High purity AlumiPlate® aluminum for semiconducting materials and as a superconductor
AlumiPlate Inc. offers an alternative metallization process to physical vapor deposition (PVD) for the application of typically more than 99.99% pure aluminum.
- Pure electroplated aluminum becomes a superconductor at -271° C (1.75 K) for use in quantum computing systems.
- Aluminum electroplating is ideal for crystalline and amorphous silicon and silicon-based integrated circuits requiring thick coatings of pure aluminum.
- Aluminum metallization is a novel option for wire bonding of integrated circuits.
Pure Aluminum Electrodeposition for Quantum Computers
Pure aluminum is the preferred coating for silicon and silicon-based circuits because of its high conductivity and processability via dry etching. While there will be a place for standard computer fabrication techniques for years to come, today’s manufacturing processes are reaching the limits of miniaturization. Pure aluminum is a versatile material that can be used to adapt to new manufacturing challenges.
One of the most promising alternatives to traditional chip design is quantum computing architecture. Quantum computer materials must exhibit no electrical resistance (superconductivity) to prevent energy dissipation that leads to decoherence and destroys quantum information. For this reason, quantum computing requires a new approach to hardware manufacturing along with new fabrication materials.
AlumiPlate Inc. offers a high-purity aluminum coating for standard and topological quantum computer circuits. This coating is categorized as a Type I superconductor because its resistance changes at extremely low temperatures, -271° C (1.75°K) to be exact. At this low temperature, our aluminum exhibits superconductivity, and serves as the ideal material for quantum computing applications.
Electroplating Yields High Purity Aluminum
Aluminum electroplating can be used to metallize wiring with typically greater than 99.99% pure aluminum. The plating process is automated, robust and repeatable. Aluminum electrodeposition is a preferable alternative to other metallization techniques, such as evaporation, sputtering, physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
The aluminum plating process results in highly pure, dense and uniform aluminum, from 1 to 1000 micrometers!
Purity — Typically higher than 99.99% purity
Thickness — fast deposition rate of 10-15 micrometers per hour can build up thin or thick layers, from 1 micrometer to 1000 micrometers.
Coverage — aluminum plating is highly uniform due to superior throwing and covering capability versus line-of-sight-processes.
Adhesion — aluminum plating easily withstands ASTM destructive tests for adhesion on pure silicon, doped silicon, copper and gold.
Diffusion — the aluminum plating process temperature is 103° C maximum, mitigating silicon diffusion into aluminum, a concern at 200 — 250° C.
Aluminum Plating & Wire Bonding Process Parameters
Gold (Au), Copper (Cu), Aluminum (Al) and Silver (Ag) are choice elements for thermocompression and thermosonic bonding of wiring to different pad materials. Copper is of special interest for its economical advantages, with recent significant developments of copper-ball bonding to integrated circuit metallization.
The metallization and the wire material form different metallurgical wire bonding systems with unique physical properties and behavioral characteristics. Aluminum-Aluminum systems (Al-Al) show desirable resistance to formation of intermetallics and corrosion, resulting in extremely reliable properties.
Aluminum plating may facilitate the use of copper wire for wire bonding. A coating of electroplated aluminum can be applied to copper wire before wire bonding onto aluminum pads.
Semiconductor Industry Outlook
The digital economy has fueled the demand for microelectronic devices. The growth and adoption of these devices by emerging markets relies on continued development of novel materials and processes for the manufacture of integrated circuits.
Because of its high conductivity and processability via dry etching, aluminum is the preferred material for interconnections between various devices on a chip.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO DISCUSS YOUR APPLICATION IN MORE DETAIL.