Abstract: A bonding contact area on a semiconductor substrate is provided that includes a reinforcing structure having at least one conductive material layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate to receive the patterned reinforcing structure, a metal layer formed as a bonding contact layer with a bonding surface and arranged on a conductive material layer. Whereby, below the bonding surface, an oxide layer having at least about a 2 ?m thickness is arranged, which extends beyond the edge of the bonding surface. The reinforcing structure is arranged in the oxide layer, when viewed looking down onto the bonding surface, outside the bonding surface within the oxide layer.

Abstract: A bonding contact area on a semiconductor substrate is provided that includes a reinforcing structure having at least one conductive material layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate to receive the patterned reinforcing structure, a metal layer formed as a bonding contact layer with a bonding surface and arranged on a conductive material layer. Whereby, below the bonding surface, an oxide layer having at least about a 2 ?m thickness is arranged, which extends beyond the edge of the bonding surface. The reinforcing structure is arranged in the oxide layer, when viewed looking down onto the bonding surface, outside the bonding surface within the oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a defect card for individual dies located on a wafer, comprising: producing first and second defect cards, where the defective individual dies whose adjoining individual dies form an environment having a defect density up to a first value (?1) are classified as defective on the first defect card, and where the defective individual dies which are not considered upon the production of the first defect card are classified as defective on the second defect card; producing a third defect card by classifying additional individual dies on the second defect card as defective, where adjoining individual dies of the additional defective individual dies form an environment having at least one defect density of a second value (?2), which second value is less than the first value (?1); and producing a fourth defect card by unifying the third defect card with the first defect card.

Abstract: In a procedure for measuring the concentration of a target gas, a gas sensor is provided whose sensor signal at constant temperature is dependent on a target gas concentration and has a lower measurement sensitivity in a first modulation range than in a second modulation range. The position of the modulation ranges is dependent on the temperature. The temperature of the gas sensor is controlled so that the sensor signal is essentially independent of the target gas concentration and lies within the second modulation range. The temperature of the gas sensor is then a measurement for the target gas concentration.

Abstract: A method for producing a defect card for individual dies located on a wafer, comprising: producing first and second defect cards, where the defective individual dies whose adjoining individual dies form an environment having a defect density up to a first value (?1) are classified as defective on the first defect card, and where the defective individual dies which are not considered upon the production of the first defect card are classified as defective on the second defect card; producing a third defect card by classifying additional individual dies on the second defect card as defective, where adjoining individual dies of the additional defective individual dies form an environment having at least one defect density of a second value (?2), which second value is less than the first value (?1); and producing a fourth defect card by unifying the third defect card with the first defect card.

Abstract: In a procedure for measuring the concentration of a target gas, a gas sensor is provided whose sensor signal at constant temperature is dependent on a target gas concentration and has a lower measurement sensitivity in a first modulation range than in a second modulation range. The position of the modulation ranges is dependent on the temperature. The temperature of the gas sensor is controlled so that the sensor signal is essentially independent of the target gas concentration and lies within the second modulation range. The temperature of the gas sensor is then a measurement for the target gas concentration.

Abstract: A method for the global planarization of surfaces of semiconductor integrated circuits which involves etching back an auxiliary layer made of a dielectric with a single auxiliary photoresist step is disclosed.