Dual-Side Contacted Capacitor Backside Silicidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of mobile RF transceivers in deep sub-micron process nodes faces complexity due to cost and power consumption considerations, with MOS capacitors occupying large areas and resulting in inefficient use of chip space and lower performance, especially in silicon on insulator (SOI) technology where body resistance is a limiting factor.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual side contacted capacitor structure using backside silicidation, where a semiconductor layer acts as one plate and a gate layer as the other, with a capacitor dielectric layer in between, and both front-side and backside metallizations are used to achieve desired capacitance density without the need for conventional capacitor subdivision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If MOS capacitors are used in advanced CMOS processing to provide increased capacitance density, then capacitance density is improved, but chip area occupied increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional single-sided capacitor contact to dual-sided contact architecture, utilizing both front-side and back-side metallization layers to contact the capacitor plates. This dimensional change allows capacitance to be achieved without proportionally increasing chip area, as the electrical connection is distributed across two surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitor structure is segmented into two independently contactable plates, with each plate accessible from opposite sides of the chip. This segmentation enables parallel processing and reduces the area required for interconnect routing, as connections are established separately from front and back sides rather than requiring extensive lateral routing.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional capacitor subdivision is used to achieve desired capacitance density, then capacitance density is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-sided contact capacitor structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the required capacitance density, reduces parasitic effects through distributed routing, and simplifies the overall device architecture by eliminating the need for capacitor subdivision. The same structural approach can be applied to various capacitor sizes and configurations without increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If front-side metallization is used to contact capacitor plates, then electrical connection is achieved, but parasitic capacitance and body resistance increase
Solution Approach 1:
By moving one of the electrical contacts to the back side of the chip, the patent reduces the lateral distance current must travel through the semiconductor body. This dimensional change minimizes the resistance path and reduces parasitic capacitance between the contact point and the capacitor plate, improving electrical connection quality.
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 allows for increased capacitance density using a single capacitor, reducing chip complexity and improving performance by minimizing parasitic capacitance and body resistance, thus enhancing the efficiency and performance of RF chip designs.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitor having a semiconductor layer as a first plate and a gate layer as a second plate. A capacitor dielectric layer may separate the first plate and the second plate
Implementation Method 2
backside silicidation for forming dual side contacted capacitors
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit structure may include a capacitor having a semiconductor layer as a first plate and a gate layer as a second plate. A capacitor dielectric layer may separate the first plate and the second plate. A backside metallization may be coupled to the first plate of the capacitor. A front-side metallization may be coupled to the second plate of the capacitor. The front-side metallization may be arranged distal from the backside metallization.