Scb Technologies, Inc.

Stc.unm

John A Montoya

Bernardo Martinez-Tovar

Sanjay Krishna

Stephen Myers

Apparatus, systems, and methods related to focal plane arrays can be used in a variety of applications. In various embodiments, focal plane arrays can be fabricated on a wafer integration level based on arrangement of a flexible conductive layer for photosensitive pixels of the focal plane arrays. Arrangement of a flexible conductive layer allows for a number of architectures of focal plane arrays. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Wafer level integration of focal plane arrays having a flexible conductive layer to provide an optical aperture for each pixel

A device, e.g., an explosive-initiation device (24) includes a semiconductor bridge device (10) comprising semiconductor pads (14a, 14b) separated by an initiator bridge (14c) and having metallized lands (16a, 16b) disposed over the pads (14a, 14b). The metallized lands (16a, 16b) each comprise a titanium base layer (18), a titanium-tungsten intermediate layer (20) and a tungsten top layer (22). This multilayer construction is simple to apply, provides good adhesion to the semiconductor (14) and enhanced semiconductor bridge characteristics, and avoids the electromigration problems attendant upon use of aluminum metallized lands under severe conditions of no-fire tests and very low firing voltage or current levels. The semiconductor (14) may optionally be covered by a cap or cover (117) of a stratified metal layer similar or identical to the metallized lands (16a, 16b). A method of making the semiconductor bridge devices includes metal sputtering of titanium, then titanium plus tungsten and then tungsten onto an appropriately masked semiconductor surface to attain the multilayer metallized lands (16a, 16b) and/or cover (117) of the invention.

Semiconductor bridge device and method of making the same

A semiconductor element, e.g., a semiconductor bridge element (30), is surface mountable as it has thereon a metal layer comprised of metal lands (44) and electrical connectors 45a, 45b and 45c) which terminate in flat electrical contacts (47) on the back surface (35) of the element. Optionally, the element may also contain back-to-back zener diodes (46a, 46b) to provide unbiased protection against electrostatic discharge. When configured as a semiconductor bridge element (30), the element, among other uses, finds use as an igniter (13) for an explosive element. The elements may be made by a method including a cross-cut technique in which grooves (60) cut in the front surface (58) of a silicon wafer substrate (56) intersect grooves (64) cut in the back surface (62) of the wafer. The intersecting grooves (60,64) form a plurality of apertures in the wafer (56), the apertures and grooves helping to define a plurality of dies having side surfaces. A dielectric layer (48) is deposited on the wafer (56) and a polysilicon film (52) is deposited over the dielectric layer (48). A metal layer (44, 45a-45c, and 47) is then deposited on the wafer while it is still intact to provide an electrical connection from the top surface (34) of element (30) along the side surfaces (66a, 66b and 66c, and 68a, 68b and 66c) to the bottom surface (35) to constitute the dies as the semiconductor elements (30). The elements (30) are separated and the electrical contacts (47) of a given element can be mounted directly to a header (36) or the like by soldering, without need for connector wires (14).

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

John A Montoya