III-N Scribeline Trench Fill Structure for Crack-Resistant Dicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The scribeline structure in III-N semiconductor devices, such as GaN, affects manufacturing processes with increased complexity, time, and cost, and is vulnerable to damage during dicing.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure with trenches filled by a fill material, aligned with the dielectric layer surface, and optionally using dummy structures within the trenches, to reduce vulnerability and complexity during dicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional scribeline structures are used in III-N semiconductor devices, then device isolation and dicing capability are provided, but manufacturing complexity increases and vulnerability to damage during dicing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming trenches and filling them with dielectric material before completing the device fabrication process. This pre-formed structure provides crack propagation resistance during subsequent dicing operations, preventing damage to the active device regions while simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to deeper post-fabrication trenches
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary dielectric fill material within the trenches to act as a stress barrier and crack propagation阻挡 during dicing. This intermediate structure absorbs and distributes mechanical stresses, protecting the III-N semiconductor layer and active devices from damage while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process
2Reliability
If deeper trenches are used to reduce crack propagation, then damage resistance improves, but manufacturing complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms trenches at an optimized depth and fills them with dielectric material before completing device fabrication, providing sufficient crack propagation resistance without requiring excessively deep trenches. This preliminary structuring achieves the necessary protection while minimizing processing time and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the trench depth parameter and dielectric fill material properties to achieve the minimum necessary protection against crack propagation. By carefully selecting these parameters, the patent achieves adequate damage resistance without the need for deeper, more time-consuming trench formation processes
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device, comprising, a semiconductor substrate, a III-N semiconductor layer over the semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer along the III-N semiconductor layer, first and second trenches through the dielectric layer and the at least one III-N semiconductor layer, and a fill material filling at least a portion of each of the first and second trenches and having an upper surface aligned with an upper surface of the dielectric layer.