Semiconductor Active Region Layout With External Dummy Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the degree of integration in semiconductor devices increases, the reliability of small-sized circuit active regions decreases due to reduced component sizes, leading to performance and multifunctionality challenges.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating first and second external dummy areas with specific gate line and active region configurations, along with gate cut insulation regions, to enhance the reliability of circuit active regions by creating a structured layout that maintains separation and isolation between circuit and dummy areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the degree of integration is increased to improve performance and multifunctionality, then the size of circuit active regions is reduced, but the reliability of the circuit active region decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates dummy active regions that are copies of the circuit active regions, placing them adjacent to the circuit active regions. These dummy regions replicate the structural characteristics of the functional active regions, thereby maintaining stress conditions and electrical characteristics without compromising circuit functionality. This copying approach allows the circuit active regions to maintain their reliability even as their size is reduced for higher integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different structural qualities to different regions: the circuit active regions maintain their functional design for circuit operation, while the dummy active regions are designed with identical structural characteristics but serve a different purpose (stress compensation and reliability maintenance). This local differentiation allows the system to achieve high integration while preserving reliability in the critical circuit regions.
2Area of stationary object
If the size of circuit active regions is reduced to increase degree of integration, then more components can be packed, but the reliability and performance of individual components deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By creating dummy active regions that are structural copies of the reduced-size circuit active regions, the patent ensures that the stress conditions and electrical characteristics experienced by the small circuit active regions are mirrored by the dummy regions. This allows the miniaturized circuit regions to maintain their reliability despite their reduced area.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy active regions act as a counterbalance to the circuit active regions, providing a reference structure that helps maintain stress equilibrium and electrical characteristic stability. This counterweight approach compensates for the reliability losses that would otherwise occur due to the reduced size of the circuit active regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes first and second external dummy areas, and a circuit area between the first and second external dummy areas. The circuit area includes circuit active regions and circuit gate lines. Each external dummy area includes an external dummy active region and external dummy gate lines overlapping the external dummy active region and spaced apart from the circuit gate lines. The external dummy active region has a linear shape extending in a first horizontal direction or a shape including active portions isolated from direct contact with each other and extending sequentially in the first horizontal direction. The circuit active regions are between the first and second external dummy active regions and include a first plurality of circuit active regions extending sequentially in the first horizontal direction and a second plurality of circuit active regions extending sequentially in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.