Raytheon Company

Hughes Aircraft Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Other

He Holdings, Inc.

O Glenn Ramer

John J Drab

Thomas K Dougherty

T Kirk Dougherty

David A Robinson

Venita L Dyer

Carlos Alberto Paz De Araujo

Larry D McMillan

Joseph L Pikulski

Robert N Sato

Robin W Rosser

Joseph I Pikulski

Metal acid salt complexes are provided comprising (1) a first metal ion consisting essentially of bismuth, and optionally, at least one second metal ion selected from the group consisting of barium, calcium, strontium, lead, titanium, tantalum, and niobium, and (2) a polyether acid. The metal acid salt complexes are prepared by combining (1) bismuth ion, and optionally, at least one second metal ion and (2) at least one of a polyether acid and a polyether acid anhydride prepared from the polyether acid. In particular, the use of a mixture of bismuth, strontium, and niobium and/or tantalum salts of the hydrophilic acid 3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid salt is described for production of ceramic thin films, such as for use in ferroelectric devices, using non-toxic solvents. As a consequence, improved electronic devices are formed from less toxic and easier handled precursors and solvents. The present invention provides soluble spin-on precursors which are compatible and soluble in non-toxic and environmentally benign solvents.

Environmentally benign bismuth-containing spin-on precursor materials

A hydrogen getter comprising a thin film having a layer of inert material, and a hydrogen reactive material disposed in or attached to the layer of inert material. The hydrogen reactive material may comprise palladium oxide powder, and the layer of inert material may comprise an epoxy resin. Various forms of the hydrogen reactive material may be used including porous composite, or a solid composite comprising a powder coated organic thin film, for example. An alternative gettering system that is operative in an oxygen environment uses a thin film of hydrogen reactive material that catalyzes the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water. Improved sealed microelectronic packages are also disclosed along with methods of fabricating same.

Hydrogen getters and methods for fabricating sealed microelectronic packages employing same

Novel metal acid salt complexes are provided comprising (1) a metal selected from Group IV and Group V metals and (2) a polyether acid, along with a process for making the salt complexes. The process comprises: (a) preparing a polyether acid anhydride from the corresponding polyether acid; and (b) combining a metal alkoxide containing the Group IV or Group V metal with the polyether acid anhydride to form the metal acid salt complex. The resulting Group IV and Group V metal acid salt complexes enable the production of improved thin film, thick film, and bulk ceramic metal oxides and mixed metal oxides for a number of applications, including ferroelectric, electrooptic, paraelectric, and piezoelectric devices, using liquid soluble precursors which are soluble in far less toxic solvents than in the prior art. The soluble ceramic precursors may also be used as reactive binders and shape-forming aids in conventional ceramic processing.

Non-toxic solvent soluble group IV and V metal acid salt complexes using

A method of packaging hybrid wafers or die that are interconnected using soft metal bumps, such as indium, in a sealed ceramic package. The present invention passivates the hybrid die that are to be interconnected by way of the bumps, so that the metal in the bumps (indium) does not wet the surface of the hybrid die when the ceramic package is sealed at high temperature. Vias are formed in the passivated surfaces to expose underlying contact areas. Bumps are then formed on the contact areas, and the bumped and passivated hybrid die are electrically interconnected. The ceramic package containing the electrically interconnected hybrid die is processed at a temperature above the melting temperature of the bumps to attach a ceramic cover to the ceramic package. The method is performed at a temperature well in excess of the melting temperature of the bumps (.about.155.degree. Celsius for indium), typically on the order of 325.degree. Celsius. The surface tension of the indium maintains the bump structure and electrical contact between the two hybrid die. The present invention may also be employed with flip chip and multi-chip module ceramic packages.

Sealing electronic packages containing bumped hybrids

A memory includes a bitline data signal input (24), at least one memory unit (20), a writing circuit (128) which writes a polarization state into each memory unit (20) responsive to the bitline data signal input, and a sensing circuit (130) that senses a polarization state of each memory unit (20). Each memory unit (20) includes a ferroelectric capacitor (22) and a buffer amplifier (26) in electrical series relationship with the ferroelectric capacitor (22) and the bitline data signal input (24). The buffer amplifier (26) capacitively isolates the ferroelectric capacitor (22) from the bitline data signal input (24) so that the ferroelectric capacitor (22) may be made smaller in size than would otherwise be the case.

Nondestructive readout memory utilizing ferroelectric capacitors

A process is provided for preparing mixed metal oxide materials having improved leakage characteristics when formed into a capacitor. The process comprises: (a) preparing a solution of a liquid precursor of the mixed metal oxide materials having a given composition in a water-immiscible solvent; (b) adding a small amount of water to the solution to form a two-phase mixture; (c) refluxing the two-phase mixture for a period of time; and (d) removing the water. Optionally, an additional amount of the water-immiscible solvent may be added prior to removing the water. In this case, both the added amount of the water-immiscible solvent and the water are removed simultaneously. The treated metal organic acid salt solutions provide ceramic thin films having improved leakage characteristics as compared to the prior art thin films prepared from untreated prior art solutions.

