Electrical trimming of diffused single crystal silicon resistors using aluminum/silicon alloying
Issue Date
1990Keywords
Engineering, Electronics and Electrical.Physics, Electricity and Magnetism.
Physics, Condensed Matter.
Advisor
Schrimpf, Ronald D.
Metadata
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The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
Electrical trim techniques for reducing the value of a trimmable single crystal silicon resistor (trimistor) are presented. Computer-controlled current pulses are used to incrementally decrease the value of the trimistor through metal/silicon alloying. Variations of both single and multipulse current pulses are investigated. Physical mechanisms, based on electron microscopy of trimistors trimmed under various conditions, are hypothesized to explain the observed trim behavior. Threshold currents are dependent on the initial value of the resistor, the applied current density and the trim method. The electrical trim technique for a single trimmable resistor element is optimized. The final resistance values of the trimmed trimistors are shown to be stable provided that a current at or above the threshold current is not applied thereafter. The performance of both N+ and P trim resistors is evaluated over temperature and accelerated operating life.Type
textThesis-Reproduction (electronic)