L-Shaped Conductive Electrode for Power Transistor Capacitance Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive electrodes in power transistors often restrict interconnect placement and do not optimally reduce drain-to-gate capacitance, limiting the switching speed and efficiency of power transistors.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a conductive electrode configuration with a first conductive electrode member parallel to the surface and a second conductive electrode member perpendicular to it, forming an L-shape, which reduces drain-to-gate capacitance by positioning the second member between the gate electrode and the drain, allowing for quicker switching and easier contact formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conductive electrodes are formed as part of a metallization layer, then contacts to the source region are formed, but interconnect placement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive electrode is divided into two separate members: a first conductive electrode member extending from the source region contact, and a second conductive electrode member positioned between the gate and drain. This segmentation allows independent optimization of contact formation and interconnect placement, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The second conductive electrode member acts as an intermediary element positioned between the gate electrode and drain region. This intermediary structure reduces drain-to-gate capacitance while providing flexible interconnect placement options without restricting other interconnect routing, thus improving both capacitance reduction and interconnect adaptability.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional conductive electrodes are used, then source region contacts are formed, but drain-to-gate capacitance is not optimally reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The second conductive electrode member extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first conductive electrode member, creating a three-dimensional L-shaped configuration. This dimensional change allows the electrode to simultaneously achieve good contact formation and effective capacitance reduction by positioning conductive material in the critical space between gate and drain regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The second conductive electrode member serves as an intermediary shielding structure between the gate electrode and drain region. By introducing this intermediate conductive element, drain-to-gate capacitance is reduced through electrostatic shielding, which improves switching speed and reliability while maintaining ease of contact formation.
3Reliability
If the second conductive electrode member is positioned between gate and drain, then drain-to-gate capacitance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second conductive electrode members are formed as an integrated L-shaped structure from the same conductive material layer, merging two functional elements into a single continuous structure. This reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate formation processes while achieving both contact formation and capacitance reduction functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The L-shaped conductive electrode structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides contact to the source region through the first member, reduces drain-to-gate capacitance through the second member, and serves as part of the interconnect structure. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple elements into one universal structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device can include a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer overlying the semiconductor layer, and a conductive electrode. In an embodiment, a first conductive electrode member overlies the insulating layer, and a second conductive electrode member overlies and is spaced apart from the semiconductor layer. The second conductive electrode member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein each of the semiconductor layer and the first conductive electrode member are closer to the first end of the second conductive electrode member than to the second end of the second conductive electrode member. In another embodiment, the conductive electrode can be substantially L-shaped. In a further embodiment, a process can include forming the first and second conductive electrode members such that they abut each other. The second conductive electrode member can have the shape of a sidewall spacer.