sealing said package.

A memory device comprising a semiconductor package, said semiconductor package comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure;
• a semiconductor chip within said enclosure;
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure;
• and
• a gas at an elevated pressure within said enclosure,
• said gas comprising a first gas component and a second gas component, wherein said second gas component results from the release of said releasable hydrogen, and wherein said first gas component is initially present within said enclosure prior to the release of said releasable hydrogen, and said first gas component is initially present at a pressure lower than said elevated pressure.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory device coupled to said processor, at least one of said processor and said memory device being contained in a semiconductor package, said package comprising:
• a hermetically sealed enclosure;
• a semiconductor chip within said enclosure;
• a source of releasable hydrogen within said enclosure;
• and
• a gas at an elevated pressure within said enclosure,
• said gas comprising a first gas component and a second gas component, wherein said second gas component results from the release of said releasable hydrogen, and wherein said first gas component is initially present within said enclosure prior to the release of said releasable hydrogen, and said first gas component is initially present at a pressure lower than said elevated pressure.