The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1999
Mozafar Maghsoudnia, San Jose, CA (US);
Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, MA (US);
Abstract
A method for stabilizing thin film structures fabricated on an I.C. wafer requires the performance of a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) step after the thin film material, preferably silicon-chromium (SiCr) or silicon chromium carbide (SiCrC), is sputtered onto the wafer. The RTA step stabilizes the TF and thereby increases the film's integrity. With the TF structures stabilized, the effect of subsequent high temperature process steps on the film is reduced. The stabilization method enables TF resistors thereby formed to attain a higher degree of accuracy, and thus to improve the ability with which resistors can be matched. Resistor TCR and sheet rho consistency are also improved, both within a given wafer and from wafer to wafer.