Patent ID: 7521367

Claim:
A method for circuit modification of a microelectronic chip comprising at least one conductor in an organic dielectric, said method comprising: applying a protective inorganic surface layer on said organic dielectric; forming a window in said protective inorganic surface layer to selectively expose an underlying portion of said organic dielectric, said window located over an area that covers a conductor to be modified by an ion-milling process; etching said organic dielectric through said window to selectively remove a portion of said organic dielectric adjacent to said conductor to provide a void space in said organic dielectric adjacent to said conductor, whereby charged ions and residual metal from said ion milling will not defeat an electrical isolation of said organic dielectric; performing said ion-milling process on said conductor to at least one of remove conductive material from said conductor to open up an existing routing in said circuit and add conductive material to said conductor to form a new routing within said circuit; and substantially refilling said void space using an insulative material.