Glass Substrate Integrated Circuits for RF Signal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits (ICs) formed on silicon substrates experience signal leakage and electrical non-linearity due to electric fields from radio frequency (RF) signals, leading to reduced performance and increased signal loss.
Innovation Solution
The method involves fabricating ICs on a glass substrate with physically and electrically separated semiconductor devices, using a through substrate trench and dielectric material to isolate the semiconductive regions, preventing signal leakage and non-linearity by reducing transistor load associated with RF signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ICs are formed on a silicon substrate, then the manufacturing process is well-established and compatible with standard semiconductor fabrication, but electric fields from RF signals diffuse into the substrate causing signal leakage and electrical non-linearity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic silicon substrate layer and replaces it with a glass substrate. By removing the bulk silicon substrate that causes signal leakage and eddy currents, the harmful effects are eliminated while maintaining the functional semiconductor devices through alternative substrate materials that do not exhibit these problematic electrical characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental material parameter of the substrate from conductive silicon to insulating glass. This parameter change fundamentally alters the electrical behavior of the substrate, preventing the diffusion of electric fields and the generation of eddy currents while maintaining mechanical support and fabrication compatibility
2Reliability
If a through substrate trench is used to separate semiconductive regions, then electrical isolation between devices is improved, but the device structure and fabrication process become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the semiconductive layer into discontinuous portions, creating physically separated first and second portions with gaps between them. This segmentation achieves electrical isolation between devices by breaking the continuous conductive path, while the isolation can be implemented through standard photolithography and etching processes that are already part of conventional semiconductor fabrication
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a glass substrate and a buried oxide layer. The IC additionally includes a first semiconductor device coupled to the glass substrate. The first semiconductor device includes a first gate and a first portion of a semiconductive layer coupled to the buried oxide layer. The first gate is located between the glass substrate and the first portion of the semiconductive layer and between the glass substrate and the buried oxide layer. The IC additionally includes a second semiconductor device coupled to the glass substrate. The second semiconductor device includes a second gate and a second portion of the semiconductive layer. The second gate is located between the glass substrate and the second portion of the semiconductive layer. The first portion is discontinuous from the second portion.