Glass switching device using an ion impermeable glass active layer

Abstract

A glass electronic switching device having improved long-term reliability comprises a thin layer of an ion impermeable glass disposed between a pair of electrical contacts. Preferably the glass is an insulating glass having a thermal coefficient of expansion compatible with typical crystalline semiconductors, and the glass layer typically has a thickness of less than about five microns. These glass switches can be readily incorporated into high-density integrated circuits using planar techniques. When sufficiently thin glass layers are used, the same glass layer which comprises the active layer of the switching device can also comprise a masking layer to facilitate the fabrication of conventional diffused junction devices, a dielectric layer for the fabrication of surface effect devices, and a passivating layer to protect an underlying crystalline semiconductor substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.