Ground Shield Structure with Segmented Rings for Inductor Q Factor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ground shield structures in semiconductor devices do not effectively improve the quality factor Q of inductors, often reducing it in certain frequency bands due to parasitic effects such as resistance and capacitance, leading to significant energy loss and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A ground shield structure comprising multiple conductive rings with openings that divide them into sub-conductive rings, connected to a ground ring, which reduces parasitic resistance and capacitance, enhancing the shielding effect and increasing the quality factor Q of inductors by minimizing energy loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional ground shield structure is provided between the inductor and substrate, then substrate loss is reduced, but the quality factor Q is reduced in certain frequency bands due to parasitic resistance and capacitance
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive ring is divided into multiple sub-conductive rings by forming openings (through-holes or vias) in the ring structure. This segmentation reduces the parasitic resistance by providing multiple parallel current paths and reduces parasitic capacitance by breaking the continuous conductive path, thereby improving the quality factor Q while maintaining substrate loss reduction
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a ground shield structure is introduced into a semiconductor device, then shielding effect is provided, but device complexity increases due to additional structures and processes
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive ring structure serves multiple functions: it provides ground shielding to reduce substrate loss, acts as a parasitic resistance element to dampen resonances, and provides a reference potential for the inductor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
3Reliability
If the conductive ring has openings to reduce parasitic resistance, then quality factor Q is improved, but the shielding effect is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive ring structure is designed with openings at specific locations and densities to create different local properties. The openings are strategically placed to reduce parasitic resistance in critical areas while maintaining continuous shielding coverage in other areas, achieving a balance between improving quality factor Q and maintaining shielding effect
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
The proposed ground shield structure significantly increases the quality factor Q of inductors by reducing parasitic resistance and capacitance, leading to improved performance and efficiency, especially at high frequencies, with a maximum Q value increase of over 17% compared to conventional structures.
Implementation Method 1
the quality factor Q of the inductor is not improved. To the contrary, the quality factor Q of the inductor is even reduced in some bands of operating frequency of the inductor
Implementation Method 2
the proposed ground shield structure significantly increases the quality factor Q of inductors by reducing parasitic resistance and capacitance
Implementation Method 3
a ground shield structure is provided between the inductor and the substrate. The ground shield structure serves to shield the electric field lines and the induced magnetic field lines of the inductor
Implementation Method 4
an alternating current in the inductor generates an alternating magnetic field (i.e., an induced alternating magnetic field), which can vertically enter the substrate through the surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 5
an alternating current in the inductor generates an alternating magnetic field (i.e., an induced alternating magnetic field), which can vertically enter the substrate through the surface of the substrate to generate an alternating eddy current in the substrate
Implementation Method 6
The eddy current can dissipate electric energy (converted from magnetic energy) as Joule heat, which causes eddy current loss
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide ground shield structures, semiconductor devices, and methods for forming the same. An exemplary structure can include a substrate and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The structure can further include multiple conductive rings disposed in the substrate, in the dielectric layer, and/or on the dielectric layer. Each conductive ring of the multiple conductive rings can have openings of about three or more, and the openings of the each conductive ring can divide the multiple conductive rings into a plurality of sub-conductive rings arranged spaced apart. The structure can further a ground ring electrically connected to each of the plurality of sub-conductive rings.