Electronic Circuit Insulating Trenches Rounded Junctions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic circuits with electrical insulation trenches face stress concentration issues at intersections, leading to crack formation and difficulties in filling the trenches due to increased width, which reduces the surface area for electronic components and complicates the removal of excess filler material.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates non-parallel trenches with specific curved surfaces at intersections, maintaining the original trench width and allowing for consistent filling and removal processes, reducing stress intensity by using constriction zones and rounded junctions to manage stress distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trenches intersect at 90 degrees with sharp corners, then electrical insulation is achieved, but stress concentration zones form leading to crack formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces sharp corner intersections with rounded junction zones where trenches meet. The rounded geometry eliminates stress concentration at the intersection points, preventing crack formation while maintaining electrical insulation. The curvaceous transition zones distribute mechanical stress more uniformly throughout the substrate.
2Strength
If rounded junction zones are created to reduce stress, then stress concentration is reduced, but the maximum trench width increases making filling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different regions of the trenches. The majority of each trench maintains a constant, precise width optimized for filling operations. Only at the specific intersection locations do rounded junction zones appear, where the width temporarily increases to reduce stress. This localized modification minimizes impact on overall manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If rounded junction zones are created, then stress concentration is reduced, but the surface area of substrate portions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded junction zones use smooth curvaceous transitions that minimize the area occupied at intersections compared to larger fillet radii. The curvature is optimized to provide sufficient stress relief while consuming minimal substrate area, thereby preserving maximum surface area for electronic component formation.
4Manufacturing precision
If conformal deposition is used to fill trenches with varying width, then complete filling is achieved, but excess filler material thickness increases making removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent confines width variations to localized rounded junction zones, while the majority of trench length maintains constant width. This allows conformal deposition to complete filling efficiently, with excess material thickness increasing only at the rounded intersection areas. The limited scope of width variation simplifies subsequent removal processes compared to trenches with extensive width variations.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
Figure 9A~9E
AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic circuit (30) comprising a semiconducting or conducting substrate having first and second opposite surfaces and at least first and second non-parallel electrically insulating trenches (12, 14) that extend from the first surface in the substrate, define at least one portion (16) of the substrate and join at a junction (22), said portion of the substrate comprising a protrusion (41) that extends to the junction.