Abstract: A method of forming an electrical contact and a method of forming a chip package are provided. The methods may include arranging a metal contact structure including a non-noble metal and electrically contacting the chip, arranging a packaging material, and a protective layer including or essentially consisting of a portion formed at an interface between a portion of the metal contact structure and the packaging material, wherein the protective layer may include a noble metal, wherein the portion of the protective layer may include a plurality of regions free from the noble metal, and wherein the regions free from the noble metal may provide an interface between the packaging material and the non-noble metal of the metal contact structure.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of forming an electrical contact is provided. The method may include depositing, by atomic layer deposition, a passivation layer over at least a region of a metal surface, wherein the passivation layer may include aluminum oxide, and electrically contacting the region of the metal surface with a metal contact structure, wherein the metal contact structure may include copper.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods for forming a chip package are provided. The chip package may include a chip comprising a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, a packaging material at least partially encapsulating the chip and the metal contact structure, and a chemical compound physically contacting the packaging material and at least one of the chip metal surface and the metal contact structure, wherein the chemical compound may be configured to improve an adhesion between the metal contact structure and the packaging material and/or between the chip metal surface and the packaging material, as compared with an adhesion in an arrangement without the chemical compound, wherein the chemical compound is essentially free from functional groups comprising sulfur, selenium or tellurium.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip, a metal contact structure including a non-noble metal and electrically contacting the chip, a packaging material, and a protective layer including or essentially consisting of a portion formed at an interface between a portion of the metal contact structure and the packaging material, wherein the protective layer may include a noble metal, wherein the portion of the protective layer may include a plurality of regions free from the noble metal, and wherein the regions free from the noble metal may provide an interface between the packaging material and the non-noble metal of the metal contact structure.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip comprising a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, a packaging material at least partially encapsulating the chip and the metal contact structure, and a chemical compound physically contacting the packaging material and at least one of the chip metal surface and the metal contact structure, wherein the chemical compound may be configured to improve an adhesion between the metal contact structure and the packaging material and/or between the chip metal surface and the packaging material, as compared with an adhesion in an arrangement without the chemical compound, wherein the chemical compound is essentially free from functional groups comprising sulfur, selenium or tellurium.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip, a metal contact structure including a non-noble metal and electrically contacting the chip, a packaging material, and a protective layer including or essentially consisting of a portion formed at an interface between a portion of the metal contact structure and the packaging material, wherein the protective layer may include a noble metal, wherein the portion of the protective layer may include a plurality of regions free from the noble metal, and wherein the regions free from the noble metal may provide an interface between the packaging material and the non-noble metal of the metal contact structure.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods for forming a chip package are provided. The chip package may include a chip comprising a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, a packaging material at least partially encapsulating the chip and the metal contact structure, and a chemical compound physically contacting the packaging material and at least one of the chip metal surface and the metal contact structure, wherein the chemical compound may be configured to improve an adhesion between the metal contact structure and the packaging material and/or between the chip metal surface and the packaging material, as compared with an adhesion in an arrangement without the chemical compound, wherein the chemical compound is essentially free from functional groups comprising sulfur, selenium or tellurium.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip including a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, and packaging material including a contact layer being in physical contact with the chip metal surface and/or with the metal contact structure; wherein at least in the contact layer of the packaging material, a summed concentration of chemically reactive sulfur, chemically reactive selenium and chemically reactive tellurium is less than 10 atomic parts per million.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip comprising a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, a packaging material at least partially encapsulating the chip and the metal contact structure, and a chemical compound physically contacting the packaging material and at least one of the chip metal surface and the metal contact structure, wherein the chemical compound may be configured to improve an adhesion between the metal contact structure and the packaging material and/or between the chip metal surface and the packaging material, as compared with an adhesion in an arrangement without the chemical compound, wherein the chemical compound is essentially free from functional groups comprising sulfur, selenium or tellurium.