IC Seal Ring Corner Structure for Mist and Singulation Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal structures for multi-gate devices like FinFETs and MBC transistors are inadequate in protecting against mist ingress and stress during singulation, and segmentation of features in these structures can reduce their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The IC chip design includes a device region surrounded by an inner and outer ring, with corner areas featuring continuous source/drain contacts and gate structures that maintain high pattern density to enhance protection against water and stress, utilizing seal structures that are electrically floating or grounded to provide robust protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seal structures are implemented to protect semiconductor devices, then protection against mist ingress and stress is improved, but segmentation of features in these structures reduces their effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The seal structure is divided into multiple segments including inner seal structures and outer seal structures with different pattern densities. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - inner seal structures use higher pattern density for better protection, while outer seal structures use lower pattern density to reduce stress, thereby resolving the contradiction between protection effectiveness and structure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the seal structure are assigned different pattern densities according to their specific protection needs. The inner corner areas and regions closer to device regions use higher pattern density for enhanced protection, while outer regions use lower pattern density. This local differentiation maintains overall protection effectiveness while reducing unnecessary complexity in less critical areas
2Reliability
If continuous source/drain contacts are used in corner areas, then protection against water and stress is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The source/drain contacts in corner areas are designed to continuously extend from inner seal structures to outer seal structures, merging multiple protective functions into a single continuous structure. This continuous configuration provides uninterrupted protection against water and stress while simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the number of discrete components that need to be assembled
Data Source
AI summary
Integrated circuit (IC) chips and seal ring structures are provided. An IC chip according to the present disclosure includes a device region, an inner ring surrounding the device region, an outer ring surrounding the inner ring, a first corner area between an outer corner of the inner ring and an inner corner of the outer ring, and a second corner area disposed at an outer corner of the outer ring. The first corner area includes a first active region including a channel region and a source/drain region, a first gate structure over the channel region of the first active region, and a first source/drain contact over the source/drain region of the first active region. The first source/drain contact continuously extends from a first edge of the first corner area to a second edge of the first corner area.