Backside Wafer Cavity Integration for RF Passive Devices and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power, high-frequency semiconductor devices face challenges with heat buildup and parasitic effects due to the arrangement of passive devices separate from semiconductor devices, leading to reduced effectiveness and increased complexity in electrical circuits.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a backside wafer cavity that integrates RF passive devices and includes a cooling mechanism, allowing for improved heat transfer and reduced parasitic effects by arranging devices within the cavity and using a cooling medium to manage heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive devices are arranged separately from semiconductor devices, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but parasitic effects increase and circuit effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges passive devices with semiconductor devices by forming passive devices within cavities of the semiconductor substrate. This integration eliminates separate arrangement while maintaining manufacturing feasibility, thereby reducing parasitic effects and improving circuit effectiveness without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by forming cavities within the semiconductor substrate and placing passive devices inside these cavities. This three-dimensional integration allows passive devices to be embedded within the substrate volume rather than arranged separately on the surface, reducing parasitic effects while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Power
If multiple unit cell transistors are formed on a common semiconductor structure to provide increased output power, then power handling capability is improved, but heat buildup increases and impacts circuit performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heat from the semiconductor device by providing dedicated heat dissipation structures and thermal management features within the substrate. This separation of heat generation (in the active transistors) and heat management (through dedicated thermal paths) allows high power output while controlling temperature buildup that would otherwise impact circuit performance.
3Reliability
If passive devices are integrated within the substrate cavity, then parasitic effects are reduced and signal propagation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary actions by forming the cavities and passive device structures during the standard semiconductor fabrication process sequence. By integrating cavity formation and passive device fabrication into the existing manufacturing flow rather than adding separate post-processing steps, the patent achieves precise integration without significantly increasing overall manufacturing precision requirements.
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 enhances the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices by reducing heat buildup and minimizing parasitic effects, thereby improving signal propagation and reducing the complexity and cost of manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
the cavity configured to receive a cooling medium to transfer heat from the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device configured for a radio frequency (RF) application and further configured for passive device integration and/or improved cooling includes a substrate; an active region portion arranged on the substrate, the active region portion includes at least one radio frequency (RF) transistor amplifier; a cavity arranged within the substrate; and one or more radio frequency (RF) devices arranged in the cavity.