Semiconductor Contact Plug Layout for Gate Alignment Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a challenge in achieving a precise positional relationship between contact plugs and gate electrodes in semiconductor devices, leading to variations in parasitic resistances and potential short-circuiting or leak currents, which affects device miniaturization and performance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a structure with a substrate featuring an extending portion and protruding portions, where contact plugs, including a bar contact and a columnar contact, are strategically positioned to ensure uniform parasitic resistances and prevent short-circuits, while allowing for miniaturization by sharing contacts across multiple gate electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact plugs are formed to contact the substrate, then electrical connection is achieved, but positional relationship variations with gate electrodes cause parasitic resistance variations and potential short-circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The contact plug is divided into two distinct parts: a bar contact extending in the first direction and a columnar contact extending in the third direction. This segmentation allows each part to serve a specific function - the bar contact provides a stable base connection while the columnar contact establishes the vertical connection to the gate electrode, thereby improving positional precision and reducing parasitic resistance variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact structure transitions from a single vertical plug to a three-dimensional configuration with components extending in multiple directions (first direction for bar contact, third direction for columnar contact). This dimensional expansion enables the contact plug to simultaneously achieve stable substrate contact and precise gate electrode alignment, resolving the positional relationship issues.
2Manufacturing precision
If contact plugs are positioned precisely to reduce parasitic resistance variations, then manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bar contact and columnar contact are merged into a single integrated contact plug structure that forms through one continuous process sequence. This merging approach achieves the precision benefits of a complex structure without requiring separate formation processes, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity while still achieving uniform parasitic resistance.
3Volume of moving object
If contact plugs are shared across multiple gate electrodes for miniaturization, then device size is reduced, but short-circuit risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact plug exhibits different local properties in different regions: the bar contact portion provides a broad, stable connection area for miniaturization, while the columnar contact portion provides a focused, precise connection point for each gate electrode. This local differentiation enables shared contact structures to maintain adequate isolation between adjacent gate electrodes, preventing short-circuits while achieving device miniaturization.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an element region that includes a first extending portion extending in a first direction and a plurality of first protruding portions protruding from the first extending portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The device further includes a first plug provided on the first extending portion and extending in the first direction and in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction. The device further includes a plurality of gate electrodes respectively provided above the plurality of first protruding portions so as to respectively overlap with the plurality of first protruding portions in the third direction.