Chip Guard Formation Using Merged Openings for Crack Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices face challenges in simplifying the process of forming a chip guard and improving its performance, particularly in protecting the integrated circuit within the chip area from external defects and reducing interference between semiconductor chips during packaging.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that involves forming a stacked body with alternately stacked material layers in both the chip and guard areas, creating first openings in the guard area, expanding these openings to form a second opening, and filling this opening with an insulating material to form a chip guard with varying widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to form a chip guard, then the chip guard can protect the integrated circuit, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The chip guard formation process is segmented into distinct stages: forming openings through the stacked body, expanding the openings to desired dimensions, and filling with insulating material. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently while maintaining overall process efficiency and protection performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The stacked body structure is formed in advance before the chip guard formation process begins. This preliminary action prepares the structural framework that guides subsequent opening formation and insulating material deposition, streamlining the overall manufacturing sequence.
2Ease of manufacture
If the chip guard is formed with uniform width, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the protection performance against crack propagation and moisture ingress is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The chip guard is designed with non-uniform width where specific portions have different dimensions. This local quality variation enhances protection performance by creating regions that better resist crack propagation and moisture ingress while maintaining manufacturability through controlled formation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The width parameter of the chip guard is deliberately varied across different regions rather than maintaining a constant value. This parameter change optimizes the protective function by adapting the guard's dimensional characteristics to local protection requirements.
3Reliability
If multiple separate structures are used to protect the chip area, then comprehensive protection is achieved, but the manufacturing time and process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple protective functions are merged into a single integrated chip guard structure. By combining crack propagation resistance, moisture ingress prevention, and electrical isolation functions into one unified structure, the manufacturing process is streamlined while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The chip guard structure is designed to perform multiple protective functions simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows a single structure to provide comprehensive protection against various threats including mechanical cracks, moisture, oxygen, and electrical interference, thereby improving productivity by eliminating the need for separate protective structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein may be a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming a stacked body in which first and second material layers are alternately stacked, the stacked body being formed in a chip area and a guard area, wherein the guard area is adjacent to the chip area, forming a plurality of first openings that pass through the stacked body of the guard area, the first openings being spaced apart from each other, forming a second opening from the plurality of first openings by expanding each of the plurality of first openings so that the plurality of first openings are coupled to each other, and forming a chip guard by filling the second opening with an insulating material.