Ageing of thin gold films

Abstract

Thin gold metallizations are used in microelectronic devices when high reliability is required. Experience has shown that the operating lives of transistors and monolithic integrated circuits with high power dissipation, and of ultra-high-frequency devices such as microwave integrated hybrid circuits, are longest when gold is used in the manufacture of their interconnections. With gold, the probability of zero-hour failures and of degradation under thermal and electrical load, and in corrosive environments, is very low. The reasons for the high reliability of thin gold metallizations are to be found in the chemical stability of the metal, in the fact that it is not very sensitive to diffusion from other metallizations and in the ease with which connections can be made to it by microwelding (1, 2, 3). © 1982 World Gold Council.