Backside Via Insulation Layout for Leakage-Safe IC Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Highly down-scaled integrated circuit devices face challenges in maintaining stable wiring structures to prevent unintended short-circuits and leakage currents between conductive regions, necessitating improved conductive line arrangements and insulation techniques.
Innovation Solution
The integrated circuit device incorporates a backside contact structure with backside bulk insulating films and gate dielectric films, featuring vertical and horizontal insulating portions to stabilize conductive regions and prevent leakage currents, while utilizing nitrogen-containing insulating films for enhanced insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If integrated circuit devices are highly down-scaled to increase integration density, then productivity and device miniaturization are improved, but unintended leakage current between conductive regions increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A backside bulk insulating film is introduced as an intermediary layer between adjacent conductive regions (source/drain regions) to prevent unintended leakage current. This insulating film acts as a mediator that electrically isolates neighboring conductive structures, thereby resolving the leakage issue that arises from down-scaling and increased integration density.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating structure is extended into the vertical dimension by forming a backside bulk insulating film that protrudes upward from the substrate surface. This vertical extension creates additional insulation space without occupying lateral area, allowing effective leakage prevention while maintaining high integration density on the substrate plane.
2Area of stationary object
If wiring structures are arranged in a compact configuration to reduce area, then integration density is improved, but the risk of unintended short-circuit between conductive lines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backside bulk insulating film serves as a physical and electrical barrier between adjacent conductive regions and wiring structures. By positioning this insulating film at the backside of the substrate, it provides continuous isolation that prevents short-circuits even when wiring structures are densely packed in the lateral dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating film is segmented into multiple regions corresponding to different conductive structures, with each segment providing localized isolation. This segmentation allows the insulating film to effectively separate individual conductive elements while maintaining overall compact device layout.
3Reliability
If insulation structures are added to prevent leakage current, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The backside bulk insulating film performs multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents leakage current between adjacent conductive regions, provides mechanical support, and serves as a base layer for subsequent processing steps. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate insulation structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of the backside bulk insulating film is combined with existing substrate preparation and patterning processes. By integrating the insulating film formation into the standard fabrication sequence rather than adding entirely new process steps, the manufacturing complexity is minimized while achieving reliable leakage prevention.
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 configuration ensures reliable operation by preventing unintended leakage currents and maintaining the integrity of conductive regions, thereby enhancing the stability and performance of highly down-scaled integrated circuit devices.
Implementation Method 1
backside bulk insulating film between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region
Implementation Method 2
gate dielectric film between the plurality of nanosheets and the gate line
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit device includes a first gate line and a second gate line adjacent to each other in a first horizontal direction and extending in a second horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a source/drain region between the first gate line and the second gate line, a backside via contact connected to the source/drain region, and a first backside bulk insulating film and a second backside bulk insulating film, where, in the first horizontal direction, the backside via contact is between the first backside bulk insulating film and the second backside bulk insulating film, where each of the first backside bulk insulating film and the second backside bulk insulating film includes a vertical insulating portion below one gate line among the first gate line and the second gate line in a vertical direction and extending in the vertical direction.