Method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors

A method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors, comprising:

• determining a desired final value for the sheet resistance of thin film resistor material to be deposited on a substrate,
• depositing said thin film resistor material on said substrate using a deposition process which is consistent enough to achieve a target sheet resistance for the deposited thin film resistor material within a first specified tolerance, said thin film resistor material being deposited by said deposition process to achieve a target sheet resistance which is equal to said desired final value minus said first specified tolerance, and
• removing a small amount of material uniformly from the surface of the deposited thin film resistor material by one of an etching and ion bombardment removing process to raise the sheet resistance to said desired final value within a second specified tolerance characteristic of said removing process, said second specified tolerance being less than said first specified tolerance.

A method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors, comprising:

• determining a desired final value for the sheet resistance of thin film resistor material to be deposited on a substrate,
• depositing said thin film resistor material on said substrate using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of evaporation and sputter deposition which is consistent enough to achieve a target sheet resistance for the deposited thin film resistor material within a first specified tolerance, said thin film resistor material being deposited by said deposition process to achieve a target sheet resistance which is equal to said desired final value minus said first specified tolerance, and
• removing a small amount of material from the surface of the deposited thin film resistor material by one of an etching and ion bombardment removing process to raise the sheet resistance to said desired final value within a second specified tolerance characteristic of said removing process, said second specified tolerance being less than said first specified tolerance.

A method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors, comprising:

• determining a desired final value for the sheet resistance of thin film resistor material to be deposited on a GaAs integrated circuit substrate,
• depositing said thin film resistor material on said substrate using a deposition process which is consistent enough to achieve a target sheet resistance for the deposited thin film resistor material within a first specified tolerance, said thin film resistor material being deposited by said deposition process to achieve a target sheet resistance which is equal to said desired final value minus said first specified tolerance, and
• removing a small amount of material from the surface of the deposited thin film resistor material by one of an etching and ion bombardment removing process to raise the sheet resistance to said desired final value within a second specified tolerance characteristic of said removing process, said second specified tolerance being less than said first specified tolerance.

A method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors, comprising:

• determining a desired final value for the sheet resistance of thin film resistor material to be deposited on an InP integrated circuit substrate,
• depositing said thin film resistor material on said substrate using a deposition process which is consistent enough to achieve a target sheet resistance for the deposited thin film resistor material within a first specified tolerance, said thin film resistor material being deposited by said deposition process to achieve a target sheet resistance which is equal to said desired final value minus said first specified tolerance, and
• removing a small amount of material from the surface of the deposited thin film resistor material by one of an etching and ion bombardment removing process to raise the sheet resistance to said desired final value within a second specified tolerance characteristic of said removing process, said second specified tolerance being less than said first specified tolerance.

A method for controlling the sheet resistance of thin film resistors, comprising:

• determining a desired final value for the sheet resistance of thin film resistor material to be deposited on a substrate,
• depositing said thin film resistor material on said substrate using a deposition process which is consistent enough to achieve a target sheet resistance for the deposited thin film resistor material within a first specified tolerance, said thin film resistor material being deposited by said deposition process to achieve a target sheet resistance which is equal to said desired final value minus said first specified tolerance, and
• removing a small amount of material from the surface of the deposited thin film resistor material by an Argon sputter etching process to raise the sheet resistance to said desired final value within a second specified tolerance characteristic of said etching process, said second specified tolerance being less than said first specified tolerance.