Porous Dielectric Structure for Semiconductor Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor device manufacturing lies in scaling down dimensions while maintaining quality, yield, performance, and reliability, particularly in reducing coupling capacitance and RC delay, which is complex due to increasing complexity and issues during down-scaling.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a porous dielectric structure is designed, featuring a porous middle layer and spacers with porosity between 25% and 100%, made from energy-removable materials like silicon oxide and decomposable porogen compounds, which reduces coupling capacitance and RC delay by using a specific fabrication method involving energy treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional dielectric structures are used in scaled-down semiconductor devices, then manufacturing process remains simple, but coupling capacitance and RC delay increase leading to reduced performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by forming a porous middle layer with controlled porosity (20-80%) between conductive features. This porous structure reduces the dielectric constant and minimizes coupling capacitance between adjacent conductors, thereby improving device performance and reducing RC delay without requiring complex fabrication processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by controlling the porosity of the middle layer through adjustable process parameters such as deposition conditions and etch depth. By varying these parameters, the dielectric constant can be tuned to optimize the balance between capacitance reduction and manufacturing simplicity
2Reliability
If porosity of the middle layer is increased to reduce coupling capacitance, then RC delay decreases, but structural strength and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the porosity parameter within a specific range (20-80%) to achieve the desired balance. By controlling porosity within this optimized range, sufficient capacitance reduction is achieved while maintaining adequate structural strength and stability for device operation
Solution Approach 2:
The porous middle layer acts as a composite structure combining dielectric material with void spaces. This composite approach allows the structure to achieve low effective dielectric constant for reduced RC delay while the remaining solid matrix maintains structural integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The porous structure effectively reduces coupling capacitance and RC delay, leading to lower operating current consumption and improved performance by minimizing parasitic capacitance and interference effects.
Implementation Method 1
the decomposable porogen material includes compounds including unsaturated bonds
Implementation Method 2
performing an energy treatment to form two porous spacers between the gate structure and the two source/drain regions
Implementation Method 3
A porosity of the porous middle layer is between about 25% and about 100%
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, two conductive features positioned apart from each other over the substrate, and a porous middle layer positioned between the two conductive features and adjacent to the two conductive features. A porosity of the porous middle layer is between about 25% and about 100%.