Semiconductor Active Area Patterning With Dielectric End Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The ends of active areas in semiconductor devices are damaged during etching processes due to high-energy charged particles, leading to performance issues as the dimensions of these areas decrease.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a first dielectric layer on the sidewalls of first patterns in a substrate, followed by segmenting these patterns to form second patterns, which are protected by the dielectric layer, thereby reducing damage during the etching process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If etching process is used to form active areas, then active areas are formed, but ends of active areas are damaged by high-energy charged particles
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric layer is formed on the substrate before the etching process to cover and protect the ends of active areas. This preliminary protective layer prevents high-energy charged particles from damaging the active area ends during etching, while still allowing the etching process to form the active areas with required precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric layer acts as an intermediary between the high-energy charged particles and the active area ends. It absorbs or blocks the harmful charged particles while allowing the etching process to proceed, thus mediating the conflict between forming active areas and protecting them from damage.
2Area of moving object
If critical dimensions are reduced, then device density increases, but damage to active area ends worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric layer is deposited in advance to provide protection before the etching process. This preliminary protective measure becomes increasingly important as critical dimensions are reduced, because smaller features are more vulnerable to damage from high-energy charged particles during etching.
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric layer provides localized protection specifically at the ends of active areas where damage occurs most frequently. The protection is applied where needed rather than uniformly across the entire substrate, addressing the local vulnerability of active area ends while maintaining small critical dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate (1), in which the substrate (1) includes a plurality of first trenches (12) and first patterns (11) are formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of first trenches (12); forming a first dielectric layer (2) which covers at least the sidewalls of the first patterns (11); and segmenting the first patterns (11) to form second patterns (111).