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Resistor tuningRelated Patent Categories: Active Solid-state Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-state Diodes), Integrated Circuit Structure With Electrically Isolated Components, Passive Components In Ics, Including Resistive ElementResistor tuning description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070187800, Resistor tuning. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/709,115, filed Apr. 14, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates to methods for tuning (i.e., trimming) resistors of a chip, and more particularly, to a method for tuning resistors of a chip that can be used both before and after chip packaging. [0004] 2. Related Art [0005] Conventional manufacturing controls on processes for forming passive devices, such as resistors in CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon) chips, fall short of current circuit design requirements. Current industry standard I/O (Input/Output) specifications are exceeding what can be achieved in current manufacturing processes. Within analog and RF (radio frequency) semiconductors, the need for tuning the electrical resistance values of the resistors on an integrated circuit to a specific nominal value is growing to meet complex design specification requirements. Manufacturing excess chips and then sorting for required parameters is one solution, but this is a costly and not consistent with manufacturing techniques. Laser ablation is used to trim in the manufacture of some precision passive devices, but this process is inconsistent with the CMOS/BiCMOS or Analog process flow as a measurement and feedback loop is required as well as individual laser trimming of a multitude of devices on a single chip. A third known solution is to design active controls into the circuitry to compensate for manufacturing variability, but this takes up space, increases complexity, and can lead to trade-offs in performance. [0006] Therefore, there is a need for a novel resistance structure that can be tuned to a specification. Also, there is a need for a method for tuning the novel resistance structure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention provides a resistor structure, comprising (a) an electrically conducting region; (b) a liner region coupled to the electrically conducting region; and (c) first and second contact regions electrically coupled to the electrically conducting region and the liner region, wherein in response to a current flowing in the electrically conducting region and from the first contact region to the second contact region, a void region in the electrically conducting region expands due to electromigration so as to increase the resistance of the resistor structure between the first and second contact regions. [0008] The present invention also provides a method for tuning a resistor structure, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing (i) an electrically conducting region, (ii) a liner region coupled to the electrically conducting region, and (iii) first and second contact regions electrically coupled to the electrically conducting region and a liner region; and (b) flowing a current in the electrically conducting region and from the first contact region to the second contact region such that a void region in the electrically conducting region expands due to electromigration so as to increase the resistance of the resistor structure between the first and second contact regions. [0009] The present invention also provides a providing in the resistor structure (i) a semiconductor region, (ii) an electrically conducting layer formed on the semiconductor region, (iii) a plurality of contact regions electrically coupled to the electrically conducting layer; (b) selecting first and second contact regions of the plurality of contact regions such that if intervals of the electrically conducting layer between the first and second contact regions are replaced by a void region due to electromigration, the resistance of the resistor structure between third and fourth contact regions of the plurality of contact regions is within a pre-determined tolerance of a pre-specified target resistance value; and (c) applying a voltage difference between the first and second contact regions until the intervals of the electrically conducting layer between the first and second contact regions are replaced by the void region due to electromigration BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a resistor structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0011] FIG. 1B illustrates a view along a line 1B-1B of the resistor structure of FIG. 1A. [0012] FIG. 1C illustrates the resistor structure of FIG. 1A after tuning, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 1D illustrates the relationship between the resistance and tuning time of the resistor structure of FIG. 1A, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of another resistor structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0015] FIGS. 2Bi and 2Bii illustrate two views along lines 2Bi-2Bi and 2Bii-2Bii, respectively, of the resistor structure of FIG. 2A. [0016] FIG. 2C illustrates the resistor structure of FIG. 2A after tuning, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-sectional view of yet another resistor structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 3B illustrates a view along a line 3B-3B of the resistor structure of FIG. 3A. [0019] FIG. 3C illustrates the resistor structure of FIG. 3A after tuning, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 4A illustrates a top view of yet another resistor structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 4B illustrates a view along a line 4B-4B of the resistor structure of FIG. 4A. Continue reading about Resistor tuning... Full patent description for Resistor tuning Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Resistor tuning patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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