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip including a chip metal surface, a metal contact structure electrically contacting the chip metal surface, and packaging material including a contact layer being in physical contact with the chip metal surface and/or with the metal contact structure; wherein at least in the contact layer of the packaging material, a summed concentration of chemically reactive sulfur, chemically reactive selenium and chemically reactive tellurium is less than 10 atomic parts per million.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a chip package is provided. The chip package may include a chip, a metal contact structure including a non-noble metal and electrically contacting the chip, a packaging material, and a protective layer including or essentially consisting of a portion formed at an interface between a portion of the metal contact structure and the packaging material, wherein the protective layer may include a noble metal, wherein the portion of the protective layer may include a plurality of regions free from the noble metal, and wherein the regions free from the noble metal may provide an interface between the packaging material and the non-noble metal of the metal contact structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a body region of a first conduction type for a vertical MOS transistor configuration in a semiconductor body such that the body region has a reduced resistivity without a corresponding reduction in the breakdown voltage of the transistor. The method includes, inter alia: performing a first implantation of a doping material of a first conduction type into the semiconductor body such that an implantation maximum of the first implantation lies within the semiconductor body set back from the channel region; and performing a second implantation of a doping material of the first conduction type such that an implantation maximum of the second implantation lies within the semiconductor body below the implantation maximum of the first implantation. The dose of the second implantation is less than the dose of the first implantation.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a body region of a first conduction type for a vertical MOS transistor configuration in a semiconductor body such that the body region has a reduced resistivity without a corresponding reduction in the breakdown voltage of the transistor. The method includes, inter alia: performing a first implantation of a doping material of a first conduction type into the semiconductor body such that an implantation maximum of the first implantation lies within the semiconductor body set back from the channel region; and performing a second implantation of a doping material of the first conduction type such that an implantation maximum of the second implantation lies within the semiconductor body below the implantation maximum of the first implantation. The dose of the second implantation is less than the dose of the first implantation.

Abstract: A process for the production of a fluorescent whitening agent of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Z are as defined herein, comprising A) rearranging a hydrazobenzene compound having the formula: ##STR2## in which Z is as defined herein, to produce in situ a compound having the formula: ##STR3## B) diazotising the compound of formula (3) to produce a compound having the formula: ##STR4## in which Z has its previous significance and G.sub.1 is a counter ion; and C) reacting the compound of formula (4) with 2 moles of a compound having the formula: ##STR5## in which X and n have their previous significance, in the presence of an inorganic or organic palladium salt, or a mixture thereof, as catalyst-precursor, to produce a compound having the formula (1).

Abstract: A process for the production of compounds useful as fluorescent whitening agents of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Y, are as defined herein and n is 1 or 2, comprises A) diazotising one mole of an amine of formula: ##STR2## (2A) to produce a diazonium compound of the formula: ##STR3## (2) in which G.sub.1 is a counter ion; and diazotising one mole of an amine of formula: ##STR4## (3A) to produce a diazonium compound having the formula: ##STR5## (3); and B) reacting one mole of a divinyl compound having the formula: ##STR6## (4) with one mole of a compound having the formula (2) and with one mole of a compound having the formula (3), in the presence of an inorganic or organic palladium salt, or a mixture thereof, as catalyst-precursor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the production of a compound of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Y, independently, are hydrogen, halogen, NO.sub.2, CF.sub.3, CN, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, COO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, CO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, NH--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl).sub.2, NH(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-OH), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-OH).sub.2, COOH or SO.sub.3 H or an ester or amide thereof, or COOM or SO.sub.3 M in which M is Na, K, Ca, Mg, ammonium, mono-, di-, tri- or tetra-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylammonium, mono-, di- or tri-hydroxyalkylammonium or ammonium that is di- or tri-substituted with a mixture of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydroxyalkyl groups;Z is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, CF.sub.3, halogen (F, Cl, Br, I), SO.sub.3 H or SO.sub.