Scratch resistance improvement by filling metal gaps
US6603192B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/19041
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Passivation for capacitive sensor circuits, which overlies the capacitive sensor electrodes and is normally conformal to the electrodes and the underlying interlevel dielectric, is planarized by forming a layer of flowable oxide over the electrodes before forming the passivation. The flowable oxide, which is preferably very thin over the electrodes to minimize loss of sensitivity, provides a substantially planar upper surface, so that passivation formed on the flowable oxide is also substantially planar. Alternatively, a deposited oxide planarized by chemical mechanical polishing may be employed to planarize the surface on which a passivation stack is formed. The planarized passivation provides markedly improved scratch resistance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.