Apparatus for compensating corrosion effects in integrated semiconductor circuits

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
Apparatus for compensating corrosion effects due to highly mobile positive ions in insulating oxides of integrated semiconductor circuits, comprising a semiconductor circuit formed of an insulating oxide layer, and a ring being disposed on the surface of said insulating oxide layer forming said semiconductor circuit and being connected to a negative voltage, said ring being formed of a material which resists corrosion by preventing the formation of positive ions in said insulating oxide layer during the operation of semiconductor circuits.
2.
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ring is formed of polysilicon.
3.
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ring is formed of a silicide.
4.
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said ring is formed of a silicide selected from the group consisting of tantalum silicide, molybdenum silicide and tungsten silicide.
5.
Apparatus according to claim 1, including terminal pads for said ring, said terminal pads being disposed within the semiconductor circuit.
6.
Apparatus according to claim 5, including conductor runs being extended across given locations on said ring and being connected to said terminal pads, said ring having interruptions formed therein at said given locations.
7.
Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said ring is formed of polysilicon, and including at least one conducting connection being connected from said ring to at least one of said terminal pads.




Description:
The invention relates to an apparatus for compensating corrosion effects due to highly mobile positive ions in insulating oxides of integrated semiconductor circuits.
It is known that highly mobile positive ions are dissolved in insulating oxides of semiconductor components, particularly in integrated circuits.
The ions can lead to the corrosion of aluminum conductor runs provided on the circuit or even to changes of the cutoff voltage of functional units present in the integrated semiconductor circuit.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for compensating corrosion effects in integrated semiconductor circuits, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type, and particularly to eliminate the corrosion effects caused by the above-mentioned positive ions