METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CORROSION ON SENSORS

1 . A device for preventing corrosion on a sensor comprising:

an insulation layer located over a metallization layer of said sensor having a substrate layer comprised of silicon;

at least one contact channel extending through said insulation layer to expose a portion of said metallization layer;

an adhesion layer located over a portion of said insulation layer and an interior surface of said at least one contact channel, said adhesion layer contacting a portion of said insulation layer and a portion of said metallization layer; and

a corrosion resistant layer located over said adhesion layer.

2 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a glass layer bonded to the bottom of said substrate layer.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said insulation layer is comprised of silicon dioxide.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said metallization layer is comprised of aluminum.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said corrosion resistant layer is comprised of gold.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said adhesion layer is comprised of titanium tungsten.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is a bond pad.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is an electrical contact.

9 . A device for preventing corrosion on a sensor comprising:

an insulation layer comprising silicon dioxide located over a metallization layer comprising aluminum of said sensor having a substrate layer comprised of silicon;

a glass layer bonded to the bottom of said substrate layer;

at least one contact channel extending through said insulation layer to expose a portion of said metallization layer;

an adhesion layer comprising titanium tungsten located over a portion of said insulation layer and an interior surface of said at least one contact channel, said adhesion layer contacting a portion of said insulation layer and a portion of said metallization layer; and

a corrosion resistant layer comprising gold located over said adhesion layer.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said device is a bond pad.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein said device is an electrical contact.

12 . A method for preventing corrosion on sensors comprising the steps of:

depositing an insulation layer over a metallization layer of a sensor having a substrate layer comprised of silicon;

forming at least one contact channel through said insulation layer to expose a portion of said metallization layer;

depositing an adhesion layer over a portion of said insulation layer and an interior surface of said at least one contact channel, said adhesion layer contacting a portion of said insulation layer and a portion of said metallization layer; and

depositing a corrosion resistant layer over said adhesion layer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of forming said at least one contact channel further includes the step of bonding a glass layer to said substrate layer of said sensor.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said insulation layer is comprised of silicon dioxide.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said metallization layer is comprised of aluminum.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said corrosion resistant layer is comprised of gold.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said adhesion layer is comprised of titanium tungsten.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said step of depositing an adhesion layer and said step of depositing said corrosion resistant layer are performed using a hard mask and sputter process.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said step of forming said at least one contact channel is performed using a photoresistive mask and dry etching techniques.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said step of forming said at least one contact channel is performed using a photoresistive mask and wet etching techniques.