Semiconductor Gate Resistance Layout With Bypass Path for Electromigration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor devices, particularly in IGBTs, the resistance elements with trench structures having narrow widths are prone to short circuits due to electromigration, which can lead to reliability issues and affect the device's performance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a resistance element with a closed path trench structure and a bypass path formed by first and second conductive members and their corresponding contact members, which reduces the current flowing through the narrow sections of the resistance element, thereby enhancing its electromigration resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a trench structure with narrow width is adopted for the resistance element, then the device structure can be downsized and polysilicon embedding property is improved, but the electromigration resistance decreases leading to short circuit risk
Solution Approach 1:
The resistance element is divided into multiple sections (first resistance element and second resistance element) separated by a first contact member. This segmentation allows the current path to be distributed across multiple parallel paths, reducing the current density in each individual narrow trench section and mitigating electromigration effects while maintaining the compact loop structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A first conductive member is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second resistance elements. This conductive member creates a bypass path that parallel to the narrow trench sections, providing an alternative current flow route that reduces the overall current through the vulnerable narrow sections and improves electromigration resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
Reliability of a semiconductor device is improved. A resistance element and a trench form a closed path in plan view.The semiconductor device includes: first and second contact members each electrically connecting a gate pad and the resistance element; third and fourth contact members each electrically connecting a gate wiring and the resistance element; and fifth to eighth contact members each electrically connecting a first conductive member and the resistance element. A current path passing from the gate pad to the gate wiring through the first conductive member is made of the plurality of contact members and the resistance element. The first conductive member functions together with the fifth to eighth contact members to form a bypass path for reducing the current that flows through some sections of the closed path made of the resistance element.