Abstract: The invention relates to an air bridge and an evaporative process for making air bridges. A first layer of photoresist is patterned to create two openings over the contacts to be connected, separated by a strip of photoresist. The photoresist strip is hard baked to allow it to soften and to cause further cross linking. The softening allows surface tension to reshape the photoresist strip to create a gradually sloping arcuate surface between contact openings upon which a metal layer of nearly constant thickness may be evaporated. A second layer of photoresist is then applied, and patterned to create a single large opening embracing both contacts and the now arcuate hard baked photoresist strip. An arch within the large opening connecting both contacts is formed by evaporation. Excess metal and both photoresist layers are then removed, leaving a novel, arch shaped air bridge.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 22, 1993
Date of Patent:
April 25, 1995
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Corporation
Inventors:
Simon A. Zaidel, Terrence S. Alcorn, William F. Kopp, George C. Pifer