Backside Heat Transfer Structure for Cooler Semiconductor Power Rails
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor devices is to efficiently manage heat dissipation and thermal conductivity, particularly at the backside power rails, as existing technologies struggle to maintain high thermal conductivity while being compatible with existing manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure is developed with a backside heat transfer structure comprising multiple layers of insulating materials with high thermal conductivity, formed through laser annealing and in-situ doping, resulting in large grain sizes and improved thermal conductivity, compatible with BEOL processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional insulating materials are used in backside power rails, then manufacturing process compatibility is maintained, but thermal conductivity is insufficient leading to poor heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of insulating materials by forming nanostructured dielectric material layers with controlled grain sizes (5nm-50nm) through laser annealing processes, achieving high thermal conductivity (kappa value >80 W/m·K) while maintaining compatibility with existing BEOL manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite structures by forming nanostructured dielectric material layers with specific grain boundary characteristics and dopant distributions, combining insulating properties with enhanced thermal conductivity in a multi-layer backside heat transfer structure
2Temperature
If grain size is reduced to increase thermal conductivity, then heat dissipation improves, but manufacturing precision and material control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary doping during the deposition process to incorporate dopants into the dielectric material layer before annealing, which controls grain growth and stabilizes grain size in the 5nm-50nm range, making the subsequent laser annealing process more predictable and controllable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional thermal annealing with laser annealing, using localized optical energy to achieve precise temperature control and grain size management, enabling better control over nanostructure formation and thermal conductivity enhancement
3Temperature
If laser annealing and in-situ doping are used to form nanostructured layers, then thermal conductivity increases by 40%, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the doping process with the deposition process (in-situ doping), incorporating dopant incorporation into the existing dielectric layer formation step, and combines multiple functions (heating, grain growth control, dopant activation) into a single laser annealing step, reducing the number of separate process modules required
4Temperature
If backside heat transfer structure with high thermal conductivity is implemented, then maximum temperature at backside power rails is reduced, but manufacturing process compatibility may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes laser annealing parameters (power, duration, wavelength) and doping concentrations to achieve the desired thermal conductivity enhancement while keeping process conditions within the ranges compatible with existing BEOL manufacturing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the dielectric material layer itself as an intermediary medium that receives dopants during deposition and undergoes controlled transformation during laser annealing, mediating between the doping process and the final high thermal conductivity structure formation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This structure achieves enhanced heat dissipation and reduced maximum temperature at backside power rails, improving device performance and reliability by up to 40% through increased thermal conductivity and reduced thermal resistance.
Implementation Method 1
An annealing process is performed to turn the material layer into a nanostructured material layer
Implementation Method 2
through laser annealing and in-situ doping, resulting in large grain sizes and high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 3
through laser annealing and in-situ doping, resulting in large grain sizes and high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 4
enhanced heat dissipation and reduced maximum temperature at backside power rails, improving device performance and reliability by up to 40% through increased thermal conductivity and reduced thermal resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device structure and the semiconductor device structure are disclosed. The method includes forming backside connection structures by sequentially forming heat transfer layers stacked upon one another and backside metallization structures sandwiched between the heat transfer layers. The formation of at least one heat transfer layer involves performing an annealing process to turn an insulating material layer into an insulating nanostructured material layer with nano grains and dopants distributed along grain boundaries of the nano grains.