High Resistivity Layer Fabrication for RF CMOS Substrate Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Residual low resistivity paths from initial substrates in RF CMOS devices lead to RF losses and reduced performance due to incomplete removal during double layer transfer processes.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the formation of a high resistivity layer by thinning the initial substrate, creating vias, and attaching a final high resistivity substrate to eliminate low resistivity paths, thereby enhancing RF performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If double layer transfer process is used to replace initial substrate with final substrate, then RF performance can be improved, but residual low resistivity paths may remain causing RF losses

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveRF performanceVSAvoidlow resistivity paths
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful residual low resistivity substrate material between devices through selective etching processes. The method involves forming vias to access and remove the residual substrate material that would otherwise create unwanted conductive paths, thereby eliminating the harmful factor while preserving the beneficial device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating high resistivity regions specifically between devices while maintaining the original substrate elsewhere. Through selective epitaxial growth or implantation, the method modifies the electrical properties of specific regions to create high resistivity barriers between adjacent devices, ensuring that only the necessary areas are altered to prevent RF losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-generated harmful factors

If residual thickness of initial substrate is removed completely, then low resistivity paths are eliminated, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow resistivity pathsVSAvoidfabrication process
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the substrate removal process into controlled stages through via formation and selective etching. Rather than attempting to remove the entire substrate at once, the method divides the process into discrete steps: forming isolation structures, creating vias, and selectively removing residual substrate in controlled regions, thereby managing complexity through process segmentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by forming via structures and isolation regions before completing the substrate removal. These preliminary structures serve as guides and barriers that control the subsequent etching process, ensuring that residual substrate is removed only where needed while preventing damage to devices and simplifying the overall manufacturing sequence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3193361B1Method for fabricating semiconductor structures including a high resistivity layer, and related semiconductor structures
Publication Date: 2023.04.12 SOITEC SA
  • EP3193361B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3193361B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP3193361B1 patent drawingFigure 1E~1F

AI summary

Methods of forming a semiconductor structure (140) include forming a device layer (100) on an initial substrate (102), attaching a first surface of the device layer (100) to a temporary substrate and forming a high resistivity layer (136) on a second surface of the device layer (100) by removing a portion of the initial substrate (102). Methods further include attaching a final substrate (132) to the high resistivity layer (136) and removing the temporary substrate. Semiconductor structures (140) are fabricated by such methods that include a final substrate (132), a high resistivity layer (136) disposed over the final substrate (132) and a device layer (100) disposed over the high resistivity layer (136).