Reliability of thin film nichrome resistors used on radiation hardened integrated circuits. Final report 19 Oct 71-19 Jun 72

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:6952948

Paulson, W M

The effects of corrosion, oxidation and interdiffusion on the reliability of thin film Ni-Cr resistors were studied. These properties were found to depend upon the composition and thickness of the films. The Ni-Cr thin films were found to be corrosion-resistant to salt solutions and to most acids with the exception of HF solutions and now Ni-Cr etches. From 'water drop' tests it was found that unpassivated resistors are subject to anodic dissolution at potentials above 2.5V. The Al metallization also dissolves at potentials above 0.5V. Passivation with 10K angstrom of SiO/sub 2/ protects the nichrome from anodic dissolution. The oxidation kinetics for 180 and 460 angstrom films show an initial rapid increase in resistance followed by a slower diffusion-limited process. By comparison, the resistance for 800 angstrom films remained nearly constant until after 8 hours at 500 C. The EBIC mode of the SEM revealed two phases in the films, so it was concluded that oxidation is a nonuniform process. Aluminum was observed to diffuse into the Ni-Cr resistors with an activation energy of 96 kcal/mole. No discontinuities in resistance were observed for times up to 24 hours at 500 C.

• Research Organization: Motorola, Inc., Phoenix, AZ (USA). Semiconductor Products Div.
• DOE Contract Number: F30602-72-C-0069
• OSTI ID: 6952948
• Report Number(s): AD-911401
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
42 ENGINEERING
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
RADIATION HARDENING
RESISTORS
RELIABILITY
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANCE
NICHROME
OXIDATION
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL CYCLING
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EQUIPMENT
HARDENING
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
440200* - Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
420800 - Engineering- Electronic Circuits & Devices- (-1989)