Trimming resistor element for microelectronic circuit

• US 5,065,221 A
• Filed: 09/26/1989
• Issued: 11/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Imamura, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): James, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deal, Cynthia S.
• Application Number:
  US07/412,522
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 357/41, 357/51, 357/59, 338/195, 219/121.68, 219/121.69
• US Class Current: 257/538
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/23 by opening or closing resistor geometric tracks of predetermined resistive values, e.g. snapistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/24 by removing or adding resistive material H01C17/23, H01C17/232, H01C17/235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 Resistors

Abstract

A trimming resistor element includes a high-resistance film of high resistivity formed on an insulation film on the main surface of a substrate, and a low-resistance region which is formed by selectively subjecting the high-resistance film to a predetermined process so as to lower the resistivity thereof. A resultant resistance of the low-resistance region and the high-resistance film can be adjusted by selectively cutting off part of the low-resistance region.

Claims

1. A trimming resistor element comprising:

a substrate having an electrically insulative main surface;

a high-resistance film of a first resistivity formed on the main surface of said substrate; and

a low-resistance region formed in said high-resistance film and having a second resistivity, lower than the first resistivity, which is cut off in order to trim the resistance of said trimming resistor element.

2. The trimming resistor element according to claim 1, wherein said low-resistance region includes two opposed portions formed in said high-resistance film;

and

at least one resistor bridge element is formed to connect the two opposed portions of the low-resistance region with a portion trimmed to obtain the second resistivity.

3. The trimming resistor element according to claim 2, wherein a protection film is formed over said high-resistance film.

4. The trimming resistor element according to claim 3, wherein said resistor bridge element has said portion trimmed by means of a laser beam, to obtain the second resistivity.

5. The trimming resistor element according to claim 2, wherein said high-resistance film includes polysilicon and said low-resistance region and said resistor bridge element are formed in said polysilicon high-resistance film.

6. The trimming resistor element according to claim 1, wherein said high-resistance film includes polysilicon and said low-resistance region is formed in said polysilicon high-resistance film.

7. The trimming resistor element according to claim 6, wherein a protection film is also formed on said low-resistance region.

8. The trimming resistor element according to claim 1, wherein said substrate includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface on which an insulation film is coated.

9. The trimming resistor element according to claim 1, wherein said substrate includes a ceramic substrate.

10. The trimming resistor element according to claim 2, wherein said first resistivity is greater than 100 times said second resistivity.

11. The trimming resistor element according to claim 2, wherein said low-resistance region and said resistor bridge element are formed in a lattice pattern when viewed from the main surface of said substrate.

12. The trimming resistor element according to claim 2, wherein said low-resistance region and said resistor bridge element are formed in a spiral pattern when viewed from the main surface of said substrate.

13. A trimming resistor element comprising:

a substrate;

a high-resistance film formed on an insulation film on a main surface of said substrate; and

a low-resistance region including two opposed portions formed in said high-resistance film, and having at least one resistor bridge element which is provided between the two opposed portions which is cut to trim the resistance of the trimming resistor element.