INCREASING AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF A RESISTOR BY OXIDATION

• Main Authors: STAMPER ANTHONY K, BALLANTINE ARNE W, EDELSTEIN DANIEL C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2008
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROFORMING; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTIONOF COATINGS; RESISTORS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

A method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor that is within a semiconductor structure. A fraction of a surface layer of the resistor is oxidized with oxygen particles. In an embodiment, the fraction of the surface layer is heated by a beam of particles, such that the semiconductor structure is within a chamber that includes the oxygen particles as gaseous oxygen-comprising molecules. In an embodiment, the semiconductor structure is immersed in a chemical solution which includes the oxygen particles, wherein the oxygen particles includes oxygen-comprising liquid molecules, oxygen ions, or an oxygen-comprising gas dissolved in the chemical solution under pressurization. In an embodiment, the resistor is tested to determine whether the electrical resistance of the resistor after being oxidized with the oxygen particles is within a tolerance of a predetermined target resistance.