Semiconductor Fuse Box Stress Management via Trench Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices face reduced manufacturing yield due to defects in memory cells, as the entire device becomes defective if even one memory cell is faulty, and existing repair methods using fuses are prone to cracks under thermal and physical stress, affecting reliability.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor fuse design featuring a fuse pattern on a substrate with an insulating film and a conductive line that divides the film into portions to disperse stress, along with a metal line and contact plugs, and a method for forming this structure using layers and etching to prevent crack generation, including a polyimide isoindro quinazoline (PIQ) layer for stress management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fuse is used to replace defective memory cells, then manufacturing yield is improved, but thermal and physical stress causes cracks in the fuse box reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The fuse box structure is segmented by introducing trenches between adjacent fuse patterns, dividing the continuous insulating film into separate regions. This segmentation prevents stress propagation across the entire fuse box, thereby preventing crack formation while maintaining the functionality of individual fuses for defect replacement
Solution Approach 2:
A conductive line is introduced as an intermediary element formed over the trench, electrically coupling the fuse patterns while physically separating them through the trench structure. This intermediary structure allows stress isolation between fuse patterns while maintaining electrical connectivity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and repair functionality
2Ease of manufacture
If a continuous insulating film is used in the fuse box, then manufacturing is simplified, but thermal stress causes cracks reducing device reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous insulating film is segmented by forming trenches between fuse patterns, creating isolated insulating regions. This modification maintains manufacturing simplicity while preventing stress-induced cracks by isolating stress zones, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and crack resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A fuse of a semiconductor device comprises: a fuse pattern formed on a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film covering one side of the fuse pattern and including a trench; a conductive line disposed on the insulating film including the trench. The fuse of the semiconductor device prevents generation of cracks in a fuse box by thermal and physical stress, thereby improving reliability of the semiconductor device.