Active Contact Protrusions for Semiconductor Device Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices are scaled down, the operating characteristics of MOSFETs are deteriorated, leading to challenges in forming highly integrated semiconductor devices with excellent performance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device includes a substrate with active regions, source/drain patterns, a gate electrode, interlayer insulating layers, and active contacts with specific protrusions and depressions, along with a barrier pattern and etch stop layers, to enhance electrical connectivity and reduce resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If MOSFETs are scaled down to increase integration, then device density increases, but operating characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The active contact is designed with a three-dimensional structure including protrusions extending laterally and a depression in the upper surface, transforming a simple vertical contact into a multi-dimensional structure. This dimensional change increases the contact area with the source/drain region without increasing the vertical depth, thereby reducing contact resistance while maintaining the scaled-down device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The active contact features localized protrusions at specific positions (first and second protrusions) with different dimensions and orientations, creating non-uniform contact regions. The first protrusion extends in the first direction while the second protrusion extends in the second direction, providing enhanced electrical connection at critical locations where current density is highest, thus improving overall device performance.
2Reliability
If contact area is increased to reduce resistance, then electrical characteristics improve, but device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure utilizes lateral extensions (protrusions) rather than increasing vertical depth or overall contact footprint. The first protrusion extends in the first direction and the second protrusion extends in the second direction, creating additional contact interface area within the planar footprint, thereby reducing resistance without increasing the device area.
Solution Approach 2:
The depression in the upper surface of the active contact creates a nested structure where the conductive material is positioned at multiple levels. The first and second protrusions form elevated regions while the depression creates a lower region, effectively nesting contact interfaces at different heights and lateral positions, maximizing contact area within limited space.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device including: a substrate including a first active region; a first active pattern on the first active region; a gate electrode intersecting the first active pattern and extending in a first direction; a first source/drain pattern on the first active pattern, the first source/drain pattern adjacent to the gate electrode; a first interlayer insulating layer covering the gate electrode and the first source/drain pattern; and an active contact penetrating the first interlayer insulating layer to be electrically connected to the first source/drain pattern, wherein the active contact extends in the first direction, wherein a top surface of the active contact includes: a first protrusion; a second protrusion; and a first depression between the first and second protrusions.