Dual thin film precision resistance trimming
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Grenoble) SAS, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsOlivier Le Neel, Pascale Dumont-Girard, Chengyu Niu, Fuchao Wang, Michel Arnoux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trimmable resistor for use in an integrated circuit is trimmed using a heater. The heater is selectively coupled to a voltage source. The application of voltage to the heater causes the heater temperature to increase and produce heat. The heat permeates through a thermal separator to the trimmable resistor. The resistance of the trimmable resistor is permanently increased or decreased when the temperature of the resistor is increased to a value within a particular range of temperatures.
Claims19
A method of forming a trimmable resistance structure in an integrated circuit die, the method comprising:
- forming a resistive structure over a semiconductor substrate, the resistive structure being composed of a material whose resistance is permanently changeable by application of heat thereto;
- forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate adjacent the resistive structure;
- forming a heater adjacent the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer being positioned between the heater layer and the resistive structure;
- and
- forming a switch in the semiconductor substrate configured to selectively couple the heater to a voltage supply to cause the heater to heat the resistive structure to cause a permanent change in the resistance of the resistive structure.
A method comprising:
- forming a transistor in a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a heater layer on the semiconductor substrate;
- forming a dielectric layer on the heater layer;
- and
- forming a resistor on the heater layer, the transistor being configured to pass a current through the heater to heat the resistor to permanently adjust a resistance of the resistor.
A method, comprising:
- forming an amplifier in the integrated circuit die;
- forming a trimmable thin film resistor in the integrated circuit die electrically coupled to the amplifier, a gain of the amplifier being based in part on a resistance of the trimable thin film resistor;
- forming a thin film heater in the integrated circuit die thermally coupled to the trimmable thin film resistor;
- forming a transistor in the integrated circuit die electrically coupled to the thin film heater and configured to selectively pass a current through the thin film heater to increase a temperature of the trimable thin film resistor to permanently alter the resistance of the trimable thin film resistor;
- and
- forming a thin film thermal separator disposed between the trimmable thin film resistor and the thin film heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.