Photoelectrochemical gold plating process
AssigneeBell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
InventorsReginald R. Buckley, Lucian A. D'Asaro, Paul A. Kohl, Frederick W. Ostermayer, Jr., Catherine Wolowodiuk
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Abstract
A process is described for plating gold on metal surfaces electrically attached to a compound semiconductor. The procedure is particularly valuable where gold is to be in small holes or crevices in semiconductor structure since electroplating on the semiconductor surface is avoided. The process is useful for providing low inductance electrical connection to various parts of semiconductor devices such as to the source in gallium arsenide field-effect transistors.
Claims18
A process for fabricating devices comprising at least one n-type or intrinsic III-V compound semiconductor material comprising at least one step in which gold is plated on a metallic surface electrically connected to the III-V compound semiconductor by a oxidation-reduction reaction in an electrolytic solution characterized in that
- a. the oxidation is carried out by illuminating the III-V compound semiconductor with light with photon energy at least as great as the band gap of the compound semiconductor so as to create holes that permit oxidation of the semiconductor
- b. the electrolytic solution comprises a source of gold which on reduction yields metallic gold, and
- c. the source of gold is reduced on the metallic surface to form metallic gold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.