Method for the surface passivation of sensors using an in situ sputter cleaning step prior to passivation film deposition

US5318928A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Leybold GmBH · DE

Inventors

• Rainer Gegenwart · Rödermark, DE
• Jochen Ritter · Laubach, DE
• Helmut Stoll · Pocking, DE
• Norbert Weimer · Wetzlar, DE
• Hans-Dieter Wurczinger · Bad Vilbel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 11, 1992
• Grant date: Jun 7, 1994
• Expiry date: Jun 11, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S438/958
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The method calls for introducing an inert gas into a tank where a high frequency energy source is applied to internal electrodes for the ignition of a plasma within the tank. The sensor surface is cleaned by sputtering away impurities from the sensor surface by means of plasma particles striking the sensor surface. Next, a monomer containing silicon and a reactive gas are introduced into the tank with continuous throttling of the inert gas feed and maintenance of the plasma, while the electric power characteristics fed into the plasma are being controlled. This leads to the deposition on the sensor surface of a compound composed of particles from the monomer containing silicon and from the reactive gas.