Semiconductor electric circuit device with plural-layer aluminum base metallization

Claim 1

A semiconductor electric circuit device having a monocrystalline silicon wafer body having zones of different conductivity and/or conductivitity type in various surface areas of said body for provision of components of said circuit device and being partly covered by an insulating layer which leaves uncovered, by windows therein, areas of said body or zones thereof for contact therewith, said body being also partly covered, above said insulating layer where the latter also covers the body, with a patterned metallization layer providing circuit paths, contact with said body or zones thereof through said windows, and areas for external contact application, and further including in order to prevent the occurrence of short-circuiting slivers at bonds with aluminum wires, the improvement, in accordance with the invention, that: said metallization layer is composed of at least three distinct layers, comprising: an outer layer (16a) of highly pure aluminum, an underlying layer (16b) of copper-containing aluminum having a copper content of between 1 and 4% by weight, and an inner layer (16c) of aluminum underlying said first-mentioned underlying layer (16b), said aluminum layer having a content by weight, from 0 to 1%, inclusive, of silicon.