Semiconductor Interconnect Bonding Layer for Vertical Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices shrink in size, thermal management becomes a challenge due to increased operating temperatures and reduced chip area for thermal dissipation, necessitating improved heat dissipation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of thermal conductive paths through dummy features in the interconnect structure on the backside and/or front-side of the semiconductor chip, including a thermal conductive bonding layer to enhance heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If minimum feature size is reduced to increase integration density, then more components can be integrated into a given area, but thermal management becomes more difficult due to increased operating temperatures and reduced chip area for thermal dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal conductive paths that extend from the front surface through the substrate to the back surface of the semiconductor device, utilizing the third dimension (depth/thickness) for heat dissipation. This allows heat to be conducted vertically through the substrate rather than only laterally across the chip surface, effectively using the substrate thickness as an additional thermal management dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dummy features as intermediary structures that serve dual purposes: they maintain structural integrity of the substrate while acting as thermal conduits. These dummy interconnect structures serve as mediators between the heat-generating active regions and the heat-dissipating back surface, facilitating heat transfer without interfering with the functional circuit elements.
2Productivity
If minimum feature size is reduced to increase integration density, then more components can be integrated into a given area, but chip area for thermal dissipation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the substrate thickness dimension to create thermal dissipation pathways. By conducting heat from the front surface through the substrate to the back surface, the effective thermal dissipation area is extended to the entire back surface of the substrate, not just the lateral chip edges. This dimensional approach allows heat dissipation without requiring additional lateral chip area.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the circuit elements, acts as an electrical isolation layer, and functions as a thermal conduction pathway. The dummy interconnect structures also serve dual purposes by maintaining substrate structural integrity while acting as thermal conduits, exemplifying multi-functionality that addresses both mechanical and thermal requirements.
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 solution effectively manages thermal issues by providing enhanced heat dissipation, compensating for increased operating temperatures and maintaining device performance.
Implementation Method 1
bonding the front-side interconnect structure to a carrier substrate via a bonding layer, in which the bonding layer is between the front-side interconnect structure and the carrier substrate, and the bonding layer has a higher thermal conductivity than the dielectric layer of the front-side interconnect structure
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes forming a transistor over a front side of a substrate, in which the transistor comprises a channel region, a gate region over the channel region, and source/drain regions on opposite sides of the gate region; forming a front-side interconnect structure over the transistor, wherein the front-side interconnect structure includes a dielectric layer and conductive features; and bonding the front-side interconnect structure to a carrier substrate via a bonding layer, in which the bonding layer is between the front-side interconnect structure and the carrier substrate, and the bonding layer has a higher thermal conductivity than the dielectric layer of the front-side interconnect structure.