Application of sputtering technology to microwave integrated circuit fabrication

A sputtering system for microwave integrated microcircuits, which produces circuit structures with geometries up to 5 microns for lines and gaps, with a dimensional tolerance limit of + 1 micron with conductor thicknesses of 10 microns was developed. Application of etch sputtering for integrated resistor trimming enables resistor value adjustment without any change in surface geometry. Qualitative evaluation, based on small series production, confirms that costs on a line equipped for series production can be competitive with the costs for conventional technologies.