Offset Insulating Layers for High Voltage Transistor Breakdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices face challenges in improving the characteristics of high voltage transistors, particularly in achieving higher breakdown voltage and reducing leakage current within a limited area to enhance integration and performance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates offset insulating layers separated from each other in the active region, with a gate electrode having edges overlapping these layers, and isolation layers formed in the peripheral region to define an active region, allowing for increased effective distance between the gate electrode and contact plugs, thereby improving breakdown voltage and reducing leakage current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional transistor structures are used in limited area, then integration density is maintained, but breakdown voltage is insufficient and leakage current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the insulating layer structure into multiple segments: a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer separated by a gap, with the gate electrode positioned between them. This segmentation increases the effective distance between source and drain regions, thereby improving breakdown voltage without proportionally increasing the overall transistor area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the insulating structure by stacking insulating layers at different heights and separating them in the vertical direction. This dimensional approach allows the gate electrode to overlap with multiple insulating layers, effectively increasing the breakdown path length without expanding the planar footprint of the device.
2Reliability
If conventional transistor structures are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but leakage current is high
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating structure is segmented into multiple layers with a gap between them, allowing the gate electrode to be positioned in the gap region. This segmentation creates additional insulation paths that reduce leakage current while maintaining a relatively straightforward manufacturing process using standard deposition and etching techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different insulating layers at different locations: the first insulating layer is positioned at one height, the second insulating layer at another height, with the gate electrode in between. This local differentiation of insulating structures provides targeted leakage current reduction in critical regions without unnecessarily complicating the entire device structure.
3Reliability
If offset insulating layers are added to improve breakdown voltage, then manufacturing complexity increases due to additional mask processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of the first and second insulating layers with the existing transistor manufacturing process flow. By integrating these insulating layer formations into the standard process sequence, the patent avoids requiring separate dedicated mask processes, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while still achieving the desired breakdown voltage improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layers serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide electrical insulation, define the gate electrode positioning, and contribute to breakdown voltage enhancement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized process steps, making the manufacturing more efficient despite the enhanced structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a memory array region and a peripheral region, isolation layers formed in the peripheral region to define an active region, offset insulating layers separated from each other and formed in the active region, and a gate electrode having edges overlapping with the offset insulating layers and arranged in the active region between the offset insulating layers.