Semiconductor Structure With Dielectric Platform Cavities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated passive devices on conductive silicon substrates suffer from lower quality factors and reduced operational frequency due to parasitic capacitive coupling, necessitating a solution to enhance frequency and breakdown voltage while minimizing parasitic capacitance.
Innovation Solution
A dielectric platform with sealed cavities and reduced dielectric constant is integrated between conductive material and the substrate, formed using a process that eliminates the need for thermal oxidation, thereby reducing stress and defects, and increasing the distance between passive components and the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive devices are formed on conductive silicon substrate, then integration is achieved, but quality factor decreases due to parasitic capacitive coupling
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric platform is introduced as an intermediary layer between the conductive silicon substrate and the passive devices. This dielectric platform includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer, creating physical and electrical isolation that reduces parasitic capacitive coupling. The intermediary dielectric structure allows the passive devices to maintain high quality factors while remaining integrated on the silicon substrate.
2Productivity
If passive devices are formed close to conductive substrate, then integration density is improved, but operational frequency is reduced due to parasitic capacitance
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric platform serves as a mediator that enables passive devices to be positioned closer to the substrate while maintaining high operational frequencies. The first and second dielectric layers collectively reduce parasitic capacitance, allowing integration density to increase without sacrificing frequency performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dielectric parameters by using a two-layer dielectric structure with different dielectric constants. The first dielectric layer has a first dielectric constant and the second dielectric layer has a second dielectric constant, optimizing the overall electrical characteristics to reduce parasitic effects while maintaining physical proximity for high-density integration.
3Ease of manufacture
If thermal oxidation is used to form dielectric structure, then dielectric layers are formed, but stress and defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal oxidation process with a deposition-based approach. Instead of using high-temperature thermal oxidation that creates stress and defects, the dielectric layers are formed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). This substitution of the formation mechanism eliminates the thermal stress and defect generation associated with thermal oxidation while still achieving high-quality dielectric layers.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If distance between passive components and substrate is increased, then parasitic capacitance is reduced, but device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin film dielectric layers (first and second dielectric layers) to achieve effective electrical isolation without requiring large vertical distances. The thin film structure provides sufficient parasitic capacitance reduction while maintaining a compact footprint, thus reducing device area compared to approaches that rely on increased spacing.
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
This approach results in higher frequency operation, increased breakdown voltage, and improved isolation, enabling the formation of passive devices with higher quality factors and reduced parasitic capacitance.
Implementation Method 1
parasitic capacitive coupling between these passive devices and the conductive silicon substrate
Implementation Method 2
a dielectric platform with sealed cavities and reduced dielectric constant is integrated between conductive material and the substrate, formed using a process that eliminates the need for thermal oxidation, thereby reducing stress and defects
Data Source
AI summary
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a semiconductor device is manufactured by forming at least two or more cavities below a surface of a semiconductor substrate wherein the at least two or more cavities are spaced apart from each other by a selected distance, filling at least a portion of the at least two or more cavities with a dielectric material to form at least two or more dielectric structures, removing a portion of the substrate between the at least two or more dielectric structures to form at least one additional cavity, and covering the at least one additional cavity.