Bulk-Less Antenna Protection for IC Gate Dielectrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Miniaturized integrated circuit (IC) devices are susceptible to damage from the antenna effect during manufacturing, which causes breakdown of gate dielectrics due to accumulated electrical charges, leading to yield and reliability concerns.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of bulk-less antenna effect protection devices, such as PMOS and NMOS transistors, configured to discharge electric charges through leakage or channel currents, protecting the gate dielectrics from damage by maintaining a 'don't care' state and utilizing reference voltages to manage charge discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If miniaturization is pursued to reduce power consumption and increase functionality, then device density and speed are improved, but susceptibility to antenna effect damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
A bulk-less antenna effect protection device is introduced as an intermediary between the antenna structure and the gate dielectric. This protection device includes a first conductor coupled to the antenna and a second conductor coupled to the gate, with a bulk-less device structure that provides a controlled discharge path for accumulated charges, preventing direct damage to the gate dielectric while allowing the miniaturized device to maintain its high-density configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The protection structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the first conductor for charge collection, the bulk-less protection device with separated source/drain regions, and the second conductor for charge discharge to the gate. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall device compactness
2Length of moving object
If gate dielectric thickness is reduced to enable miniaturization, then device scaling is improved, but dielectric breakdown voltage is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk-less antenna effect protection device is configured to discharge accumulated electrical charges before they can reach breakdown levels in the thin gate dielectric. By providing a preferential discharge path through the protection device, charges are diverted away from the gate dielectric, cushioning it against voltage spikes that would cause breakdown in miniaturized devices with reduced dielectric thickness
3Reliability
If antenna effect protection is added to prevent gate dielectric breakdown, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the body terminal from traditional transistor structures to create a bulk-less device configuration. This extraction eliminates the need for complex bulk connections and substrate terminations, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the charge discharge function. The protection device uses only essential components (source/drain regions, gate, and conductors) to provide antenna effect protection
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
The solution effectively prevents gate dielectric breakdown by efficiently discharging accumulated electric charges, thereby enhancing the reliability and yield of IC devices during manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
bulk-less antenna effect protection devices, such as PMOS and NMOS transistors, configured to discharge electric charges through leakage or channel currents
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit (IC) device includes an antenna effect protection device, and a to-be-protected device. A first source/drain of the antenna effect protection device is electrically coupled to a gate of the to-be-protected device. The antenna effect protection device is a bulk-less device.