Chip contacts without oxide discontinuities.

摘要

An integrated circuit chip including a first surface (64) and a higher second surface (68), with an abrupt sidewall step transition (71) therebetween (71), and having a first layer (36) of a first conductive material disposed over the first surface and over the second surface , but terminating on the first surface level in a first end portion which extends up to but does not touch the sidewall. This end portion comprises a conductive material (74) which has been converted to an insulator. A second layer of a second conductive material (40) is disposed on top of the first conductive layer with essentially no conductive material conversion to insulator therein adjacent to the abrupt sidewall transition. In a preferred embodiment, the conductive material is an alloy of aluminum and the end portion is aluminum oxide.