Semiconductor Capacitive Element Sidewall Electrode Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor devices, PIP capacitive elements face issues with electrical coupling due to high resistance in step regions and potential short circuits caused by contact holes penetrating through the interlayer insulation film, leading to degraded performance.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a first electrode, a dummy electrode, and a second electrode with a capacitive insulation film, where plugs penetrate through the interlayer insulation film to electrically couple with the electrodes, preventing short circuits by ensuring low resistance coupling and increasing capacitive element capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plug is coupled with the upper electrode in the non-overlapping region, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the electrical coupling resistance increases due to the step region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar coupling (plug to upper electrode surface) to a three-dimensional sidewall coupling (plug to sidewall of upper electrode). The sidewall electrode extends vertically along the sidewall of the upper electrode, allowing the plug to make contact at the sidewall region rather than requiring contact with the top surface in the non-overlapping region. This dimensional change enables low-resistance electrical coupling while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If contact holes are formed to penetrate through the interlayer insulation film, then electrical coupling is achieved, but short circuits occur between the upper electrode and lower electrode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrode structure into distinct functional regions: the upper electrode, the sidewall electrode formed on its sidewall, and the lower electrode separated by capacitive insulation film. The plug is positioned to contact only the sidewall electrode region, creating a segmented contact scheme that prevents direct contact between the plug and the lower electrode, thereby avoiding short circuits while achieving the necessary electrical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The sidewall electrode acts as an intermediary structure between the upper electrode and the plug. Instead of the plug directly contacting the upper electrode top surface (which would require penetrating through insulation layers) or risking contact with the lower electrode, the sidewall electrode provides an intermediate contact point on the vertical sidewall, enabling safe and reliable electrical coupling.
3Ease of manufacture
If the capacitive element uses a conventional PIP structure, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the capacity is limited due to high resistance in step regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a vertical dimension to the electrode configuration by forming the sidewall electrode along the sidewall of the upper electrode. This creates an additional effective electrode surface area in the vertical direction, increasing the overall capacitive element capacity without complicating the manufacturing process, as the sidewall electrode can be formed using standard sidewall deposition techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
The performances of a semiconductor device are improved. A semiconductor device has a first electrode and a dummy electrode formed apart from each other over a semiconductor substrate, a second electrode formed between the first electrode and the dummy electrode, at the circumferential side surface of the first electrode, and at the circumferential side surface of the dummy electrode, and a capacitive insulation film formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the capacitive insulation film form a capacitive element. Further, the semiconductor device has a first plug penetrating through the interlayer insulation film, and electrically coupled with the first electrode, and a second plug penetrating through the interlayer insulation film, and electrically coupled with the portion of the second electrode formed at the side surface of the dummy electrode opposite to the first electrode side.