Guard Ring Via Layout for ESD-Resistant FinFET Semiconductor Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-performance, high-speed, and multi-functional semiconductor devices necessitates finer patterns and three-dimensional channel structures, such as FinFETs, which pose challenges in maintaining reliability and preventing electrostatic damage due to electrostatic currents.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a substrate with integrated circuit and guard ring structures, including circuit and guard active fins, contact structures, and wiring structures, where the guard ring is positioned to minimize electrostatic interference by grounding external electrostatic currents through vias and conductive lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the degree of integration of semiconductor devices is increased to meet demand for high performance and high speed, then productivity and functionality are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to increased susceptibility to electrostatic damage
Solution Approach 1:
A guard ring structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the integrated circuit and the substrate edge. The guard ring includes a guard active structure with guard contact structures that are arranged to not overlap with vias in the vertical direction, creating an intermediate protective layer that directs electrostatic currents away from the main circuit while maintaining integration density.
2Productivity
If finer patterns are implemented to achieve high integration, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to the complexity of forming fine-width patterns with proper spacing
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented into distinct functional regions: a first region for the integrated circuit and a second region for the guard ring. This segmentation allows the main circuit area to be optimized for high integration with fine patterns while the guard ring area provides a buffer zone that simplifies the overall manufacturing process by separating critical circuit features from edge-protection features.
3Productivity
If three-dimensional channel structures like FinFETs are developed to overcome size reduction limitations, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to the additional three-dimensional structures
Solution Approach 1:
The three-dimensional FinFET channel structure is applied locally to the circuit active fins in the first region where high performance is needed, while the guard active structure in the second region uses a simpler structure optimized for electrostatic protection. This local differentiation allows the device to achieve high performance where necessary without unnecessarily increasing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first region and a second region, an integrated circuit structure in the first region, a guard ring surrounding the integrated circuit structure in the second region, a plurality of vias arranged on the guard ring, and a conductive line arranged on the plurality of vias. The integrated circuit structure includes a circuit active fin in the first region, a gate structure intersecting the circuit active fin, a source/drain region on an active fin adjacent to a side surface of the gate structure, a circuit contact structure on the source/drain region, and a circuit wiring structure on the circuit contact structure. The guard ring includes a guard active structure in the second region, a plurality of guard contact structures arranged on the guard active structure, and a guard wiring structure on the guard contact structures.