ESD Protection Device Layout Structure for Machine Model Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern semiconductor devices are vulnerable to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, particularly during manufacturing, testing, and packaging, with existing ESD protection technologies struggling to achieve adequate ESD tolerance, especially in machine model tests where contact spiking occurs at the drain contacts around the drain region.
Innovation Solution
The layout structure of an ESD protection semiconductor device includes a substrate with specific doped regions and gate structures, where second doped regions complementary to the first doped region are formed under the lateral portions of the first doped region, creating a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) that forces currents to avoid vertical paths and prefer lateral paths, thereby preventing contact spiking at the drain contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ESD protection structures are used, then basic ESD protection is provided, but machine model ESD tolerance cannot achieve greater than -200V due to contact spiking at drain contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The first doped region is divided into multiple segments including a first lateral portion, a first vertical portion, and a second lateral portion. This segmentation creates multiple current paths and distributes the ESD stress, preventing concentration at single drain contact points and eliminating contact spiking effects.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the ESD protection structure are doped with different conductivity types at different locations. The first doped region has first conductivity type while the second doped region has second conductivity type, creating localized properties that guide current flow away from drain contacts and prevent spiking.
2Reliability
If simpler ESD protection structures are used, then device complexity is reduced, but ESD protection performance cannot meet the requirement of greater than -200V machine model tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The ESD protection structure merges multiple functions into a single integrated layout. The first doped region with its lateral and vertical portions, combined with the second doped region and gate structure, creates a unified structure that provides both ESD protection and normal device operation without requiring separate protection circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The first doped region extends in multiple dimensions with lateral portions extending in a first direction and vertical portions extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first. This multi-dimensional configuration provides enhanced ESD protection without proportionally increasing planar area, efficiently meeting performance requirements.
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 design effectively improves the machine model ESD protection semiconductor device by preventing contact spiking, enhancing ESD tolerance beyond the conventional limits, with improved performance in machine model tests up to -225V, -275V, or even greater than -400V, depending on the configuration.
Implementation Method 1
Consequently, a silicon controlled rectifier (hereinafter abbreviated as SCR) is obtained due to the second doped regions
Data Source
AI summary
A layout structure of an ESD protection semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first doped region, a pair of second doped regions, a pair of third doped regions, at least a first gate structure formed within the first doped region, and a drain region and a first source region formed at two sides of the first gate structure. The substrate, the first doped region and the third doped regions include a first conductivity type. The second doped regions, the drain region and the first source region include a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type. The first doped region includes a pair of lateral portions and a pair of vertical portions. The pair of second doped regions is formed under the pair of lateral portions, and the pair of third doped regions is formed under the pair of vertical portions.