Double-Sided Transistor Contacts for Higher Drive Current

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing integrated circuit (IC) devices face challenges in increasing drive current while maintaining design and layout flexibility, as current methods often disrupt these aspects.

Innovation Solution

Implementing front- and back-side contacts with reduced contact resistance by contacting source and drain regions from both the top and bottom, utilizing through-vias between front- and back-side interconnect layers, and maintaining consistent pitches for transistor structures and isolation structures to enable compact logic cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional single-sided contacts are used, then layout flexibility is maintained, but drive current is limited due to higher contact resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive currentVSAvoidcontact structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from single-sided (one-dimensional access) to double-sided (two-dimensional access) contacts by adding backside contacts to the semiconductor device. This dimensional change allows current to flow through multiple paths simultaneously, reducing contact resistance and increasing drive current without disrupting the planar layout structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If contact resistance is reduced through conventional means, then drive current improves, but design flexibility is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact resistanceVSAvoiddesign flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The double-sided contact structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it reduces contact resistance through parallel current paths, maintains compatibility with existing layout designs, and enables increased drive current. This multi-functionality allows the same structural change to address multiple performance issues without requiring separate design modifications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If through-vias are added between interconnect layers, then device density increases, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice densityVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the contact structure into discrete through-vias that can be independently formed and positioned. These segmented via structures allow for modular manufacturing where each via can be created through standard photolithography and etching processes, avoiding the need for complex monolithic fabrication steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4580346A1Double-sided device contacts and through vias for performance and layout benefits

Publication Date: 2025.07.02 INTEL CORP

Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A~2B

AI summary

An integrated circuit (IC) device includes transistors between front- and back-side interconnect layers and having source and/or drain regions with front- and back-side contacts. The transistors may be between isolation structures on a same pitch as the transistor gates, sources, and drains. Via structures adjacent to the transistors couple between the front- and back-side interconnect layers. The transistors and isolation and via structures may be utilized in various logic cells. Transistors having front- and back-side source and/or drain contacts may include vias through or alongside the source and/or drain regions.