Buried Heat Shield Layer for Cooler Semiconductor Channels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices face reliability issues due to high surface temperatures and electromigration in ohmic contacts, particularly at higher power densities and temperatures, where effective heat management is lacking.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a buried thermal heat shield layer, such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), is introduced between the heat generation and active device to reduce channel temperature and enhance thermal resistance, with the aluminum content in the AlGaN layer tuned to optimize thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If heat management is improved by increasing thermal conductivity, then heat dissipation is enhanced, but channel temperature control in active device areas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating spatially varying thermal conductivity in the semiconductor structure. The barrier layer has low thermal conductivity to shield the channel from heat, while the heat sink contact has high thermal conductivity to dissipate heat to the substrate. This localized differentiation of thermal properties allows simultaneous heat dissipation and channel temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a barrier layer as an intermediary between the heat sink contact and the active device channel. This intermediate layer with low thermal conductivity acts as a thermal shield, blocking heat flow to the channel while allowing the heat sink contact to effectively dissipate heat to the substrate through high thermal conductivity pathways.
2Power
If power density is increased to improve device performance, then output power is enhanced, but heat generation increases leading to reliability degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of heat generation into a beneficial thermal management system. The low thermal conductivity barrier layer, which initially seems to impede heat flow, actually protects the channel by blocking heat while the high thermal conductivity heat sink contact provides an efficient heat dissipation pathway to the substrate, turning heat management from a problem into a solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure combining regions of low thermal conductivity (barrier layer) and high thermal conductivity (heat sink contact) within the semiconductor device. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of channel temperature control and effective heat dissipation, enabling high power density operation with improved reliability.
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 approach effectively separates heat generation from the active device, reducing channel temperatures and improving the reliability of semiconductor devices by managing heat density and minimizing thermal conductivity, thus enhancing their longevity and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a buried heat shield layer formed between the electrode region and the buried 2DEG channel
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques that separate the heat generation from the active device and that add a thermal heat shield layer between the heat generation and the active device to reduce the channel temperature in the areas that determine the reliability of a semiconductor device.