Protective layer for electroactive passivation layers

• US 5,162,875 A
• Filed: 02/01/1990
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schulte, Rolf-W., Schmidt, Gerhard, Birkle, Siegfried, Kammermaier, Johann
• Primary Examiner(s): James, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowers, Courtney A.
• Application Number:
  US07/473,619
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 357/2, 357/4, 357/52, 357/61, 430/66, 430/67, 430/73
• US Class Current: 257/636
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/29 characterised by the material , e.g. carbon interlayer dielectrics H01L23/5329
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/298 Semiconductor material, e.g. amorphous silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

Hard, mechanically and chemically stable protective layers for electroactive passivation layers of semiconductor components, which also act as diffusion barriers against moisture and ions, comprise a thin layer of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon.

Claims

1. A protective layer for an electroactive passivation layer of a semiconductor component comprising a thin layer of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon (a-C:

H), wherein said protective layer has a defect concentration ≦

10¹⁷ cm^-3 eV^-1 and a specific electrical resistance ≧

10¹⁰ Ω

cm.

2. The protective layer according to claim 1, wherein said protective layer has a thickness between approximately 0.05 and 3 μ

m.

3. The protective layer according to claim 1, wherein said electroactive passivation layer consists of amorphous silicon.

4. The protective layer according to claim 2, wherein said electroactive passivation layer consists of amorphous silicon.