Semiconductor Contact Plug and Connecting Pattern Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Contact failures occur at the interface between contact plugs and connecting patterns in semiconductor devices, leading to electrical open circuits or high resistance issues.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device design features contact plugs and connecting patterns that form a single body structure with no separation at their interface, where the upper surface of the connecting pattern is coplanar with the contact plugs, eliminating the interface thickness and reducing the likelihood of failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact plugs and connecting patterns are formed as separate structures with an interface, then manufacturing process is simpler, but contact failures occur at the interface leading to electrical open circuits or high resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the contact plug and connecting pattern into a single integrated structure formed by one continuous metal layer. The contact plug portion extends vertically to contact the active region, while the connecting pattern portion extends horizontally to connect to other contacts, eliminating the interface between separate structures and preventing contact failures at the interface.
2Manufacturing precision
If contact plugs and connecting patterns are formed as separate structures, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision decreases due to interface alignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The contact plug and connecting pattern are formed as a single continuous metal structure in one fabrication step, eliminating the need for separate deposition and alignment processes. This unified structure removes interface alignment issues entirely while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a single-layer formation process.
3Reliability
If an interface exists between contact plugs and connecting patterns, then device complexity is reduced, but contact failure rate increases due to interface thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a unified metal structure where the contact plug and connecting pattern are continuous without any interface. The metal layer forms both the vertical contact plug and horizontal connecting pattern as one piece, eliminating interface thickness and associated contact failures while keeping the wiring structure relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device may include a plurality of active patterns and a plurality of gate structure on a substrate, a first insulating interlayer covering the active patterns and the gate structures, a plurality of first contact plugs extending through the first insulating interlayer, a plurality of second contact plugs extending through the first insulating interlayer, and a first connecting pattern directly contacting a sidewall of at least one contact plug selected from the first and second contact plugs. Each of gate structures may include a gate insulation layer, a gate electrode and a capping pattern. Each of first contact plugs may contact the active patterns adjacent to the gate structure. Each of the second contact plugs may contact the gate electrode in the gate structures. An upper surface of the first connecting pattern may be substantially coplanar with upper surfaces of the first and second contact plugs.