Process for forming thin film metal oxide materials having improved

Oxide materials having a composition described by the formula SrBi.sub.2.00- Ta.sub.2.00-x Nb.sub.x O.sub.9, where x ranges from 0.00 to 2.00 and is controlled to within about 1%, are provided having improved high temperature performance. A batch of the desired composition is initially prepared by conventional processes to provide a nominal composition that may be close to the desired composition, but not the exact desired composition. A portion of the batch is processed to form a thin film, the stoichiometry of which is then analyzed. The batch composition is then modified by adding thereto a quantity of one or more of the constituents to bring the batch composition to the desired stoichiometry. Further improved high temperature performance is achieved with values of x within the range of about 0.10 to 1.9, and more preferably, about 0.4 to 0.7, and most preferably about 0.56. The thus-modified metal organic acid salt solutions provide ceramic thin films having improved electrical properties (particularly consistent properties from batch-to-batch, improved ferroelectric remnant polarization, and much improved high temperature performance) as compared to the thin films prepared from unmodified solutions. The present invention provides for new materials, particularly new niobium-substituted, bismuth-layered structured materials and a process to make these materials on a consistent batch-to-batch basis.

Process for making stoichiometric mixed metal oxide films

This invention teaches a method for fabricating an array (1) of pyroelectric detectors (10), and further teaches an array (1) of pyroelectric detectors (10) that include a bismuth layered compound. The array has a substrate (12) and a plurality of pyroelectric detector sites disposed over a surface of the substrate. Each of the pyroelectric detector sites is constructed to have a first electrode (16); a second electrode (20); and a thin layer (18) containing a bismuth layered compound that is interposed between and electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes. In one embodiment the thin layer is comprised of Y1 material (SrBi.sub.2 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9), while in another embodiment the layer is comprised instead of YZ material (SrBi.sub.2 Nb.sub.2-x Ta.sub.x O.sub.9).

Bismuth layered structure pyroelectric detectors

A layer of sacrificial, chemically reactive material is formed as part of the fabrication process of an integrated circuit, and covers active circuitry to protect it from reaction with hydrogen. Integrated circuits and fabrication methods are provided by the present invention. The present invention is used to fabricate integrated circuits such as ferroelectric memories, and the like, using die or substrates containing one or more sacrificial layers of strontium bismuth niobate tantalate, for example. The sacrificial layers consume atmospheric hydrogen or other materials that otherwise would react with active circuitry of the integrated circuits and render them ineffective.

In situ reactive layers for protection of ferroelectric integrated

A memory cell is constructed using a ferroelectric capacitor having an insulator formed of a ferroelectric material that has a zero field capacitance which is controllably dependent upon the electrical charging path by which the zero field capacitance is reached. Preferably, the material is characterized by a first zero field capacitance following saturation of the polarization by a first applied voltage applied in a first polarization direction, and a second zero field capacitance following saturation of the polarization by the first applied voltage applied in the first polarization direction followed by partial depolarization by a second voltage applied in a direction opposite to the first polarization direction. A second ferroelectric capacitor or a linear capacitor may be placed in parallel with the ferroelectric capacitor to form a two-capacitor memory cell. Data may be read to or from the capacitor cell without impairing the state of the stored data.

Non-destructive read ferroelectric memory cell utilizing the ramer-drab

Metal organic acid salt solutions for use as precursor materials for forming layered ferroelectric thin films are synthesized using an organic acid anhydride as the exchange reagent. The reaction is much faster than previous techniques, allows exact control of exchange with control of hydrolysis product, and may be used to control the solvent of the final solution. The reaction creates no water, and can be used to exactly control the extent of reaction of all metals. By using less than or equal to a stoichiometric amount of anhydride and then further reacting the remaining alkoxides, lower carbon content solutions with less decomposable organic can be formed. As such, the present invention discloses a much improved and faster synthesis technique giving improved solutions and corresponding thin film metal oxide compositions with improved and consistent electrical performance.

Controlled carbon content MOD precursor materials using organic acid

A capacitor (20) is fabricated using a ferroelectric material (28) such as a layered perovskite material of the Aurivillius family. The capacitor (20) has a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) of capacitance. When used in an electrical device other than a memory device in place of a conventional capacitor, the PCT capacitor (20) provides inherent temperature compensation of the signal of the device when the device is operated at different temperatures below the Curie temperature of the ferroelectric material.

Electrical device and method utilizing a

A memory includes a first ferroelectric capacitor and a second ferroelectric capacitor electrically connected in a parallel arrangement, and writing circuitry that writes controllably different polarization states into the two ferroelectric capacitors using a single input signal. Read circuitry senses the difference in stored polarizations in the first ferroelectric capacitor and the second ferroelectric capacitor. This sensing circuit causes only a partial switching of the polarization state of the first ferroelectric capacitor and does not disturb the polarization state of the second ferroelectric capacitor. There is a restoration circuit to restore the original ferroelectric polarization of the ferroelectric capacitors following reading.

Ferroelectric interruptible read memory

The invention concerns an optical detection matrix (9) contained within a cryogenic chamber (3). Electrical image signals produced by the matrix (9) are converted into optical signals and transmitted out of the chamber (3) on lines 42A-42T. The optical signals on lines 42A-42T are converted into electrical signals carried on line 56.

Optical data link

Fiber optic solderable bulkhead fitting has a plated-on built-up metal body of a material which minimizes local stresses thereby minimizing microbending losses in the optical fiber. The body is sealed by solder within an opening in a bulkhead to provide a sealed passthrough for the optical fiber. In another embodiment, two optical fibers have plated-on built-up bodies thereon which serve to align the optical fibers in a connector. The connector is then sealed in a bulkhead as was done in the first embodiment.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

O Glenn Ramer