Semiconductor Contact Layout for Tight Pattern Margins
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rapid downscaling of semiconductor elements leads to insufficient margins between adjacent patterns, increasing the likelihood of process defects due to reduced feature sizes and higher integration demands.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design that includes specific fin patterns, gate patterns, and contact structures, with middle contacts connecting adjacent contacts to maintain sufficient process margins and prevent defects, along with a layout design method that performs optical proximity correction and reflects etch skew to optimize contact patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If feature size is reduced to achieve higher integration, then integration density is improved, but margin between adjacent patterns deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is segmented into multiple parts: a first contact portion contacting the first fin, a second contact portion contacting the second fin, and a third contact portion connecting them. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimally positioned and sized, maintaining adequate margins between adjacent transistor structures while achieving high integration density.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact structure extends in multiple directions: the first contact portion extends in a first direction from the gate, the second contact portion extends in a second direction from the gate, and the third contact portion connects them. This multi-dimensional arrangement optimizes space utilization and maintains proper spacing between adjacent patterns.
2Volume of moving object
If feature size is reduced to achieve higher integration, then device miniaturization is improved, but process defect risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is designed with adequate margins between adjacent transistor contacts by extending contact portions in multiple directions and connecting them with a third contact portion. This design provides a buffer zone that prevents process defects such as bridging or short circuits between adjacent structures, even when feature sizes are reduced.
3Manufacturing precision
If margin between adjacent patterns is increased to prevent process defects, then manufacturing reliability is improved, but integration density deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The first contact portion, second contact portion, and third contact portion are merged into a single continuous contact structure. This merging allows the contact to efficiently connect multiple fins while maintaining adequate margins between adjacent transistor structures, achieving both high integration density and manufacturing reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device comprising first and second unit cells, the first unit cell comprising a first fin pattern extending in a first direction, a first gate pattern extending in a second direction, and a first contact disposed on a side of the first gate pattern contacting the first fin pattern, the second unit cell comprising a second fin pattern extending in the first direction, a second gate pattern extending in the second direction, and a second contact disposed on a side of the second gate pattern contacting the second fin pattern, wherein the first and second gate patterns are spaced apart and lie on a first straight line extending in the second direction, the first and second contacts are spaced apart and lie on a second straight line extending in the second direction, and a first middle contact is disposed on and connects the first and second contacts.